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DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
Dried Lemongrass leaves – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                                                                     
 
                                                                                                                 
  
 
 
Dried Lemongrass leaves – Specification  
 
 
0. Foreword  
Dried Lemongrass leaves is an herb derive d from the dried mature leaves of  Cymbopogon citratus  
(Poaceae family) .  
 
This Tanzania standard was prepared due to increasing  utilization of dried lemon grass  leaves  in culinary, 
cosmetic and fragrance  to ensure the safety and quality of dried Lemongrass leaves produc ed for local 
and export market.  
 
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania Standard assistance was derived from local lemongrass producers  
 
 
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this Tanzania Standard, if the final  
value observed or calculated is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with TZS 4 (see clause 
2) 
    
  
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD                                  
                                                                                                                               
©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                1  
1 Scope  
 
This Tanzania standard  prescribes requirements , methods  of sampling   and test for  dried  
Lemongrass leaves  (Cymbopogon citratus  L.) intended for human consumption  
 
 
2 Normative r eferences  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this  standard . For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the re ferenced 
document (inc luding any amendments) applies  
 DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARDS                                           
                                                              
 1                                                                                                         
  
 2 TZS 109, Codes of hygiene for food processing units — General  
TZS 118, Foodstuffs — General guidance for the enumeration of microorganisms — Colony 
Count Technique at 30 ºC 
TZS 122, Foodstuffs — Microb ial examination for salmonella  
TZS 125 (Part 1), Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — 
Part 1: Technique using Baird -Parker ag ar medium  
TZS 1315, Spices and condiments — Determination of extraneous matter and foreign matter 
content  
TZS 1316, Spices and condiments — Determination of total ash  
TZS 1317, Spices and condiments — Determination of acid insoluble ash  
TZS 1318, Spices and condiments — Determination of moisture content Entrainment method  
TZS 1320, Spices and condiments — Determination of volatile oil content (hydrodistillation 
method)  
TZS 1492, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of tin content  
TZS 1502, Fruits and veg etables — Determination of Arsenic content  
TZS 1581 -1, Determination of cadmium content – Method graphite furnace atomic absorption 
spectrometry  
TZS 1581 -2, Determination of cadmium content – Method flame atomic absorption spectrometry  
TZS 268, General ato mic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food 
stuffs  
TZS 33, Spices and condiments — Sampling  
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 538, Packaging and labeling of foods  
TZS 730 (Part 2): 2002 (1st Ed) ISO 16649 (Part 2): 200 1- Microbiology of food and animal 
feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of -b-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia 
coli – Part 2 – Colony -count technique at 44 0C using 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl -b-D-glucuronide  
TZS 731: 2018 (3nd Ed) ISO 7 251: 2005 - Microbiology of food and feeding -stuffs – Horizontal 
method for the detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia Coli – Most Probable 
Number Technique  
TZS 799, Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatox ins B1, B2, 
G1 and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products – High\-performance liquid chromatographic 
method  
 
3.  Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this  standard , the following definitions shall apply ; 
 
3.1 Dried Lemongrass leaves  
 dried plant le aves of the species  Cymbopogon citratus  used as a flavour ing ingredient in herbal tea , 
decoction and soup  
 
3.2 Extraneous matter  
 
all matter present in the sample which is not from leaves  of the species  under consideration  
 
 
4 General Requirements  
 
4.1 Product d escription  
 
  
whole or crushed  dried leaves  of Cymbopogon  citratus       
                                                                                                         
  
 3 4.1.1 Color  
 
  Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall be green ish  
 
4.1.2 Odour  and flavour    
 
Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall have a charac teristic  odour of Lemongrass leaves  and shall  be free 
from off odour . The flavor of d ried Lemongrass leaves  shall have  fresh citrusy scent  characteristic 
aroma    of Lemongrass leaves   
 
4.2 Freedom from fungi, insects, etc.   
 
Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall be free from dirt, fungal growth, insect infes tation, insect fragments 
and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye  
 
 
 
 4.4 Specific Requirements  
 
 
4.4.1 Moisture content   
 
Moisture content when determined by the method described in TZS 1318  shall not exceed 1 0 % (m/m)  
 
 
4.4.2 Extraneous matter   
 
The proportion of extraneous mat ter when determined by the method described in TZS 1315  shall 
not exceed 1  % (m/m).   
 
 
 
5. Contaminants  
 
 
5.1 Dried Lemongrass leaves shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by 
the Codex stan 193 
 
5.2 Heavy metals and Metallic contaminants  
 Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall not contain any heavy and metallic contaminants in excess of levels 
specified in Table 1 . 
 
Table 1  — Limit for Heavy metal s and metallic  contaminants for  dried Lemon grass leaves    
  
S/No  Characteristics  Limits ( Max) mg/kg  Test method  
(see clause 2)  
i  Arsenic (as As )  0.2 TZS 1502  
ii  Tin (as Sn)  250 TZS 1492  
iii  Cadmium (Cd)  1.0               TZS 1581 -1/2 
iv  Lead (as Pb)  5.0 TZS 268  
 
5.3 Aflatoxin  
 
Dried Lemongrass leaves shall not  have more than 5 ppb aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin of max  
10 ppb when tested according to TZS 799 .                                                                                                         
  
 4  
 
6. Hygiene  
 
6.1 Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall be  prepared under good hygienic practices as stipulated in TZS 109:  
Codes of hygiene for food processing units  – Genera l 
 
 
6.2 Microbiological  Limits  
 
Dried Lemon grass leaves shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods specified therein.  
 
 
Table 2 Microbiological limits  
 
 
 
 
7 Methods of sampling and test  
  
Dried Lemon grass leaves shall be  sampled in accordance with TZS 33:   and tested for compliance 
with the requirements of this standard as described in clause 4 and in Table 1  and 2   
 
 
 
8 Pack ing, marking  and labeling   
 
8.1 Pack ing  
 
8.1.1 Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall be packed under hygi enic conditions .  
 
 
8.1.2 Dried Lemongrass leaves  shall be packed  in a suitable  and good quality  food grade  material    
.  
 
8.2 Marki ng and labelling   
In addition to TZS 538 the following particulars shall legibly and indelibly be marked or labeled on 
each container . 
 
a) Name of the product   
 
b)  Brand name if any;  SI. No  Characteristic:  
 Limits  
(Max)  Test method 
1 
 
2 
3 
4 Total aerobic count cfu/g  
 
Yeast s & Moulds cfu/g  
 
Escherichia coli  cfu/g  
 
Salmonella spp per 25 g . 106 
104 
Absent  
Absent  TZS118  
 
TZS 730  
 
TZS 731  
 
TZS 122                                                                                                          
  
 5  
c) Name , physical and postal address of manufacturer and/or packer;  
 
d)Batch  or code number;  
 
e) Date  of production/packing   
 
 
f) Net weight ; 
 
g)   Best before date; 
 
h) Country of origin ; 
 
i) Storag e condition   
 
 
The containers may also be marked with TBS Certification Mark of Quality.  
 
NOTE — The use of the TBS Certification Mark of Quality is governed by the provisions of the 
standards Act, 2009.  Details of conditions under which a license for th e use of TBS certification 
mark may be granted to manufacturers may be obtained from TBS.  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 