‫هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية‬

GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)

‫مشروع مواصفة اولي‬

Draft of Standard DS

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TC05 ‫اعداد اللجنة الخليجية رقم‬

Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No. TC05

AF GSO 05 DS CAC 260: 2019

‫الفاكهة والخضر المخللة‬

PICKLED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
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I.C.S: 67.80

This document is a draft GSO Standard ‫هذه الوثيقة مشروع لمواصفة قياسية خليجية تم‬
circulated for comments. It is، therefore، ‫ لذلك‬،‫توزيعها إلبداء الرأي والملحوظات بشأنها‬
subject to alteration and modification ‫ وال يجوز الرجوع‬،‫فإنها عرضة للتغيير والتبديل‬
‫إليها كمواصفة قياسية خليجية إال بعد اعتمادها من‬
and may not be referred to as a GSO
.‫الهيئة‬
Standard until approved by GSO.
 ‫تقديم‬

‫هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية هيئة إقليمية تضم في عضويتها أجهزة‬
‫التقييس الوطنية في الدول األعضاء‪ ،‬ومن مهام الهيئة إعداد المواصفات القياسية واللوائح الفنية‬
‫الخليجية بواسطة لجان فنية متخصصة‪.‬‬
‫قرر (المجلس الفني لـ‪/‬مجلس إدارة) هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية في‬
‫اجتماعه رقم ( ) الذي عقد بتاريخ ‪ / /‬هـ ‪،‬الموافق ‪ / /‬م اعتماد تحديث (الالئحة الفنية) الخليجية‬

‫‪T‬‬
‫(‪ /GSO 473‬الخضر والفاكهة المخللة) باللغة (العربية واإلنجليزية) التي تم دراستها وتبنيها عن‬
‫(هيئة الدستور الغذائي الدولية (الكودكس)) (‪( )CAC 260‬دون) إدخال تعديالت فنية عليه ضمن‬
‫برنامج عمل (اللجنة الفنية الخليجية لمواصفات المنتجات الغذائية والزراعية) الخليجية رقم ‪TC05‬‬
‫‪AF‬‬ ‫المدرج في خطة (اإلمارات العربية المتحدة)‪.‬‬
‫ويعتبر النص (اإلنجليزي) هو المرجع األساس في حال وجود اختالف بين النصين‪.‬‬
‫على أن تلغي (الالئحة الفنية) رقم )‪َ (GSO 473:2009‬وتحل محلها‪.‬‬
‫‪DR‬‬
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AF
STANDARD FOR PICKLED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
CXS 260-2007
Adopted in 2007. Amended in 2015, 2017.
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 CXS 260-2007 2

1. SCOPE
This Standard applies to products, as defined in Section 2 below, and offered for direct consumption,
including for catering purposes or for repacking if required. The products covered by this Standard include,
but are not limited to onions, garlic, mango, radish, ginger, beetroot, royal plum, peppers, hearts of palm,
cabbage, lettuce, lemons, baby corn (young corn), and green mustard (Brassica juncea ssp). It does not
apply to the product when indicated as being intended for further processing. This Standard does not cover
pickled cucumbers, kimchi, table olives, sauerkraut, chutneys and relishes.
2. DESCRIPTION
2.1 Product Definition
Pickled fruits and vegetables is the product:

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(a) prepared from sound, clean and edible fruits and/or vegetables, with or without seeds, spices,
aromatic herbs and/or condiments;
(b) processed or treated to produce an acid or acidified product preserved through natural fermentation
or acidulants. Depending on the type, appropriate ingredients are added in order to ensure
preservation and quality of the product;
(c) processed in an appropriate manner, before or after being hermetically sealed in a container, so as
to ensure the quality and safety as well as to prevent spoilage; and/or

2.2 Styles
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(d) packed with or without a suitable liquid packing medium (e.g., oil, brine or acidic media such as
vinegar) as specified in Section 3.1.2, with ingredients appropriate to the type and variety of pickled
product, to ensure an equilibrium pH of less than 4.6.

(a) Any presentation of the product should be permitted provided that the product meets all
requirements of the Standard;
(b) Style presentations could include for example, whole, pieces, halves, quarters, cubes, shredded or
chopped.
2.3 Types of Pack
2.3.1 Solid Pack – without any added packing medium.
2.3.2 Regular Pack – with a packing medium added, as specified in Section 3.1.2.
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3. ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS
3.1. Composition
3.1.1 Basic Ingredients
Fruits and vegetables and liquid packing medium when appropriate, as defined in Sections 2.1(a), 2.1(d) and
3.1.2, in combination with one or more of the other permitted ingredients listed in Section 3.1.3.
3.1.2 Packing Media
3.1.2.1 For pickled fruits, in accordance with the Guidelines for Packing Media for Canned Fruits (CXG 51-2003).
3.1.2.2 For pickled vegetables, in accordance with the following provisions:
(a) Basic Ingredients
Water, and if necessary salt or oil or acidic media such as vinegar.
(b) Optional Ingredients
Packing media for pickled vegetables may contain ingredients subject to labelling requirements of
Section 8 and may include, but is not limited to:
 CXS 260-2007 3

(1) foodstuff with sweetening properties such as sugars (including syrups) as defined in the
Standard for Sugars (CXS 212-1999), honey as defined in the Standard for Honey (CXS 12-
1981) or juices and/or nectars as defined in the General Standard for Fruit Juices and Nectars
(CXS 247-2005) and;
(2) aromatics plants, spices or extracts thereof, seasoning (in accordance with the relevant Codex
standards for spices or culinary herbs);
(3) vinegar;
(4) oil (in accordance with the relevant Codex standards for vegetable oils);
(5) tomato puree (in accordance with the Standard for Processed Tomato Concentrates (CXS 57-
1981));

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(6) malt extract;
(7) sauce (e.g., fish sauce);
(8) soy sauce;
(9) other ingredients as appropriate.
3.1.3 Other Permitted Ingredients

(d) nuts;
(e) pulses;
(f)
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(a) cereal grains;
(b) dried fruits;
(c) malt extract;

sauce (e.g., fish sauce);

(g) soy sauce;
(h) foodstuff with sweetening properties such as sugars (including syrups) and honey as defined in the
Standards for Sugars (CXS 212-1999) and Honey (CXS 12-1981) respectively; and
(i) other ingredients as appropriate.
3.2 Quality Criteria
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The product shall have colour, flavour, odour and texture characteristic of the product.
3.2.1 Other Quality Criteria
3.2.1.1 Pickled fruits and/or vegetables in edible oil
The percentage of oil in the product shall not be less than 10% by weight.
3.2.1.2 Pickled fruits and/or vegetables in brine or an acidic medium
The percentage of salt in the covering liquid or the acidity of the media shall be sufficient to ensure the
keeping quality and proper preservation of the product.
3.2.1.3 Definition of Defects
(a) Blemishes - means any characteristic including, but not limited to, bruises, scab, and dark
discolouration, which adversely affects the overall appearance of the product.
(b) Harmless extraneous material - means any vegetable part (such as, but not limited to, a leaf or
portion thereof, or a stem) that does not pose any hazard to human health but affects the overall
appearance of the final product.
3.2.1.4 Defects and Allowances
The product should be practically free from defects as defined in Section 3.2.
 CXS 260-2007 4

3.3 Classification of “Defectives”

A container that fails to meet one or more of the applicable quality requirements, as set out in Section 3.2
(except those based on sample averages), should be considered as a “defective”.
3.4 Lot Acceptance
A lot should be considered as meeting the applicable quality requirements referred to in Section 3.2 when:
(a) for those requirements which are not based on averages, the number of “defectives”, as defined in
Section 3.3, does not exceed the acceptance number (c) of the appropriate sampling plan with an
AQL of 6.5; and
(b) The requirements, which are based on sample averages, are complied with.
4. FOOD ADDITIVES

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Acidity regulators, antifoaming agents, antioxidants, colours, colour retention agents, firming agents, flavour
enhancers, preservatives, sequestrants, stabilizers and sweeteners used in accordance with Tables 1 and 2
of the General Standard of Food Additives (CXS 192-1995) in the food category in which the individual
pickled fruit or vegetable fall into (i.e., one of the following categories: 04.1.2.3, 04.1.2.10, 04.2.2.3, and
04.2.2.7) or listed in Table 3 of the General Standard are acceptable for use in foods conforming to this
Standard.
5. CONTAMINANTS
5.1

5.2

6.
6.1
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The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels of the General Standard for
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CXS 193-1995).
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits for pesticides
established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
HYGIENE
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this Standard be prepared and handled in
accordance with the appropriate sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969), Code of
Hygienic Practice for Low and Acidified Low-Acid Canned Foods (CXC 23-1979) and other relevant Codex
texts such as codes of hygienic practice and codes of practice.
6.2 The products should comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with the Principles
and Guidelines for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria related to Foods (CXG 21-
1997)1.
7. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
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7.1 Fill of Container
7.1.1 Minimum Fill
The container should be well filled with the product (including packing medium when appropriate) which
should occupy not less than 90% (minus any necessary head space according to good manufacturing
practices) of the water capacity of the container. The water capacity of the container is the volume of distilled
water at 20oC which the sealed container will hold when completely filled.
7.1.2 Classification of “Defectives”
A container that fails to meet the requirement for minimum fill of Section 7.1.1 should be considered as a
“defective”.
7.1.3 Lot Acceptance
A lot should be considered as meeting the requirement of Section 7.1.1 when the number of “defectives”, as
defined in Section 7.1.2, does not exceed the acceptance number (c) of the appropriate sampling plan with
an AQL of 6.5.

1 For products that are rendered commercially sterile in accordance with the Code of Hygienic Practice for Low and
Acidified Low-Acid Canned Foods (CXC 23-1979), microbiological criteria are not recommended as they do not offer
benefit in providing the consumer with a food that is safe and suitable for consumption.
 CXS 260-2007 5

7.1.4 Minimum Drained Weight

7.1.4.1 The drained weight of the product should be not less than the following percentages, calculated on the basis
of the weight of distilled water at 20oC which the sealed container will hold when completely filled 2.
(a) Whole and Halves Style should not be less than 40% of the net weight;
(b) Pieces Style and Other Styles should not be less than 50% of the net weight (except for pickled red
cabbage should not be less than 45% of the net weight).
7.1.4.2 Lot Acceptance
The requirements for minimum drained weight should be deemed to be complied with when the average
drained weight of all containers examined is not less than the minimum required, provided that there is no
unreasonable shortage in individual containers.

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8. LABELLING
8.1 The products covered by the provisions of this Standard shall be labelled in accordance with the General
Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985). In addition, the following specific provisions
apply:
8.2 Name of the Product
8.2.1 Pickled fruits and/or vegetables shall be labelled according to the type and in combination with the name of

8.3
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major ingredient. Example - a pickle made from ginger shall be labelled “Pickled Ginger in Brine”.
8.2.2 The presentation style should be declared on the label of the food.
8.2.3 The name of the product shall include the indication of the packing medium as set out in Section 2.1(d).
Labelling of Non-Retail Containers
Information for non-retail containers 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 or importer, as well as storage instructions, shall appear on the container. However, lot
identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer may be
replaced by an identification mark, provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying
documents.
9. METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING

PROVISION METHOD PRINCIPLE TYPE

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AOAC 952.13
Colorimetry, diethyldithiocarbamate II
(Codex General Method)
Arsenic
Spectrophotometry,
ISO 6634:1982 III
silver diethyldithiocarbamate

NMKL 103 (1984); or AOAC 983.16 Gas Chromatography III

Benzoic acid
NMKL 124 (1997) Liquid Chromatography II

AOAC 968.30
Sieving
Drained weight (Codex General Method for I
Gravimetry
processed fruits and vegetables)

CAC/RM 46-1972
Fill of containers (Codex General Method for Weighing I
processed fruits and vegetables)

AOAC 972.25 Atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Lead III
(Codex General Method) (Flame absorption)

2 For non-metallic rigid containers such as glass jars, the basis for the determination should be calculated on the
weight of distilled water at 20C which the sealed container will hold when completely filled less 20 ml.
 CXS 260-2007 6

PROVISION METHOD PRINCIPLE TYPE

NMKL 179:2005 II
pH Potentiometry
AOAC 981.12 III

NMKL 103 (1984); or AOAC 983.16 Gas Chromatography III

Sorbate
NMKL 124 (1997) Liquid Chromatography II

EN 1988-1:1998-02
AOAC 990.28
Sulphur Dioxide Optimized Monier-Williams method III
General method for sulphites
(food additives)

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AOAC 980.19
Tin Atomic absorption spectrophotometry II
(Codex General Method)

DETERMINATION OF WATER CAPACITY OF CONTAINERS

(CAC/RM 46-19723)
1. SCOPE

2.

3.
3.1
DEFINITION
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This method applies to glass containers4.

The water capacity of a container is the volume of distilled water at 20°C which the sealed container will hold
when completely filled.
PROCEDURE
Select a container which is undamaged in all respects.
3.2 Wash, dry and weigh the empty container.
3.3 Fill the container with distilled water at 20°C to the level of the top thereof, and weigh the container thus
filled.
4. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS
Subtract the weight found in 3.2 from the weight found in 3.3. The difference shall be considered to be the
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weight of water required to fill the container. Results are expressed as ml of water.

3 As amended by the Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling, ALINORM 03/23, Appendix VI-H.
4 For determination of water capacity in metal containers the reference method is ISO 90.1:1986.