DEAS 286-1: 2021  
ICS 65.020.01  
 
© EAC 2017                                                                                                                               Second  Edition 
2021  
  DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD   
Cut flowers and cut foliage — Part 1: Fresh cut flowers — Specification  
  
 EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 DEAS 286-1: 2021  
ii © EAC  2021 – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the  EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community  2017  — All rights reserved  
East African Community   
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       Web: www.eac -quality.net  
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 286-1: 2021  
© EAC 2021 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative  references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4 Minimum requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  1 
5 Classification  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
6 Quality tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 2 
7 Sizing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  3 
8 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  3 
9 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  4 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  5 
 DEAS 286-1: 2021  
iv © EAC  2021 – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the  need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Commu nity will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, tog ether with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups , private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, i n 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards. XXXXXX.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 016 Fresh Fruits, vegetables 
and Tuber  
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (EAS 286 -1:2002), whic h has been technically 
revised.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  DEAS 286-1: 2021  
© EAC 2021 – All rights reserved  v 
 Introd uction  
Fresh cut flowers and foliage are parts of plants, characteristically including the inflorescences and some 
attached plant materials (foliage), harvested for  decorative purposes such as vase arrangements and 
bouquets at formal events; designs for we ddings and funerals; gifts on occasions and at holidays, corsages 
and boutonnieres; and informal displays to beautify homes and public places. It does not include roots, soil 
that may be associated with fresh cut flowers and foliage  
Fresh cut flowers are h ighly perishable because they maintain only limited life -supporting processes by taking 
water up through their stems. To maintain good quality, cut flowers should be treated in such a manner that 
they reach the market in their best condition. The minimum r equirements specified in this standard stipulate 
conditions for harvesting, storage, postharvest treatment , grading and packaging . 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 286-1: 2021  
 
© EAC 2021 – All rights reserved  1 
 Cut flowers and cut foliage — Part 1: Fresh cut flowers — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft  East African Standard specifies essential  quality requirements for fresh cut flowers.  
2 Normative references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document.  For dated references, only the edit ion cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
EAS 865,  Corrugated fibre board boxes for general packaging -Specification  
3 Terms and definitions   
No terms and definitions are li sted in this document.  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
4 Minimum requirements   
In all classes, subject to the particular provisions in each class and tolerances allowed, fresh cut flowers shall 
be: 
a) characteristic of the species and, where appropriate, the variety.  
b) fresh (depending on the nature of the flower).  
c) free of pest , disease  and pest damage . 
d) free of foreign matter  
e) free from mechanical/physical damage.  
f) of correct harvest or bud stage  
g) free from discoloration  
h) free from growth disorders (abnormal growth)  
i) free of chemical stains   
2 © EAC  2021 – All rights reserved  
 5 Classification  
Cut flowers shall be classified into grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3  as follows:  
5.1 Grade 1  
Flowers with qualities for grade 2  may be called grade 1  where no more than 3 % tolerances as to quality are 
conceded.  
5.2 Grade 2  
Flowers in this class meet the minimum requirements in clause 4 and in ad dition they shall be: 
a) unbruised.  
b) free from insect damage.  
c) free of chemical stains . 
d) free of growth and development abnormalities . 
e) the stem shall be sufficiently strong for either one -lower -per-stem type (standard or disbud) or the 
many -flowers -per-stem type  depending on the species and variety.  
5.3 Grade 3  
Flowers in this class shall meet the minimum requirements in Clause 4 but may not meet all requirements of 
grade 2 . The following defects may be permitted provided they do not affect the keeping quality, a ppearance or 
use of the flower.  
a) Slight malformation.  
b) Slight bruising.  
c) Slight damage, including that caused by pests or diseases  
d) Small marks resulting from chemical stains . 
e) Weaker and less rigid stems  
This provision does not prevent there being signs of dis budding or the removal of auxiliary growth, secondary 
buds, leaves, thorns, etc., operations carried out during cultivation or after harvesting in order to improve the 
presentation and/or quality of the product.   
6 Quality tolerances  
6.1 Grade 1  
A total to lerance of 3  %, b y number or weight, of flowers  not satisfying the requirements of the class, but 
meeting tho se of grade 2  is allowed. Within this tolerance, not more than 0.5 % i n total may consist of flowers  
satisfy ing the requirements of grade 3  quality . 
6.2 Grade 2  
A total tolerance of 10 %, by number or weight, of flower s not satisfy ing the requirements of the grade, but 
meeting those of grade 3  is allowed. Within this tolerance, not more than 1 % in total may consist of flower s 
satisfy ing the requirem ents of grade 3  quality nor the mini mum requirements, or of flower s affected by decay.   
© EAC 2021 – All rights reserved  3 
 6.3 Grade 3  
A total tolerance of 15  %, by number or weight, of flower s satisfying neither of the requirements of the grade  
nor the minimum requirements is allowed. Withi n this tolerance, not more than 2 % in total may consist of 
flower s affected by decay . 
7 Sizing  
7.1 Cut flowers shall comply with the size ranges given below. The stem length quoted includes the flower 
head  as shown in Table 1  
Table 1 — Sizing requirements  for cut flowers  
Description code  Minimum and maximum stem length (cm)  
0 Less than 5 cm or flowers marketed without stems  
5 5 to10  
10 10 to 15  
15 15 to 20  
20 20 to 30  
30 30 to 40  
40 40 to 50  
50 50 to 60  
60 60 to 80  
80 80 to 100  
100 100 to 120  
120 More than 120  
 
7.2 Uniformity of sizing  
In any one unit of presentation (e.g. bunch, bouquet or box) the maximum permitted difference between the 
shortest and longest stem lengths is as follows in Table 2  
Table 2 — Unit of presentation  
Stem length  (cm)  Description code  Maximum permitted stem length  
Difference  (cm)  
Less than 30  0 to 20  2.5 
30 to 60  30 to 50  5 
More than 60  60 and over  10 
 
8 Packaging  
8.1 Cut flowers shall be packed in fibreboard boxes in accordance with EAS 865   
4 © EAC  2021 – All rights reserved  
 8.2 A unit of presentat ion (bouquet, bunch, box) shall consist of 5, 10 or a multiple of 5 and 10 pieces 
(unless specified by the market).  
8.3 Each sales unit shall consist of equally developed flowers of the same genus, species or  cultivar and of the 
same quality category with the exception of mixed bouquets  
8.4 Primary packaging material, such as paper, polythene and any other material shall be clean, free from 
damage and free from foreign matter  
9 Labelling  
The following information shall be shown in respect of each merchandis e: 
a) name and address of the producer or exporter or trademark;  
b) name of the produce, i.e. genus or  species, cultivar , where appropriate, the word "mixture",etc.  
c) country of origin;  
d) grade ; 
e) size (length code);  
f) number of bunches or number of stems  
g) traceability  codes  
h) date of packing  
i) variety  
j) batch number   
© EAC 2021 – All rights reserved  5 
 Bibliography  
[1] EAS 286 -1:2002, Cut flowers and cut foliage — Part 1: Fresh cut flowers —Specification  
[2] https://www.usitc.gov/publications/ other/pub2737.pdf  
 DEAS 286-1: 2021    
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved