GB/T 23596-2024General quality requirements for instant seaweed and its products (English PDF)

3 Terms and definitions

3.1 instant seaweed: a dried algal food that can be eaten as it is, made from dried laver as the main raw material with or without auxiliary materials by the corresponding process, and taking in roasted seaweed, also called roasted laver, and seasoned seaweed, also called flavoured seaweed or seasoned laver. A first note explains that roasted seaweed is made from dried laver by roasting until cooked and can be eaten as it is. A second note explains that seasoned seaweed is made from dried laver as the main raw material, with a suitable addition of other auxiliary materials, by roasting, which may be dry roasting, pan roasting or deep frying, and seasoning and the other processes, and can likewise be eaten as it is.

3.2 instant seaweed products: dried foods that can be eaten as they are, made from dried laver as the main raw material with the addition of one or more of nuts and seeds, animal aquatic products, meat floss and the like, together with other auxiliary materials, by seasoning and the corresponding processes.

4 Product classification

4 Products are divided by their content of dried laver. For instant seaweed, the dried laver content of seasoned seaweed, on the dry basis of the raw material, shall be not less than 40%. For instant seaweed products, the dried laver content, on the dry basis of the raw material, shall be not less than 18%.

5 Requirements

5.1 Dried laver shall meet GB/T 23597. The other raw and auxiliary materials shall meet the corresponding national and trade standards.

5.2 The sensory requirements follow Table 1, which sets them separately for instant seaweed and for instant seaweed products, on the items colour, taste and odour, texture, and foreign matter. The colour ranges from green to blackish brown, with the colour spots of any added auxiliary material allowed; the colour of a seaweed product shall be the colour proper to that product, in the main even, again with the colour spots of any added auxiliary material allowed. The taste and odour shall be those proper to the product, without off-flavour. The texture shall be crisp in the mouth, in flakes, strips, rolls, granules or another irregular shape, and pieces of one kind shall be in the main even in size. There shall be no inedible foreign matter visible to normal eyesight, a small amount of edible mixed algae such as diatoms, green algae and red algae being allowed. In the extracted table the colour row runs the wording for the two product groups together and it cannot be told with certainty where the entry for instant seaweed ends and the entry for instant seaweed products begins.

5.3 The physical and chemical indexes follow Table 2, which sets them for roasted seaweed, for seasoned seaweed and for instant seaweed products. Moisture, in grams per 100 grams, shall be not more than 5.00 for roasted seaweed and for seasoned seaweed and not more than 7.00 for seaweed products. Protein, in grams per 100 grams, shall be not less than 15.0 for roasted seaweed and for seasoned seaweed and not less than 6.00 for seaweed products. Total dietary fibre, in grams per 100 grams, shall be not less than 10.0 for roasted seaweed and for seasoned seaweed and not less than 9.00 for seaweed products. Chloride expressed as sodium chloride, in grams per 100 grams, shall be not more than 6.00 for seasoned seaweed and is not set for the other two. The acid value expressed on the fat, in milligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram, shall be not more than 3.0 for seaweed products and is not set for the other two. The peroxide value expressed on the fat, in grams per 100 grams, shall be not more than 0.50 for seaweed products and is not set for the other two, the figure in brackets in the table, 0.80, applying, as the note says, to seaweed products to which sunflower seed has been added. A footnote states that the acid value and the peroxide value apply only to seaweed products to which nuts and seeds have been added.

5.4 The net content of prepacked products follows the administrative measures on the metrological supervision of prepacked commodities.

6 Test methods

6.1 For the sensory examination a suitable amount of the sample is placed in a clean white dish or another clean container and, in natural light, the colour, the shape and the foreign matter are observed and the odour is smelled; the mouth is rinsed with warm boiled water and the taste and the mouthfeel are tried, and an assessment is made.

6.2 Moisture is determined by GB 5009.3. Protein is determined by GB 5009.5, the factor for converting nitrogen into protein being 6.25. Total dietary fibre is determined by GB 5009.88. Chloride is determined by GB 5009.44, the factor for converting the chloride content expressed as chlorine ion into the sodium chloride content being 1.65. The acid value is determined by GB 5009.229 and the peroxide value by GB 5009.227.

6.3 The net content is checked as JJF 1070 provides.

7 Inspection rules

7.1 Products of the same process, the same variety and the same size made on the same production line in the same shift or on the same date form one batch.

7.2 Samples are drawn at random from each batch, in a quantity that meets the needs of the tests and of the retained sample.

7.3 Every batch shall undergo delivery inspection to the document, carried out by the inspection department of the producer or by a qualified inspection body it commissions. For products of the same variety in different packs, the items that are not affected by the size and the form of the pack may be inspected together. The items of delivery inspection are the sensory requirements, the moisture and the net content.

7.4 Type inspection shall be carried out every six months, and also on the trial production and approval of a new product; on resumption of production after it has been stopped for more than three months; on a considerable change of raw material, process or equipment that could affect the quality of the product; where the result of delivery inspection differs markedly from that of the previous type inspection; and where the market supervision body of the state asks for it. Type inspection covers all the items laid down in the document.

7.5 Where all the items of delivery inspection meet the document, the batch is judged to meet the document. Where an item fails, twice the number of samples may be drawn from the same batch and inspected again, and where the item still fails the batch is judged not to meet the document. The same rule applies to type inspection, which is judged to meet the document where all its items pass, and not to meet it where an item still fails after the doubled re-inspection.

8 Labelling, marking, packaging, transport and storage

8 The label of a product sold by weight need not state the net content. The label shall state the product classification name as clause 4 provides. The pictorial marking for storage and transport conforms to GB/T 191.

9 Packaging materials and containers shall be clean, dry, non-toxic and free of off-odour; the pack shall be complete, tight and undamaged. Packaging may take either of two forms, prepacked or bulk packed for sale by weight.

10 Conveyances shall be clean and hygienic, free of off-odour and of contamination, and shall have means against strong sun and against rain. The containers holding the products shall not be laid on their side, turned upside down or subjected to heavy pressure during transport. Loading and unloading shall be done gently, and throwing, dropping and kicking shall not be used. The products shall not be loaded or carried together with toxic, harmful or malodorous goods.

11 Products shall be stored in a warehouse used for food only, which shall be clean, ventilated and dry and shall have means against dust and against insects and other vermin. Products shall be stacked on pallets, not less than 10 cm from the wall and from the floor, and the stack height shall be such that the outer carton is not distorted under the load. Products shall not be stored in the same warehouse as toxic, harmful or corrosive goods, goods with a strong smell or goods liable to spoil. During storage the products shall be kept out of the sun and the rain, and any source of fire is forbidden.