ISO 6670:2025 PDF

Overview

ISO 6670:2025 specifies a standardized sampling method for instant coffee shipped in bulk units with moisture‑resistant liners (cases or “big bags” / “supersacks”). Applicable when a consignment contains 10 package units or more, the standard defines how to select, take and prepare representative samples for sale offers, quality verification, technical and commercial testing, arbitration and retention as reference samples.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Applies to instant coffee units >10 kg (typically up to 50 kg) and units >50 kg (big bags).
  • All instant coffee types per ISO 3509, with a limitation: bulk density and particle size sampling applies only to spray‑dried and freeze‑dried products (not fragile agglomerated particles).
• Definitions
  • Increment: 100 g ± 20 g taken from a single unit.
  • Bulk sample: ≥ 1 000 g combined increments.
  • Laboratory sample: ≥ 300 g taken from blended bulk sample.
• Sampling personnel and conditions
  • Sampling by trained or experienced samplers or specialist organizations.
  • Protect samples from contamination and moisture; sampling preferably at ~20 °C and max 45% relative humidity.
• Equipment and tools
  • Stainless steel scoop (Annex A) ~100 g capacity for increments.
  • Moisture‑proof, oxygen‑proof containers with airtight closures to preserve sample integrity.
• Procedure
  • Random selection of package units, open liners, take increments per scoop method (Annex A), reseal liners.
  • Two preparation options: combine increments into a blended bulk sample or keep increments separate for per‑unit analysis.
  • Avoid rough handling to prevent particle breakage.
• Marking, reporting and retention
  • Samples must be labelled with date, product type, sampler, contract/shipping info, lot ID, number of units sampled and sample mass.
  • Sampling report must document damaged units, environmental conditions and any observations.
  • Laboratory samples dispatched promptly; blended bulk or increments retained until final acceptance.

Applications / Who uses it

• Coffee producers and packers preparing consignments for export or sale.
• Buyers, importers and quality assurance teams verifying producer specifications.
• Analytical laboratories performing compositional, particle size or density testing.
• Arbitration bodies, trade inspectors and legal teams requiring retained reference samples.
• Specialized sampling organizations executing representative sampling for commercial disputes.

Related standards

• ISO 3509 - Coffee and coffee products: Vocabulary (referenced for terms and instant coffee definitions).

Keywords: ISO 6670, instant coffee sampling, bulk units with liners, scoop sampling, blended bulk sample, laboratory sample, big bags, supersacks, moisture‑resistant liners, sampling method.