GB/T 30381-2013Cassia (English PDF)

1 Scope

The standard lays down the technical requirements, the test methods, the packaging and the marking of Chinese cassia, Indonesian cassia and Vietnamese cassia.

It applies to the quality assessment of Chinese cassia, Indonesian cassia and Vietnamese cassia and to their trade.

The cover states that the document is the identical adoption of ISO 6538:1997, and the foreword adds that it was drafted by the translation method, that a list of Chinese documents corresponding to the international documents normatively cited is given, and that one editorial change was made: the name of the standard was changed to Cassia in order to match the Chinese product name.

2 Normative references

After the usual wording on dated and undated references, the clause cites, with both the Chinese and the English titles, ISO 927 on the determination of extraneous matter content, ISO 928 on the determination of total ash, ISO 930 on the determination of acid-insoluble ash, ISO 939 on the determination of moisture content by the entrainment method, ISO 948 on sampling, ISO 1208 on the determination of filth, ISO 2825 on the preparation of a ground sample for analysis and ISO 6571 on the determination of volatile oil content by hydrodistillation.

3 Terms and definitions

3.1 whole quill: the tube-shaped single roll or multiple roll formed naturally after the mature young branch bark, from which the outer skin has been scraped away, has been washed clean and dried.

3.2 scraped bark: the outer skin of a mature young branch of the cassia tree is scraped away and the cassia is then peeled off.

3.3 unscraped bark: the cassia is peeled off directly, without scraping away the outer skin of the mature young branch of the cassia tree.

3.4 piece: the fragments of unequal size, scraped or unscraped, produced during harvesting, grading, handling and packaging.

3.5 ground cassia: the powdered product obtained by grinding cassia of any type, containing no additives.

4 Types and grading

4.1 Types: under 4.1.1, Chinese cassia comes from the branch bark of Cinnamomum cassia (Nees) ex Blume, in tube-shaped single rolls or in several rolls one inside the other. Under 4.1.2, Indonesian cassia, also called korintje cassia, comes from the trunk bark of Cinnamomum burmanii (C.G. Nees), in thin or thick scraped single or multiple rolls of a deep reddish brown colour. Under 4.1.3, Vietnamese cassia comes from the bark of the small branches of Cinnamomum loureirii Nees, in single and multiple rolls.

4.2.1 Chinese cassia: the quills vary in length from 250 mm to 380 mm, are 20 mm in diameter, come scraped and unscraped, are usually 3 mm thick and sometimes reach 6 mm, and have a sweet aromatic flavour that is sometimes slightly astringent. The text states that Chinese cassia is divided into three grades, shown in Table 1. Table 1 has two columns, commercial grade and physical characteristics of the Chinese cassia, and lists three grades: Guangdong cassia, described as scraped or unscraped quills, the unscraped product being brownish grey with greyish white spots on the surface and rough and irregular, with a not very pleasant odour, while the scraped cassia is pale reddish brown, sometimes greyish white, with a smooth or nearly smooth surface; Guangxi cassia, described as quills, whole or in pieces, scraped or unscraped, with a strong aroma and a surface not as rough as that of Guangdong cassia; and pieces, grades 1 and 2, described as the small fragments produced during the harvesting, grading, handling and packaging of the rolled product, scraped or unscraped.

4.2.2 Indonesian cassia: it comes as tube-shaped single and multiple rolls of strip-like bark about 1 m long and 50 mm to 100 mm wide, with a bark thickness varying from 1 mm to 5 mm. It is divided into four grades, shown in Table 2. Table 2 has two columns, commercial grade and physical characteristics of the Indonesian cassia, and lists grade AA, preferred, as scraped rolls 5 mm to 15 mm in diameter, yellow to brownish yellow, without white spots, with the pungent sweet taste characteristic of Indonesian cassia; grade A, korintje or Indonesian cassia, as scraped, yellow to brownish yellow, with the same characteristic pungent sweet taste; grade B, korintje or Indonesian cassia, as scraped or partly scraped, brown to brownish grey, rough on the surface, with the same characteristic pungent sweet taste; and grade C, pieces, as the small fragments produced during the harvesting, grading, handling and packaging of the rolled product, scraped or unscraped.

4.2.3 Vietnamese cassia: it comes mainly as single and multiple rolls, brownish grey in colour, varying in length from 150 mm to 300 mm, 10 mm to 38 mm in diameter, with a bark thickness reaching 6 mm. It is divided into four grades, shown in Table 3. Table 3 has two columns, commercial grade and physical characteristics of the Vietnamese cassia, and lists whole rolls, thin, with a thickness reaching 1.5 mm, thin and somewhat rough bark, deep brown, with longitudinal ridge-like waves and many nodule-like scar protuberances; whole rolls, medium, with a bark thickness between 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm; whole rolls, thick, with a bark thickness of 3 mm to 6 mm, relatively light for its thickness, grey, rough, without protuberances; and pieces, the small fragments produced during the harvesting, grading, handling and packaging of the rolled product.

5 Ground cassia

Ground cassia is the powdered product of cassia of any of the types of 4.1, with no additive of any kind. The note states that, where the place of origin is declared, the ground cassia is to be produced from cassia coming from that place of origin.

6 Requirements

6.1 Odour and flavour: the product shall have the fresh odour and flavour characteristic of the product of that place of origin, shall not be mouldy and shall not carry off-flavours.

6.2 Colour: ground cassia is pale yellow to reddish brown; the colour of whole cassia is as described in 4.2.

6.3 Freedom from mould and from insects: whole cassia shall carry no live insects and shall not be mouldy, and still less shall it carry dead insects, insect fragments or rodent residues visible to the naked eye; where necessary a magnifier may be used, and when the magnification exceeds ten times this shall be stated in the inspection report. In case of dispute, the residues in ground cassia may be determined according to ISO 1208.

6.4 Extraneous matter: extraneous matter includes stems, leaves and shells and other plant material as well as sand, soil and dust; the extraneous matter content is determined by the method laid down in ISO 927 and its mass fraction shall not exceed 1 %.

6.5 Physico-chemical indicators: cassia, whether in quills, in rolls or ground, shall meet the requirements of Table 4. Table 4 has five columns, the item and the requirement for Chinese cassia, Indonesian cassia and Vietnamese cassia, followed by the test method. Moisture, as a mass fraction in per cent, is limited to not more than 15 for whole cassia and not more than 14 for ground cassia in all three origins, by ISO 939. Total ash, as a mass fraction on a dry basis in per cent, is limited to not more than 4.0 for Chinese cassia, 5.0 for Indonesian cassia and 4.5 for Vietnamese cassia, by ISO 928. Acid-insoluble ash, as a mass fraction on a dry basis in per cent, is limited to not more than 0.8, 1.0 and 2.0 respectively, by ISO 930. Volatile oil on a dry basis, in millilitres per 100 g, shall be not less than 1.5, 1.0 and 3.0 respectively for whole cassia and not less than 1.1, 0.8 and 3.0 respectively for ground cassia, by ISO 6571.

7 Sampling

Sampling is carried out according to the provisions of ISO 948.

8 Test methods

8.1 The sample is determined by the physico-chemical analysis methods laid down in 6.3, 6.4 and Table 4, in order to establish whether it meets the requirements of the standard.

8.2 When the ground sample for analysis is prepared, the sample shall first be coarsely crushed into particles of about 5 mm in diameter and then treated according to the provisions of ISO 2825.

9 Packaging and marking

9.1 Packaging: the packaging shall meet the following requirements. Item a) requires whole cassia or ground cassia to be packed in clean, sound and dry packaging. Item b) requires the packaging material not to affect the flavour of the product and to prevent the ingress of moisture and the loss of volatile substances. Item c) requires the packaging to meet the requirements of the relevant national environmental protection legislation.

9.2 Marking: the following items shall be marked directly on every package or on its label: a) the product name; b) the trade name or trademark name, if any; c) the name and address of the manufacturer or packer; d) the batch number or code; e) the net weight; f) the grade; g) the country of production; h) any other marking required by the buyer, such as the year of harvest or the date of packing; i) the reference to the present standard.