Tanzania Bureau of Standards has issued Draft Tanzania Standard AFDC 12 (4154) DTZS (Third Edition) revising the specification for artificially sweetened flavoured drinks in solid form. The revised standard updates the previous edition (TZS 1351:2022) and establishes quality, safety, compositional, microbiological, contaminant, and labeling requirements for products intended for human consumption.
The draft standard applies to flavoured dry beverages in solid forms such as powders, crystals, tablets, or other solid formats containing permitted non-nutritive artificial sweeteners. These products are intended to be reconstituted with potable water to produce ready-to-drink beverages, commonly marketed as sugar-free or calorie-free drinks for diet purposes.
Under the proposed requirements, the solid drink product must have uniform colour, shape, and particle size, be free-flowing, free from lumps and foreign matter, and dissolve completely in potable water to form a homogeneous beverage. After reconstitution, the beverage must exhibit flavour, aroma, and colour characteristic of the declared flavour. The standard also allows optional fortification with Vitamin C, provided the reconstituted drink releases at least 35 mg/100 ml of L-ascorbic acid.
The draft sets specific physicochemical limits, including maximum moisture content of 3% and pH between 2.7 and 4.0 after reconstitution. Food additives must comply with the Codex Alimentarius Commission General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192) and should generally be used individually within each functional class unless combination use is technologically justified and supported by risk assessment.
Microbiological criteria require total plate count not exceeding 10³ CFU/g, yeast and moulds not exceeding 10 CFU/g, and absence of coliforms and Salmonella, while Staphylococcus aureus must not exceed 10² CFU/g. Additionally, the standard establishes maximum limits for heavy metal contaminants, including lead (0.2 mg/kg), arsenic (0.2 mg/kg), mercury (0.1 mg/kg), and tin (200 mg/kg for canned products).
The draft also outlines detailed packaging and labeling requirements, including the use of moisture-proof and hermetically sealed food-grade containers. Labels must provide essential information such as product name indicating sugar-free nature, ingredient list with additive names or INS numbers, manufacturer details, batch identification, manufacturing and expiry dates, storage conditions, preparation instructions, and allergen declarations.
A notable provision in the draft standard is the requirement for mandatory warning statements, specifying that the product has no nutritive value and is not permitted for children under 18 years, pregnant or breastfeeding women, sick individuals, or elderly persons. The warning must also appear in Kiswahili. Additionally, products containing aspartame must carry a phenylketonuria warning indicating the presence of phenylalanine.
The proposed standard aims to enhance consumer protection, regulate diet beverage products containing artificial sweeteners, and ensure product safety and transparency in the Tanzanian market.