‫هيئة التقييس لدول مجمس التعاون لدول الخميج العربية‬

‫)‪GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO‬‬

‫مشروع ‪ :‬نهائي‬

‫)‪GSO /FDS 1304/2014(E‬‬

‫مساحيق الكاكاو والمخاليط الجافة من الكاكاو والسكر‬

‫‪Cocoa powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars‬‬

‫‪ICS : 67.140.30‬‬
GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

Foreword

GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the

National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is to issue
Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs).
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No (5) "Technical committee for
standards of food and agriculture products" has updated the GSO Technical regulation No. :
GSO 1304/2012 " Cocoa powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars" The Draft
Technical regulation has been prepared by the State of Qatar .
This Technical regulation has been approved by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting
No.(15), held on (), The approved standard will replace and supersede the standard No. (GSO
1304/2012) .

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

Cocoa powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars

1. SCOPE
This gulf standard applies to cocoa powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa
and sugars intended for direct consumption.
2. COMPLEMENTARY STANDARDS
2.1 GSO 9 "Labeling of prepackaged foodstuffs".
2.2 GSO 20 " Methods for the determination of contaminating metallic elements in
foodstuffs".
2.3 GSO 21 "Hygienic regulations in food plants and their personnel".
2.4 GSO 168 " Requirements of storage facilities for dry and canned foodstuffs".
2.5 GSO CAC 193 " General Standard for contaminants & toxins in food".
2.6 GSO 382 "Maximum limits for pesticide residues in agriculural food products - Part
1".
2.7 GSO 383 "Maximum limits for pesticide residues in agriculural food products - Part
2".
2.8 GSO 839 " Food packages - part 1: general requirements".
2.9 GSO 988 " Limits of radionativity levels permitted in foods stuff part - 1".
2.10 GSO 998 " Method for detection of permissible radionuclides limits in food part 1:
gamma spectrometry analysis a – cs – 134, cs – 137".
2.11 GSO 1016 "Microbiological criteria for food stuffs – Part 1".
2.12 GSO 1303 "Methods of test for cocoa".
2.13 GSO 1694 " General principles of food hygiene".
2.14 Gulf Standards adopted by the commission:
2.14.1 " Detection of pork fat in food products".
2.14.2 "Determination of Pesticide Residues in Food Products".

3. DESCRIPTION
3.1 COCOA PRODUCTS
3.1.1 “Cocoa Powder” and “Fat-reduced Cocoa Powder” and "Highly Fat-reduced
Cocoa Powder" are the products obtained from cocoa cake (Cacao) Mass
(Cocoa/Chocolate Liquor) and Cocoa Cake) transformed into powder.

4. REQUIREMENTS:
4.1 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS
4.1.1 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

4.1.1.1 Moisture Content

Not more than 7% m/m
4.1.1.2 Cocoa Powder and Dry Mixtures of Cocoa and Sugars

4.1.1.3 Chocolate Powder

Chocolate Powder: mixture of cocoa powder and sugars and/or sweeteners,
containing not less than 32% m/m cocoa powder (29% m/m on a dry matter basis).

4.2 OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Spices
Salt (Sodium chloride)

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

4. 3 FOOD ADDITIVES
4.3.1 ACIDITY REGULATORS

FOOD ADDITIVE MAXIMUM LEVEL

503(i) Ammonium carbonate

503(ii) Ammonium hydrogen carbonate

527 Ammonium hydroxide

170(i) Calcium carbonate

330 Citric acid

504(i) Magnesium carbonate
Limited by GMP on the finished
528 Magnesium hydroxide product/final cocoa product
530 Magnesium Oxide

501(i) Potassium carbonate

501(ii) Potassium hydrogen carbonate

525 Potassium hydroxide

Limited by GMP on the finished
500(i) Sodium carbonate product/final cocoa product

500(ii) Sodium hydrogen carbonate

524 Sodium hydroxide

526 Calcium hydroxide
338 Orthophosphoric acid 2.5 g/kg, expressed as P2O5, on
the cocoa fraction of the finished
product
334 L-Tartaric acid 5 g/kg on the cocoa fraction of
the finished product

4.3.2 EMULSIFIERS

MAXIMUM LEVEL

471 Mono- and di-glycerides of edible Limited by GMP on the finished

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

fatty acids product/final cocoa product

322 Lecithin
476 Polyglycerol esters of interesterified 5 g/kg on the finished product/final cocoa
ricinoleic acid product
442 Ammonium salts of phosphatidic 10 g/kg on the finished product/final
acids cocoa product
473 Edible sucrose esters of fatty acids 10 g/kg on the finished product/final
cocoa product
491 Sorbitan Monostearate 2 g/kg in combination in finished
492 Sorbitan Tristearate product/final cocoa product
493 Sorbitan Monolaurate
494 Sorbitan Monooleate
495 Sorbitan Monopalmitate
477 Propylene Glycol Esters of Fatty 5 g/kg in finished product/final cocoa
Acids product
475 Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids 5 g/kg in finished product/final cocoa
product
412 Guar Gum Limited by GMP in finished product/final
418 Gellan Gum cocoa product
466 Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose

4.3.3 STABILIZERS

MAXIMUM LEVEL
400 Alginic Acid

407 Carrageenan and its Na, K, NH4

salts(includes furcellaran)

410 Carob Bean Gum, Locust Bean Gum

413 Tragacanth Gum Limited by GMP in finished product/final
414 Gum Arabic, Arabic Gum, Acacia cocoa product
Gum
415 Xanthan Gum
416 Karaya Gum
417 Tara Gum
460 Cellulose

4.3.4 FLAVOURING AGENTS

MAXIMUM LEVEL
Natural and artificial flavours, except
those which reproduce the flavour of Limited by GMP in finished product/final
chocolate or milk cocoa product

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

Vanillin Limited by GMP in finished product/final

cocoa product
Ethyl vanillin

4.3.5 ANTI-CAKING AGENTS

MAXIMUM LEVEL
559 Aluminium silicate
552 Calcium silicate
553(i) Magnesium silicate
553(ii) Magnesium trisilicate 10 g/kg on the finished product/final
553(iii) Talc cocoa product
554 Sodium aluminosilicate
551 Silicon dioxide, amorphous
341(iii) Tricalcium phosphate

4.3.6 BULKING AGENT

MAXIMUM LEVEL

1200 Polydextroses A and N Limited by GMP in finished product/final

cocoa product

4.3.7 SWEETENERS

MAXIMUM LEVEL

953 Isomalt (Isomaltitol)

966 Lactitol Limited by GMP on the finished

421 Mannitol product/final cocoa product
965 Maltitol and maltitol syrup
420 Sorbitol and sorbitol syrup
967 Xylitol
950 Acesulfame Potassium 350 mg/kg on finished product/final cocoa
product
951 Aspartame 3 g/kg on finished product/final cocoa
product
955 Sucralose 580 mg/kg on finished product/final cocoa
product
954 Saccharin (and Na, K, Ca salts) 100 mg/kg: residue limit on finished
product/final cocoa product
957 Thaumatin Limited by GMP on finished product/final
cocoa product

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

4.3.8 THICKENER

4.3.8.1 Modified Starches

MAXIMUM LEVEL
1400 Dextrins, Roasted Starch White And
Yellow
1401 Acid-Treated Starch
1402 Alkaline Treated Starch Limited by GMP in finished product/final
1403 Bleached Starch cocoa product
1404 Oxidized Starch
1405 Starches, Enzyme-treated

4.4 HYGIENE

4.4.1 The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall be prepared and
handled in accordance with the appropriate sections of the Gulf standard
mentioned in item (2.3).

4.4.2 The maximum limits of contaminants and toxins should be according to the gulf
standard mentioned in item (2.5).

4.4.3 The maximum limits of pesticide residues in agricultural food products should be
according to the gulf standard mentioned in item (2.6), (2.7).

4.4.4 The maximum limits of radioactivity should be according to the gulf standard
mentioned in item (2.9).

5. METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING:

Should be according to the gulf standards mentioned in items (2.2), (2.10),(2.12).

6. PACKAGING:
Containers used in food packaging should be according to the gulf standard
mentioned in item (2.8).

7. STORAGE:

Containers must be stored in stores with well ventilated away from direct
sunlight and sources of heat and contamination stores and be identical to the
requirements contained in the Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.4)

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

8. LABELLING

Without prejudice to what has been mentioned in the Gulf standard in item (2.1),
the following shall be declared on each container:

8.1 NAME OF THE FOOD

7.1.1 Cocoa Powders and Dry Mixtures of Cocoa and Sugars

The descriptions of the products defined in Section 4.1.2 shall be used as the name
of the food in each case.

8.1.2 Chocolate powder

8.1.2.1. The name of the product complying with Section 4.1.3 of the standard shall be:
“Chocolate Powder”

8.1.2.2. The words “minimum cocoa powder (or fat-reduced cocoa powder or highly fat-
reduced cocoa powder) content x%” shall be declared in accordance with the Gulf
standard in item (2.1).

8.1.3 Sweeteners

8.1.3.1. When sweeteners described in section 5.7 have been used to replace sugars, totally
or partially, the word “sugared”, or equivalent, shall not appear in the name of the
food: according to the language of the importing country, the term “sweetened” or
equivalent shall be used.

8.1.3.2. Where sweeteners have been added to the product, the term “artificially
sweetened” or “with added sweeteners” or “with sugars and added sweeteners”
shall appear in close proximity to the name of the food.

8.1.4 National laws should only permit the use of names other than those given in 7.1.1
and 7.1.2. in countries where such names are traditional, fully understood by the
consumer and not misleading or deceptive with respect to other categories of
product provided that any product with less than25% of total cocoa powder or fat-
reduced cocoa powder content shall not bear the term"chocolate" in its
designation.

8.2 LABELLING OF NON-RETAIL CONTAINERS

8.2.1 Information required in Section 7.1 of this Standard and the Gulf standard in item
(2.1), shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except
that the name of the product, lot identification, and the name and address of the
manufacturer, packer, distributor and/or importer shall appear on the container.

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GSO STANDARD GSO 1304/2014

8.2.2 However, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer,
distributor and/or importer may be replaced by an identification mark provided that
such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.

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