Hygienic Standard for Lactic Acid Bacteria Beverages [GB 16321—1996]

The document outlines the **National Food Safety Standard for Frozen Beverages**, approved by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China and implemented on September 1, 1996. Below is a structured summary:

### **1. Subject Matter and Scope**

- **Subject**: Hygiene requirements for frozen beverages.

- **Scope**: Applies to **ice cream, popsicles, ice cubes**, and similar frozen products made from drinking water, sweeteners, dairy, fruits, beans, edible oils, and permitted additives.

### **2. Reference Standards**

- Key standards referenced include:

- **GB 2760**: Hygienic Standard for Food Additives.

- **GB 4789.2 & GB 4789.3**: Microbiological testing for total colony count and coliform bacteria.

- **GB 5009.11, GB 5009.12, GB 5009.13**: Methods for determining arsenic, lead, and copper content.

### **3. Terminology**

- **Frozen Beverages**:

- Solid frozen products made from drinking water, sweeteners, dairy, fruits, beans, edible oils, and permitted additives.

- Ingredients are mixed, sterilized, and frozen.

### **4. Hygiene Requirements**

- **Sensory Indicators**:

- Products must match their name in color and flavor.

- Free from unpleasant odors, tastes, or visible impurities.

- **Physical and Chemical Indicators**:

- Arsenic: ≤ 0.2 mg/kg.

- Lead: ≤ 0.3 mg/kg.

- Copper: ≤ 5 mg/kg.

- Food additives must comply with **GB 2760**.

- **Microbiological Indicators**:

- **Total Colony Count** and **Coliform Bacteria** limits vary based on product type:

- **Frozen drinks with >10% milk/egg**: ≤ 25,000 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, coliforms ≤ 450 CFU/100 mL.

- **Frozen drinks with <10% milk/egg**: ≤ 10,000 CFU/mL, coliforms ≤ 250 CFU/100 mL.

- **Frozen drinks with beans**: ≤ 20,000 CFU/mL, coliforms ≤ 450 CFU/100 mL.

- **Frozen drinks with starch/fruit**: ≤ 3,000 CFU/mL, coliforms ≤ 100 CFU/100 mL.

- **Ice cubes**: ≤ 100 CFU/mL, coliforms ≤ 6 CFU/100 mL.

- **Pathogenic bacteria**: Not detectable in any product.

### **5. Testing Methods**

- **Arsenic, Lead, and Copper**:

- Determined using methods outlined in **GB 5009.11, GB 5009.12, GB 5009.13**.

- **Microbiological Testing**:

- Total colony count: Per **GB 4789.2**.

- Coliform bacteria: Per **GB 4789.3**.

### **6. Additional Notes**

- Proposed by the Department of Health Supervision, Ministry of Health.

- Drafted by multiple food hygiene supervision institutes.

- Primary drafters include Xu Jikang, Liu Shiyan, He Qianqiong, Wen Yan, and Wang Peng.

- Interpretation authority rests with the Ministry of Health's Food Hygiene Supervision and Inspection Institute.

This standard ensures the safety, quality, and proper labeling of frozen beverages while providing detailed testing and storage protocols.