The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has proposed a draft standard establishing specific requirements for sugar-free carbonated soft drinks, covering product composition, safety parameters, and testing methods. The draft outlines limits for key chemical characteristics, including a maximum caffeine level of 200 mg/kg, quinine salts (as quinine sulphate) up to 100 mg/kg, and a maximum degree Brix of 0.5 at 20°C, ensuring the product remains free from nutritive sugars.
The proposal also introduces stringent contaminant limits for heavy metals. Maximum levels include arsenic at 0.1 mg/kg, tin at 1.5 mg/kg, lead at 0.1 mg/kg, cadmium at 0.003 mg/kg, and mercury at 0.001 mg/kg. In addition, microbiological criteria are specified, with total plate counts limited to 10³ cfu/ml, yeast and moulds capped at 10² cfu/ml, and coliform bacteria required to be absent, reinforcing food safety standards.
The draft further defines permitted ingredients for sugar-free carbonated beverages. These include caffeine, quinine salts, edible common salt compliant with TZS 132, and non-nutritive sweeteners within the limits established under Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192). The use of nutritive sweeteners is explicitly prohibited. Water used in production must comply with the potable water specification under TZS 789, while flavouring materials must align with the Codex Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings (CAC/GL 66).
Additionally, the draft standard specifies a pH range of 2.5–4.0 for the final product. The proposed requirements aim to strengthen quality control, harmonize national specifications with international Codex standards, and ensure consumer safety for sugar-free carbonated beverages in Tanzania.