 هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
مشروع مواصفة نهائي  
Final Draft of Standard FDS 
 
 
 
 
إعداد اللجنة الخليجية رقم  TC05   
 
Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No. TC05 
 
GSO  05 FDS …../2020  
 
 
كافيار سمك الحفش  
Sturgeon Caviar  
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS: 67.120.30  
 
 هذه الوثيقة مشروع لمواصفة قياسية/ لائحة فنية خليجية تم توزيعها 
لإبداء الملحوظات بشأنها، لذذلك فننهذا ضر ذة للير  ذر والي،ذدلا ، ولا  
يجذذذوز الر ذذذوع كل هذذذا يمواصذذذفة قياسذذذية/لائحة فنيذذذة خليجيذذذة كلا بعذذذد 
اضيمادها من اله ئة. This document is a draft Gulf 
Standard/Technical Regulation circulated for 
comments. It is, therefore, subject to alteration  
and modification and may not be referred to as 
a Gulf Standard/Technical Regulation until 
approved by GSO. GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
1 
 Forewor d  
 
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 /Te chnical regulations through 
specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No (5) "  GSO Technical 
Committee  for Food and Agricultural Products " has updated the GSO 
Technical regulation No. : GSO 1360/20 14 “STURGE ON CAVIAR " The Draft 
Technical regulation has been prepared by KUWAIT.   
This Technical regulation has been approved by GSO Board of Directors in its 
meeting No.(   ), held on  /  /      h(  /   /    ).  
The approved standard will replace and supersede the standard No.  
GSO 1360/ 2014.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
2 
 تقديم 
ه ئذة اليق ذذيد لذذدوس مجلذذد اليعذذاوخ لذذدوس الةلذذية العرميذذة ه ئذذة كيليميذذة ت ذذم فذذ  ض ذذوييها   هذذ   اليق ذذيد 
الوطنية ف  الدوس الأض اء، ومن مهام اله ئة كضداد المواصفات القياسية واللذوائ  الفنيذة الةليجيذة بواسذ ة 
لجاخ فنية ميةصصة. 
 
يرر مجلد كدار  ه ئة اليق يد لدوس مجلد اليعاوخ لدوس الةلية العرمية ف  ا يماضه ريم ) ( الذي ضقد 
بياريخ  / /   ه ، الموافق / /       م    اضيماد تحدلاث اللائحة الفنية الةليجية ريم   GSO 
1360/2014 )  )مواصفةيافيار سمك الحفش  باللرة (العرمية والانجل  ية)  من برنامة ضم  اللجنة 
الفنية الةليجية ريم TC05 "اللجنة الفنية الةليجية للمواصفات الرذائية وال راعية" المدر ة ف  خ ة دولة 
الكويت. 
ويعي،ر النص (الإنجل  ي) هو المر ع الأساس   ف  حاس و ود اخيلاف ب ن النص ن. GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
3 
 Sturgeon Caviar 
 
1. SCOPE  
 This standard applies to granula r sturgeon caviar of the fish of the 
Acipenseridae family.  
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES.  
2.1 GSO   9 "Labeling of Prepackaged Foods ".  
2.2  GSO 21 "Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants & Their Personnel ". 
2.3 GSO 150 "Expiration Periods Food Products – Part 1 ." 
2.4 GSO  839  " Food packages - Part 1: General requirements".  
2.5 GSO 988  " Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in food 
stuffs - Part 1".  
2.6 GSO  998 " Methods for the detection of permissible 
radionuclides limits in food - Part 1: Gamma spectrometry an alysis: 
A, Cs 134, Cs 137".  
2.7 GSO 1863  " Food packages - Part 2: Plastic packages - General 
requirements".  
2.8 GSO/CAC/MRL  2    Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs 
in Food  
2.9 GSO/CAC 193  " General Standard for contaminants and toxins in 
food and f eed".  
2.10  GSO  589 " Methods for physical and chemical Analysis  of Fish, 
Shellfish and Their products".   
2.11  GSO  655 "Methods for Microbiological Examination of Meat, 
Fish,".  
2.12 GSO 1791  " Three piece steel round cans used for canning food 
stuffs"  
2.13 GSO 1881 "Methods of Sampling for Fish, Shellfish and Their 
Products ". 
2.14 GSO  20 "Methods for the determination of contaminating metallic 
elements in food stuffs".  
2.15  GSO 1026  "Code of Hygienic Practice for Preparation, 
Transportation".  
2.16 GSO 323  "Requirements for Transportation and Storing Chilled and 
Frozen Foods ". GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
4 
 2.17 GSO 1931  " Halal Food Part (1): General Requirement".  
2.18 GSO  1843   "Food Grade Salt".  
2.19 GSO  1694  "GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD HYGIENE".   
2.20 GSO 22   "Methods of Testing Col ouring Matter Used in 
Foodstuffs”.  
2.21 GSO 1804  " Sensory analysis of foods – part2 – General 
requirements".  
2.22 GSO 1805 -3"Sensory analysis of foods – part3".  
2.23 GSO 1016 “Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs – Part 1”.  
2.24 GSO 2500 " General Stan dard for food additives".  
2.25 GSO 2369 " Methods for the determination of fungi toxins in food 
and animal feeds".  
2.26 GSO382 " Maximum limits for pesticide residues in food  ". 
 
3  DESCRIPTION.  
3.1 DEFINITIONS . 
 The following definitions are used in this standard : 
3.1.1  Fish eggs:  non-ovulated eggs separated from the connective tissue 
of ovaries. Ovulated eggs may be used from aquacultured sturgeons . 
3.1.2  Caviar:  the product made from fish eggs of the Acipenseridae  
family by treating with food grade salt . 
3.2  PRODUCT DEFINITION.  
 The product is prepared from fish eggs of sturgeon fishes belonging 
to the Acipenseridae  family ( Acipenser, Huso, 
Pseudoscaphirhynchus and Scaphirhynchus  and hybrid species of 
these genera). The eggs are of about one size and eve nly and 
characteristically coloured according to the species used. Colour can 
vary from light grey to black or from light yellow to yellowish grey. GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
5 
 Brownish and greenish shades are permissible. The product is made 
with addition and of salt and is intended for direct human 
consumption . The salt content of the product is equal or above 
3g/100g and below or equal to 5g/100g in the end product.  
3.3  PROCESS DEFINITION.  
3.3.1   The product, after suitable preliminary preparation of the caviar, 
shall be subject to  treatment or conditions sufficient to prevent the 
growth of spore and non -spore forming pathogenic microorganisms 
and shall comply with the conditions laid down hereafter. Ovulated 
eggs are harvested after hormonal induction of ovulation of the 
female. Th e eggs are appropriately treated to remove adhesive layer 
and to harden the shell.  If hormones are used to produce ovulated 
eggs. they should be approved for use by the competent authority 
having jurisdiction . 
                  The product shall be prepare d by salting fish eggs with food grade 
salt. During packaging, storage and retail, the product temperatures 
is between +2 and +4 ° C. Freezing as well as frozen storage of 
caviar in not permitted unless the deterioration of quality is avoided.  
  3.3.2       In addition to the requirements of general standard mention in section 
2.4,2.7 &2.12,   The product shall be packed in:  
- Metal tins coated inside with stable food lacquer or enamel;  
- Glass jars;  
- Other suitable food -grade containers.  
               Re-packagi ng of the product from large to smaller containers under 
controlled conditions which maintain the quality and safety of the product shall GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
6 
 be permitted. No mixing of caviar from different sturgeon species or lots shall 
be permitted.  
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION  AND QUALITY FACTORS  
4.1 RAW MATERIAL.  
 Caviar shall be prepared from fish eggs extracted from sound and 
wholesome sturgeons of biological species of the genera described 
in Section 3.2, which are of a quality fit to be sold fresh for human 
consumption . 
4.2 SALT  
 Salt shall be of food grade quality and conform to all applicable 
Codex Standards.  
4.3 FINAL PRODUCT . 
 The product shall meet the requirements of the present Standard, 
when a lot examined in accordance with the requirements  
described in Section 10 complies with the provisions set out in 
Section 9.  
                     The product shall be examined by the methods given in Section 8.  
5 FOOD ADDITIVES.  
5.1 Acidity regulators, antioxidants and preservatives listed General 
Standard for Food Additives mentioned in section 2.24 , are 
acceptable for use in foods conforming to this standard.  
 
 GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
7 
 6 CONTAMINANTS.  
6.1         The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the Maximum 
Levels of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins i n 
Food and Feed  and the maximum residue limits for pesticides and 
veterinary drugs mentioned in section 2.9 , the following specific 
provisions apply:  
6.2            For caviar obtained from ovulated eggs, the treatment of the fish (e.g. 
with hormones) and  the subsequent level of residues in the final 
product shall be in conformity with the relevant provisions in sub -
section 6.3.2 Veterinary Drugs of the Code Of Practice for Fish and 
Fishery Products  in particular regarding the compliance with the 
MRL and t he withdrawal time.   
7 HYGIENE.  
 7.1                It is recommended that the product covered by the provisions of 
this standard be prepared and handled in accordance with the 
appropriate sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene , in 
section 2. 2. 
7.2       The products should comply with any microbiological criteria 
established in accordance with the Principles and Guidelines for the 
Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria Related 
to Foods . Section 2.23  
7.3          The product  shall not contain any other substance in amounts which 
may present a hazard to health in accordance with gulf standards.  
7.4          The final product shall be free from any foreign material that poses a 
threat to human health.  
 GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
8 
 8. LABELLING  
 In additio n to the provisions of Gulf Standard for the Labelling of Pre -
packaged Foods , section 2.1  the following specific provisions apply:  
8.1 Name of the food  
8.1.1      For the Acipenseridae family, the name of the food shall be “caviar” or 
“caviar” completed w ith the usual name (Beluga for Huso huso, Ossetra for 
Acipenser guldenstaedtii and Acipenser persicus, Sevruga for Acipenser 
stellatus), in accordance with the law and custom of the country in which the 
product is sold, in a manner not to mislead the consu mer. 
8.1.2     For sturgeons having no common names, the name may be 
supplemented with the identification code or the scientific name of the species 
in accordance with Annex A.  
8.1.3      For hybrids the common name shall be supplemented with the word 
hybrid, and the parent sturgeon species may be shown according to Annex A.  
8.1.4     For caviar obtained from ovulated eggs, the product name shall be 
“caviar from ovulated eggs”. The labelling shall be written in such a way as to 
avoid any risk of misleadin g consumers on the nature of the product.  
8.2 Storage instruction  
The labelling shall include terms to indicate that the product shall be stored 
under appropriate time/temperature conditions.  
8.3 Repackaging  
In case of repackaging of the product the faci lity registration code shall be 
identified.  GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
9 
  
8.4 Labelling of non -retail containers  
 Each primary container shall be labelled with the number markings of the lot 
and the species. Information specified above shall be given either on the 
container or in acco mpanying documents, except that the name of the food, lot 
identification, and the name and address as well as storage instructions shall 
always appear on the container. However, lot identification as well as the name 
and address may be replaced by an ident ification mark, provided that such a 
mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.  
9. SAMPLING, EXAMINATION AND ANALYSES  
9.1 Sampling  
9.1.1 Sampling of lots for examination of the product shall be in accordance 
with the General Guidelines  on Sampling , section 2.13 . A sample unit is the 
primary container.  
9.1.2 Sampling of lots for examination of net weight shall be carried out in 
accordance with an appropriate sampling plan meeting the criteria established 
by the Gulf Standards .  
9.1.3 S ampling of lots for pathogenic microorganisms and parasites shall be in 
accordance with the Principles and Guidelines for the Establishment and 
Application of Microbiological Criteria Related to Foods , section 2.11&2.23.  
 
 
 GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
10 
  
 
9.2 Sensory examination  
Sampl es taken for sensory and physical/chemical examination shall be assessed 
by person trained in such examination and in accordance with the Guidelines 
for the Sensory Evaluation of Fish and Shellfish in Laboratories  mentioned in 
section 2.21 &2.22.  
9.3 Deter mination of net weight  
The net weight (excluding packaging material) of each sample unit in the 
sample lot shall be determined by deducting the weight of the empty container 
from the total weight.  
9.4 Determination of salt content  
The determination of sa lt content is performed according to the method 
described in the Standard for Salted Fish and Dried Salted Fish of the Gadidae 
Family of Fishes . 
10. DEFINITION OF DEFECTS  
 The sample unit shall be considered as defective when it exhibits any of the 
propert ies defined in Sections 10.1 - 10.4.  
10.1 Foreign matter  
The presence in the sample unit of any matter which has not been derived from 
sturgeon eggs, does not pose a threat to human health, and is readily recognized 
without magnification; or is present at a level determined by any method GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
11 
 including magnification, that indicates non -compliance with good 
manufacturing practices and sanitation practices.  
 
10.2 Odour and flavour  
The product affected by persistent and distinct objectionable odour and/or 
flavour  indicative of decomposition, oxidation, or taste of feed (in fish reared in 
aquaculture), or contamination by foreign substances (such as fuel oil).  
10.3 Consistency and condition  
• The presence of hard cover of caviar grains that is not easily chewable  or 
tenuous.  
• The breaking up of the outer membranes when attempting to separate the 
grains.  
• The Presence of broken eggs or fluid.  
10.4 Objectionable matter  
The presence of remnants of membranes and/or secreted fat in finished caviar . 
11. LOT ACCEPT ANCE  
 A lot shall be considered as meeting the requirements of this standard  
when:  
1. The total number of defectives as classified according to Section 9 does not 
exceed the acceptable number of the appropriate sampling plan given in the 
General Guideline s on Sampling  mentioned in section 2.13.  GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
12 
  2. The average net weight of all sample units is not less than the declared 
weight, provided no individual container is less than 95% of the declared 
weight.  
3. The food additives, contaminants, hygiene and labell ing requirements of 
Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 are met.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX 1  GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
13 
 Table .1 - IDENTIFICATION CODES OF STURGEON SPECIES  
Code Denomination of sturgeon fishes - Scientific names  
HUS  Huso huso  
DAU  Huso dauricus  
NAC  Acipenser naccari  
TRA  Acipense r transmontanus  
SCH  Acipenser schrenkii  
STU  Acipenser sturio  
BAI Acipenser baerii baikalensis  
SIN Acipenser sinensis  
DAB  Acipenser dabryanus  
PER Acipenser persicus  
BVI Acipenser brevirostrum  
FUL  Acipenser fulvescens  
OXY  Acipenser oxyrhynchus  
DES  Acipenser oxyrhynchus desotoi  
GUE  Acipenser gueldenstaedtii  
MED  Acipenser medirostris  
BAE  Acipenser baerii  
MIK  Acipenser micadoi  
STE Acipenser stellatus  GSO  FDS …. /2020  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
14 
 RUT  Acipenser ruthenus  
NUD  Acipenser nudiventris  
FED  Pseudo scaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi  
HER  Pseudoscaphirhynchus hermanni  
KAU  Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni  
PLA  Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus  
ALB  Scaphirhynchus albus suttkusi  
SUS Scaphirhynchus suttkus  
YYY x 
XXX  Hybrids: female species code x male species code  
             
 
 
 