21.2 General standard on spices and aromatic plants

21-2

(1) The scope of this Standard applies to all spices for sale, including but not limited to dried aromatic plants.

(2) In addition to the general provisions on good hygienic practices in these Regulations, the following shall apply for spices under this Standard—

• (a)spices shall not be grown or produced in areas where the water used for irrigation might constitute a hazard to health of the consumer through the spices;
• (b)plants or parts of plants used for the preparation of spices may be dried naturally or artificially, provided adequate measures are taken to prevent contamination or alteration of the raw material during the process;
• (c)if dried naturally, plants or part of plants shall not be in direct contact with the soil. They shall be placed on raised platforms or on a floor made of a suitable material;
• (d)new concrete floors shall be used for drying only when it is absolutely certain that the new concrete is well-cured and free of excess water. It is safer to use an approved plastic cover spread over the entire new concrete floor as a moisture barrier prior to use for spices;
• (e)excessive heating or drying of materials shall be avoided in order to retain its aromatic principles;
• (f)suitable precautions shall be taken to protect the spices from contamination by domestic animals, rodents, birds, mites and other arthropods or other objectionable substances during drying, handling and storage;
• (g)contamination from mineral oils used for processing natural fibre bags shall be prevented by the use of liners where appropriate. Reusable containers shall be properly cleaned and disinfected before reuse;
• (h)the conveyances for transporting the harvested, cleaned, dried and packed spices from the place of production to storage for processing shall be cleaned and, as appropriate, well ventilated with dry air to remove moisture resulting from the respiration of spices, and to prevent moisture condensation;
• (i)raw materials shall be inspected and sorted prior to processing and where necessary, laboratory tests shall be conducted;
• (j)whenever spices have been treated with antimicrobial or pesticide, the type of treatment shall be stated explicitly in an accompanying certificate;
• (k)products which affect the storage life, quality or flavour of spices shall not be stored in the same room or compartment as spices. For example, such items as fruits, vegetables, fish, fertiliser, gasoline or lubricant oils, etc shall not be stored along with spices;
• (l)spices and their products shall be stored at a moisture low enough so that the product can be held under normal storage conditions without development of mould or significant deterioration by oxidative or enzymatic changes;
• (m)a storage environment shall be such that it can maintain relative humidity between 55 and 60% to protect quality and prevent mould growth. Where this is not practicable, spices shall be packed in waterproof and gas-proof containers and stored in a proper warehouse;
• (n)spice products shall be stored and transported under conditions that maintain the integrity of the container and the product within it. Carriers shall be clean, dry, weatherproof, free from infestation and sealed to prevent water, rodents or insects from reaching the products.