Overview
ISO 10620:1995 - Dried sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) - Specification defines quality, packaging and testing requirements for dried sweet marjoram supplied as bunches (bouquets) or rubbed (leaves and flowers). The standard covers product description, sensory and hygienic requirements, limits for extraneous matter, test and sampling methods, packing and marking rules, and includes informative annexes with storage and transport recommendations.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Product definitions
- Bouquets: whole dry plant (without root).
- Rubbed: dry leaves and flowers only.
- Sensory requirements
- Characteristic aromatic, rustic and warm odour; free from foreign odours, especially mustiness.
- Hygiene and contaminants
- Must be free from mould and living insects; practically free from visible dead insects, fragments and rodent contamination (magnification declared if >×10).
- Extraneous matter limits
- Maximum total extraneous matter: 1% (m/m) in rubbed marjoram; 3% (m/m) in bouquets (method: ISO 927).
- In rubbed marjoram, stalks or parts (excluding flower tops) exceeding 10 mm length or 1 mm diameter: ≤ 1% (m/m).
- Chemical testing
- Chemical requirements are specified in Table 1 of the standard; volatile oil content must be determined on an unground sample.
- Packing and marking
- Use clean, sound containers that protect against moisture and volatile loss (common examples: hessian or multi-ply paper sacks, sometimes plastic-lined).
- Mandatory package information includes product name, producer/packer, batch code, net mass, producing country, destination, optional harvest/pack date and reference to ISO 10620:1995.
- Storage & transport (Annex A)
- Store in covered, dry, ventilated premises protected from sun, rain, heat and off-odours; protect packages during handling and shipping (fumigation provisions suggested).
Applications and users
ISO 10620:1995 is used by:
- Spice and herb producers, processors and packers (to meet buyer specifications)
- Quality control and laboratory teams (sampling and testing protocols)
- Exporters, importers and traders (contract and compliance checks)
- Food safety and regulatory authorities (inspection and verification)
- Buyers and spec writers (procurement, product acceptance and labelling)
Practical uses include setting product acceptance criteria, designing QC procedures, preparing shipping/packaging specifications, and ensuring consistency in trade of dried sweet marjoram.
Related standards
Standards referenced in ISO 10620:1995 include ISO 927, 928, 930, 939, 948, 6571 and additional methods listed in Annex B (e.g., ISO 1108, ISO 1208, ISO 2825) for sampling and chemical/physical analyses. For exact chemical limits and full test methods consult the published ISO 10620:1995 document.