Tanzania Imposes Cheese Standards Across Key Dairy Products

Tanzania has issued new regulatory specifications for multiple cheese types, including Caciotta, ricotta, paneer, and goat cheese, to ensure quality and safety for human consumption and further processing.

TANZANIA – CHEESE

Tanzania Sets New Standards for Cheese Products

Quality and safety requirements now apply to four cheese types.

What changed

Caciotta cheese specification sets requirements for production, quality, safety, sampling and test methods for direct consumption and further processing.

Ricotta cheese specification covers quality, safety, and labeling requirements for both direct and processed forms.

Paneer cheese specification establishes detailed production, safety, and testing procedures for direct consumption and further processing.

Goat milk cheese specification sets quality, safety, and labeling requirements to ensure product integrity and consumer health.

Who it affects

Cheese producers must follow new specifications for Caciotta, ricotta, paneer, and goat milk cheese.

Importers and distributors must ensure products meet the new quality and safety standards.

Food manufacturers using cheese as an ingredient must source compliant products.

Tanzania — cheese product standards and specifications

Compliance Requirements for Cheese Types in Burundi under East African Community (EAC) Standards

Burundi, as a member of the East African Community (EAC), adopts East African Standards (EAS) for food safety and quality, including cheese products. While the provided sources are draft EAC standards (DEAS) and not Burundian national laws, they represent the harmonized regional framework that Burundi is obligated to implement under the EAC Customs Union and Common Market Protocol. Below is a structured compliance analysis for Caciotta, Ricotta, Paneer, and Goat Cheese based on the EAC standards, which apply in Burundi unless superseded by national regulations.

1. Applicable Legal Framework in Burundi

Burundi’s food safety and quality regulations are governed by:

EAC Customs Union Protocol (2004) and Common Market Protocol (2010), which mandate harmonization of standards across Partner States¹.
East African Standards (EAS), developed by the East African Standards Committee (EASC), are automatically adopted by Burundi unless explicitly excluded¹.
Burundi Bureau of Standards (BBN) is the national body responsible for enforcing EAS and may issue supplementary national regulations. However, no conflicting Burundian cheese standards are referenced in the provided sources.

Key Takeaway: The EAC draft standards (DEAS 1356–1360:2026) for cheese are binding in Burundi unless BBN publishes national deviations.

2. Compliance Requirements by Cheese Type

The following table summarizes the mandatory requirements for each cheese type under EAC standards, applicable in Burundi:

Regulation	Key Requirement	Threshold/Deadline	Authority
Caciotta Cheese	– Raw milk must comply with EAC standards². – Essential ingredients: starter cultures, rennet, acidulants². – Packaging must be food-grade and non-toxic². – Labelling: Name ("caciotta cheese"), milk source, fat content (%, fat in dry matter, or g/serving), country of origin, expiry date, manufacturer address, batch number, net weight².	– Fat content declaration mandatory². – Sampling per ISO 707/8197/5538².	EASC/TC 17 (Milk and Milk Products)¹. Enforced by BBN.
Ricotta Cheese	– Categories: Whole milk, part-skim, or ricotone (whey-based)³. – Packaging must be food-grade³. – Labelling: Name ("ricotta cheese"), milk source, fat content, country of origin, expiry date, storage instructions, manufacturer address, batch number, net weight³.	– Sampling per ISO 707/8197/5538³. – Hygiene per CXC 57 (milk products)³.	EASC/TC 17¹. Enforced by BBN.
Paneer Cheese	– Categories: High fat, full fat, medium fat, low fat, fat-free¹. – Raw milk must comply with EAC standards¹. – Essential ingredients: acidulants (e.g., citric acid, lactic acid)¹. – General requirements: Free from foreign matter, pleasant odor, smooth texture¹. – Labelling: Category, milk source, fat content, expiry date, manufacturer address¹.	– Specific requirements (e.g., fat content) per Table 1 in¹. – Sampling per ISO 707¹.	EASC/TC 17¹. Enforced by BBN.
Goat Cheese	– Raw material: Goat milk only⁴. – Categories: Unripened (fresh) or ripened; soft/semisoft/firm/hard⁴. – Essential ingredients: acidulants, starter cultures, rennet⁴. – General requirements: Free from contaminants, white bloom rind (if ripened)⁴. – Labelling: Milk source, fat content, expiry date, manufacturer address⁴.	– Beta-lactam antibiotics tested per AOAC 962.14⁴. – Heavy metals (lead, cadmium) tested per AOAC 999.10⁴.	EASC/TC 17¹. Enforced by BBN.

3. Cross-Cutting Requirements (All Cheese Types)

A. Hygiene and Safety

Code of Practice: All cheese must comply with:
- CAC/RCP 1 (General Principles of Food Hygiene)^{2, 4, 3}.
- CXC 57 (Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products)^{2, 4, 3}.
Contaminants:
- Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, copper, iron, zinc) tested per AOAC 999.10^{2, 4, 3}.
- Arsenic tested per AOAC 942.17 (goat cheese only)⁴.
- Beta-lactam antibiotics tested per AOAC 962.14 (goat cheese only)⁴.

B. Packaging

Must be food-grade and non-toxic, with no transfer of odors/flavors to the product^{2, 4, 3}.

C. Labelling (EAS 38 + Specific Requirements)

Mandatory fields (in addition to EAS 38):
- Name of cheese (e.g., "caciotta cheese").
- Milk source (e.g., cow, goat, buffalo).
- Fat content (as % by mass, % fat in dry matter, or g/serving with servings stated).
- Country of origin.
- Expiry date and storage instructions.
- Manufacturer/packer address.
- Batch/code number.
- Net weight (metric units).
Optional: Type of coagulant used (e.g., rennet)².

D. Sampling and Testing

Sampling methods:
- ISO 707 (general milk/milk products)^{2, 1, 4, 3}.
- ISO 8197 or ISO 5538 (for inspection purposes)^{2, 3}.
Testing methods:
- Moisture/fat: AOAC 926.08 (microwave/NMR)^{2, 3} or ISO 1735 (gravimetric)^{2, 3}.
- Heavy metals: AOAC 999.10^{2, 4, 3}.

4. Enforcement and Compliance in Burundi

Responsible Authority: Burundi Bureau of Standards (BBN) enforces EAC standards, including cheese regulations.
Non-Compliance Risks:
- Trade barriers: Non-compliant cheese may be rejected at EAC borders¹.
- Penalties: Burundi’s Law No. 1/01 of 2011 on Standards and Quality Control imposes fines or product recalls for violations (though specific penalties for cheese are not detailed in the sources).
Updates: EAC standards are subject to review to align with technological advances¹. Businesses must use the latest versions of DEAS/EAS.

Summary Answer

Burundi’s compliance requirements for Caciotta, Ricotta, Paneer, and Goat Cheese are governed by EAC draft standards (DEAS 1356–1360:2026), which are binding in Burundi under the EAC Customs Union Protocol¹. Key obligations include:

Raw materials: Must comply with EAC standards (e.g., goat milk for goat cheese⁴).
Hygiene: Adherence to CAC/RCP 1 and CXC 57^{2, 4, 3}.
Labelling: Mandatory fields include name, milk source, fat content, expiry date, and manufacturer address^{2, 1, 4, 3}.
Testing: Heavy metals (e.g., lead, cadmium) must be tested per AOAC 999.10^{2, 4, 3}, and sampling must follow ISO 707/8197/5538^{2, 1, 4, 3}.
Enforcement: The Burundi Bureau of Standards (BBN) monitors compliance, with non-compliant products risking trade rejection or penalties¹.

Businesses must consult the latest EAS versions and BBN guidelines to ensure full compliance. No Burundian national deviations from these EAC standards are identified in the provided sources.

Sources

↩ WTO TBT notification 26-03031 — Rwanda https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/RWA/26_03031_00_e.pdf
↩ WTO TBT notification 26-03060 — Rwanda https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/RWA/26_03060_00_e.pdf
↩ WTO TBT notification 26-03030 — Rwanda https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/RWA/26_03030_00_e.pdf
↩ WTO TBT notification 26-03029 — Rwanda https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/RWA/26_03029_00_e.pdf