,Tanzania is in the process of developing a new Tanzania Standard (TZS) aimed at ensuring the safety and quality of waffles produced and/or traded within the country. The standard has been prepared with input from local manufacturers and aligns with relevant Codex and national hygiene and testing standards.
Purpose of the Standard
The objective of the proposed Tanzania Standard is to:
Ensure consumer safety and product quality for waffles marketed in Tanzania
Establish uniform technical, hygiene, and microbiological requirements
Harmonize national requirements with Codex Alimentarius provisions
Test and analysis results generated under this standard must be rounded in accordance with TZS 4.
Specific Product Requirements
Waffles must comply with the specific physicochemical requirements set out in the standard, including:
Water activity: maximum 0.6 (TZS 3229)
Moisture content: maximum 40% (TZS 155)
Acidity of extracted fat (as oleic acid): maximum 1.0% by mass
Acid-insoluble ash: maximum 0.2%
Food Additives
Food additives may be used in the preparation of waffles only in accordance with Codex STAN 192, ensuring controlled and internationally aligned additive use.
Hygiene Requirements
Waffles must be produced under Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) as stipulated in TZS 109 and TZS 111.
Production facilities must ensure hygienic handling, processing, and storage throughout manufacturing.
Microbiological Criteria
When tested using appropriate sampling and test methods, waffles must meet the following microbiological limits:
Total plate count: ? 10³ cfu/g (TZS 118-1)
Yeast and mould: ? 10² cfu/g (TZS 2426-2)
Salmonella spp.: Absent in 25 g (TZS 122-1)
Escherichia coli: Absent (TZS 731-2)
Staphylococcus aureus: ? 10² cfu/g (TZS 125-1)
Contaminants
The presence of heavy metals in waffles must comply with the limits specified in Codex STAN 193, ensuring protection against chemical contamination.
Sampling
Sampling of waffles must be conducted in accordance with TZS 2753, providing consistency and reliability in conformity assessment.
Regulatory Impact
Once finalized, this standard will establish mandatory safety, hygiene, and quality benchmarks for waffle manufacturers and traders operating in Tanzania, with implications for product formulation, quality control, and compliance testing.