,"The Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) has released the Final Draft Standard (FDS) GSO DS 270:2025, covering requirements for smoked fish, flavored smoked fish, and smoke-dried fish intended for direct consumption or further processing. The draft has been circulated to member states for comments and is still subject to modification until officially approved.
Prepared by the GSO Technical Committee No. TC05, the new draft standard is set to replace GSO 270:2021 once adopted.
The draft defines production requirements, hygiene standards, allowable processing methods (cold smoking, hot smoking, re-smoke using condensed smoke), as well as packaging, storage, and safety criteria. It clarifies that the regulation does not apply to carbon monoxide-treated fish, commercially sterilized canned fish, or processed fish salads.
Key technical provisions include:
Maximum histamine limits: 15 mg/100 g average, and not exceeding 20 mg/100 g in sensitive fish species.
Mandatory compliance with microbiological limits, including the absence of Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum in ready-to-eat products.
Strict controls on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during smoking.
Requirements for free-from parasites, especially for cold-smoked products.
Full adherence to GSO standards related to hygiene, additives, pesticide residues, contaminants, packaging, and shelf-life.
The standard outlines detailed definitions for smoking processes, use of smoke condensates, salting, drying, packaging in reduced oxygen environments, and specific criteria for smoke-dried products with water activity ≤ 0.75.
Once finalized and approved by the GSO Board, GSO 270:2025 will become the official Gulf Technical Regulation governing smoked fish products across GCC member states."
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