 
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
                              
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
                              Groundnut Flour  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
 
Groundnut  Flour  – Specification  
 
0 Foreword  
 
Groundnut  flour is a flour made from crushed/ ground raw/roasted groundnut s. Groundnuts flour is  a 
good source of protein and it is mainly used  in food in dustry especially  in bakery industries  and  in 
domestic as a n ingredient of vegetable sauces, s moothies and shakes for texture and flavour.  Since it 
is 100  % groundnut it is gluten free which makes the  flour alternative in gluten free product.  
 
This Tanzania standard lays down specifications aiming at ensuring the safety and quality of 
groundnut  flour produced or traded in the country for human consumption.  
 
In preparation of this Tanzania standard considerable help was derived from Rwandan Standard RS 
417:2020 Peanut flour  –specification , published by Rwandan Standards Board  and ISO 735:1977 - 
Oilseed Residues — Determination Of Ash Insoluble In Hydrochloric Acid published by International 
Organization for Standardization.  
 
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 . 
1 Scope  
 
This Tanzania Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test method s for groundnut  flour 
from the varieties of Arachis hypogaea L  intended for human consumption.  
 
2 Normative  references   
 
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 referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies :  
 
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 109, Food  processing units – Code of hygiene – General  
TZS 118 -1 /ISO 4833 -2, Microbiology of the food chain - Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms - Part 2 Colony count at 30 °C by pour plate  technique  
TZS 122 -1 /ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, 
enumeration and serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
 
TZS 538, Packaging and labeling of foods  
 
TZS 730 - 2 /ISO 16649 -2, 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 2426 -2/ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of yeasts and moulds - Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less 
than or equal to 0.95  
TZS 740, Raw and roasted groundnuts – Specification  
TZS 742, Oleaginous  seeds – Sampling   
TZS 799 /ISO 16050 ,  Foodstuffs – Determination of a flatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins  
B1, B2, G1 and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products – High-performance liquid chromatographic  
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
method  
TZS 1314  – 2, Oilseeds  – Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
TZS 1314  – 4, Oilseeds  – Determ ination of acidity of oils  
TZS 2624,  Oilseeds Residues - Determination of total ash  
TZS 3242,  General standard for contaminants and food additives  
AFDC (291)  CD3, Sampling  procedures for analysis of aflatoxin in groundnuts  and groundnuts 
products  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purposes of this Tanzania Standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
  
3.1 groundnut  flour  
product obtained from course milling whole raw/roasted groundnuts kernels . 
 
3.2 raw groundnuts  
groundnuts with their shells removed and which have not been subjected to roasting and/or various 
forms of chemical treatment   
 
3.3 roasted groundnuts  
groundnuts with or without seed coats which have been subjected to heat  
 
3.4 foreign matter  
all organic  or inorganic matter other than groundnut flour.  
 
3.5 food grade packaging material  
packaging material made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which 
will not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to th e product.  
 
 
4.0 Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
4.1.1  The groundnut flour shall be obtained from groundnut kernels complying with TZS 740 . 
 
4.1.2   Groundnut  flour shall be  free from : 
 
a) foreign matter;  
b) foreign odours and undesirable flavour and/or taste ; and 
c) rancid odours . 
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
Groundnut  flour shall comply with specific requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance 
with the methods specified therein;  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
Table 1- Specific requirements for groundnut  flour  
 
S/N 
 Characteristic  Requirement  Test method s 
 
i) Moisture content,  % (m/m) max.  5.0 
 TZS 1314 - 2 
ii) Acidity of extracted fat , mg KOH/g, max.  
 4.0 
 TZS 1314 - 4 
iii) Total ash% , max.  4.5 
 TZS 2624  
iv) Acid -insoluble ash (on dry basis) % m/m, 
max.  0.35  Annex A  
 
5 Food Additive s  
The use of f ood additives in groundnut  flour shall comply with the latest CODEX STAN 192.  
 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Groundnut  flour shall be produced, processed, handled and stored in accordance with TZS 
109.  
 
6.2 Groundnut  flour shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods specified therein;  
 
 
Table 2 - Microbiological limits for groundnut  flour  
 
S/N Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
i Total Plate Count (TPC), 
cfu/g  max.  104   TZS 118-1 
ii Salmonella spp per 25 g  absent  
TZS 122 -1 
iii Escherichia coli cfu/g  absent  TZS 73 0-2 
iv Yeast and moulds, cfu/g, 
max. 103  TZS 2426 -2 
7 Contaminants  
 
7.1 Heavy Metal contaminants  
 
Groundnut  flour shall comply with those maximum heavy metal contaminants limits  stipulated in TZS 
3242 . 
 
7.2 Pesticide residues  
 
Groundnut  flour shall comply with those maximum re sidue limits as established by Codex Alimentarius  
Commission online database for pesticide residues  for this commodity .  
 
7.3 Aflatoxin  
Groundnut  flour shall not exceed maximum limits for aflatoxins given  in Table 3 when tested in 
accordance with test method specified therein:  
   
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
                          
               Table3:  Maximu m limits for aflatoxins  in groundnut flour  
S/N Aflatoxin  Maximum Limit     
(μg/kg)  Test method  
i Total Aflatoxin  
(B1,B2,G1,G2)  10   
TZS 799  
 ii Aflatoxin B1   5  
  
 
8 Packaging, Marking and Labeling  
8.1 Packaging   
Groundnut  flour shall be packaged in containers made from food grade packaging material and sealed 
in a manner that will safeguard the hygienic,  safety,  nutritional and organoleptic properties of the 
product . 
 
 
8.2 Marking and labeling  
 
8.2.1  In addition to the labelling requirements given in TZS 538, packages /containers  of groundnut  
flour shall be labelled legibly and indelibly with the following information :  
 
a) Name of the product as ‘ Groundnut  flour’;  
b) Trade name or brand, if any;  
c) Name, physical address of the manufacturer and/or packer;  
d) Batch or code number;  
e) Date of manufacturer;  
f) Expiry date;  
g) Net weight;  
h) Country of origin;  
i) Storage conditions ; 
j) List of ingredients in descending order, including  the specific name of additives;  
k) Language on the labe l shall be in Kiswahili and/or English. A second language may be used 
depending on the designated market ; and  
l) Disposal of used packages . 
8.2.2  The containers may  also be marked with the TBS Standards Mark of Quality.  
 
NOTE – The TBS Standards Mark of Qua lity shall be used by the manufacturers only under licence 
from TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained from TBS . 
 
9 Sampling and test  methods  
9.1 Sampling  
 
Sampling of groundnut  flour shall be done in accordance with TZS 742 . For aflatoxin analysis 
samp ling shall be done in accordance with AFDC  19(291) CD3.  
 
9.2 Test Methods  
 
Groundnut  flour shall be tested in accordance with the test methods given in this standard.   
                                                                                                           TBS/AFDC 19(843) CD3 
Annex A  
(normative)  
Determination of acid insoluble ash  
A.1 Reagent  
Dilute hydrochloric acid, approximately 5 N (prepared from concentrated hydrochloric acid)  
 
A.2 Procedure  
A.2.1  Weigh accurately 5 g of the prepared sample in a tared, clean and dry  porcelain dish. Ignite  the 
material in the dish on hotplate for about one hour. Complete the ignition by keeping in the sample 
material in a muffle furnace at 600 oC ± 20 oC until grey  ash results.  
 
A.2.2 Cool in a desiccator. Add 25 mL of this dilute hydrochloric acid to the ash, cover with a watch -
glass and boil on hot plate. Allow to cool and filter the content of the dish through a ashless filter paper 
until the washings are free from chlorides. Return the filter and the residue to the dish. Keep it in an 
air-oven maintaine d at 105 oC ± 2 oC for 3 h. Ignite in the muffle furnace at 600 oC ± 20 oC for 30 min 
in the muffle furnace, cool and weigh. Repeat this process of heating for 30 min, cooling and weighing 
till the difference between two successive weighing is less than one milligram. Record the lowest 
mass.  
 
A.3 Calculation  
Acid insoluble ash content shall be expressed as follows:  
Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass (on dry basis)  =100(𝑀2−𝑀)
𝑀1×100
100−𝑀𝐶 
 
where,  
M2 is the mass, in grams of the porcelain dish with the acid insoluble ash;  
M is the mass, in grams of the e mpty porcelain dish; and  
M1 is the mass, in grams of sample taken for the test  
MC is the moisture content  
 
                                                                 
 