GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)

Final Draft Standard

GSO 05/FDS 992 /2008

YOGHURT

Prepared By
GSO Technical Committee 05 for standards of food and agriculture products

This document is a draft GSO Standard circulated for comments. It is, therefore,
subject to alteration and modification and may not be referred to as a GSO
Standard until approved by GSO Board Of Directors.
 Foreword
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of
the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is
to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through specialized technical committees
(TCs).

GSO through the technical program of committee TC No. 5 "Gulf technical committee
for standards of food and agriculture products" has updated the GSO Standard No.
992/1998 "Yoghurt". The Draft Standard has been prepared by Sultanate of Oman.

This standard has been approved as a Gulf Technical Regulation by GSO Board of
Directors in its meeting No. ( ), held on / / H, / / G. The
approved standard will replace and supersede the GSO standard No. 992/1998.
GSO STANDARD GSO 992/2008

YOGHURT

1- SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION

This standard is concerned with yoghurt, sweetened and yoghurt heat-treated after
fermentation.

2- COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES
2.1 GSO 9 Labeling of Prepackaged Foods.
2.2 GSO 2 1 Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and their Personnel.
2.3 GSO 150/1984 Expiration Periods for food products.
2.4 GSO 569 Methods for Sampling Milk and Milk Products.
2.5 GSO 570 Methods of the Physical and Chemical Analysis of Milk.
2.6 GSO 571 Methods of Microbiological Examination of Liquid Milk.
2.7 GSO 669 Methods of Test for Yoghurt.
2.8 GSO 398 Packages of Foodstuffs- Part 1: General Requirements.
2.9 GSO 841 Maximum Limits of Mycotoxins Permitted in Foods and Animal Feeds-
Aflatoxins.
2.10 GSO 988 Limits of Radiation Levels Permitted in Foodstuffs- Part 1.
2.11 GSO 998 Method for Detection of Radionuclides in food- Part 1: Gamma
Spectrometry Analysis.
2.12 GSO 1016 Microbiological Criteria of Food Product- Part 1.
2.13 GSO Standard for Food Additives (CODEX STAN. 192 Food Additives).
2.14 GSO Standard for Pesticide Residues (Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticide
established by Codex Alimentarius Commission).
2.15 GSO Standard for Veterinary Drugs Residues (Maximum residue limits for veterinary
drugs in food established by Codex Alimentarius Commission).
2.16 GSO Standard for analysis of pesticide residues (CODEX STAN. 229 Analysis of
Pesticide Residue: Recommended Methods)

3- DEFINITIONS
3.1 Yoghurt:
A coagulated milk product obtained by lactic acid fermentation through the action
of lactobacillus delbrueckii sub-sp bulgricus and streptoccocus salivarius sub-sp
thermophillus from milk and milk products (4.1).
3.2 Sweetened yoghurt
GSO STANDARD GSO 992/2008

Yoghurt (3.1) to which one or more of the natural sugars are added.
3.3 Yoghurt heat-treaded after fermentation
Yoghurt (3.1) which has been submitted to a heat treatment after fermentation, so
that it does not contain viable and abundant microorganisms.

4- REQUIREMENTS
4.1 It should be produce of raw milk or recombined milk of dried milk or
concentrated milk (full cream, partly skimmed, skimmed) and cream or butter or
any source of milk fat.
4.2 Optional addition
4.2.1 Milk powder or skimmed milk powder unfermented buttermilk,
concentrated whey, whey powder, whey proteins, whey protein concentrate water-
soluble milk proteins, edible casein, caseinate, manufactured from pasteurized
products.

4.2.2 Vitamins A and D, if added vitamin A shall be not less than 2000 IU/L and
vitamin D shall be not less than 400 IU/L.
4.2.3 Natural sugars.
4.2.4 Cultures of suitable lactic acid producing bacteria in addition to those in item 3.1.
4.3 It shall be completely free from pig products and its derivatives.
4.4 It shall have a homogenized body texture.
4.5 It shall be white or yellowish colour.
4.6 It shall have the smell and taste characteristic of yoghurt and shall be free from
undesired smell and taste.
4.7 It may be heat-treated after fermentation.
4.8 The raw materials used in the production should be complying with their
relevant GSO standards.
4.9 It shall be completely free from foreign materials and all kinds of insects and their
fragments.
4.10 The acidity shall not be less than 0.8% as lactic acid.
4.11 The milk solids non-fat content shall not be less than 8.2%.
4.12 It shall be processed in accordance with the hygienic requirements of the GSO
standard as mentioned at item 2.2.
4.13 Yoghurt may be graded according to fat content into the following grades:
Fat content in yoghurt types

Fat %
Yoghurt types
1 Yoghurt 3%
GSO STANDARD GSO 992/2008

2 Partially skimmed yoghurt 1% - 2%

Skimmed yoghurt 0.5% max
3

4.14 Food additives may be used according to the limits stated in the GSO standard mentioned
in 2.10.

4.15 The microbiological criteria of micro-organisms shall be according to the limits stated in
the GSO standard mentioned in 2.12.

4.16 The products shall comply with the maximum residue limits for pesticides and
veterinary drugs established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (items 2.14 &
2.15).

4.17 The limits of radiation levels in the product shall not exceed the permitted maximum
levels stated in the GSO standard mentioned in 2.10.

5- SAMPLING
Samples shall be drawn according to GSO standard as mentioned in item 2.4.

6- METHODS OF TEST
6.1 Determination of fat shall be carried out according to GSO standard as mentioned
in item 2.7.
6.2 Determination of total solid, total not fat solids, total acidity shall be carried out
according to GSO standard as mentioned at item 2.5.
6.3 Microbiological tests shall be carried out according to GSO standard as mentioned
at item 2.6.
6.4 Determination of pesticide residues shall be carried out according to GSO standard
as mentioned in item 2.16.

7- PACKAGING
Without prejudice to the GSO standard mentioned in 2.8, the following shall be met:
7.1 The product containers shall be made of materials which are hygienic, non-
poisonous and non-harmful. It shall be watertight, clean, and may cause no
change in the product characteristics.
7.2 The product shall be packed in such a way as to prevent any external
contamination.
7.3 The product containers shall be put in a cold store after complete fermentation at a
temperature not exceeding 5oC.

8- STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION

GSO STANDARD GSO 992/2008

8.1 Storage
The storage and handling temperature shall not exceed 5oC.
8.2 Transportation
The packages shall be transported under suitable and hygienic conditions to
prevent contamination and deterioration. The temperature shall not exceed 5oC.

9- LABELLING
Without prejudice to the provisions of GSO Standards mentioned in items 2.1 &
2.5, the following information shall be declared on the label:
9.1 The kind of milk used (fresh milk, powder).
9.2 Fat percentage and the type of yoghurt according to fat percentage (yoghurt -
partly skimmed yoghurt, skimmed yoghurt).
9.3 Percentage of total non-fat solids.
9.4 Dates of manufacture and expiry (day, month and year), shelf life shall be in
accordance to what is stated in the GSO mentioned in item 2.5.
9.5 In case of addition of natural sugars the statement “Sweetened Yoghurt” shall be
written.
9.6 In case of heat-treated yoghurt after fermentation the statement “Yoghurt Heat-
Treated After Fermentation” shall be declared on the label, the shelf life shall be in
accordance to what is stated in the GSO mentioned in item 2.5 .
9.7 Kind and percentage of optional additions shall be declared on the label.
9.8 Food additives shall be declared on the label.
9.9 Nutrition information (energy in calories , percentages of protein – fat – total sugars,
calcium, sodium and added vitamins).
GSO STANDARD GSO 992/2008

References:

-GSO No 992/2002

-Codex Standard No.243/2007

Fermented Milks

- Codex Standard No.192/1995 , rev 2007

General Standard for Food additives