DEAS 1001 : 2019  
ICS 67.200.10  
 
© EAC 2019                                                                                                                            First Edition 2019 
 FINAL DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Raw cashew kernels ―Specification   
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 1001: 2019  
ii © EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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 DEAS 1001: 2019  
© EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has be en 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 exch anged 
within the Community 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, together 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, aca demia, 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 finali zation of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expe cted 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 015, Oil seeds, edible fats 
and oils .  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that s ome 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.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 FINAL DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 1001: 2019  
 
© EAC 2019 – All rights reserved  1 
 Raw c ashew kernels  — Specification  
1 Scope   
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirem ents and methods of sampling and test for raw cashew  
kernels derived from raw cashew  nut of the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale, Linnaeus ) intended for 
human consumption.  
2 Normative references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in s uch a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (in cluding any amendments) applies . 
Codex Sta n 193 , General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Specification  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
ISO 542, Oilseeds — Sampling  
ISO 665, Oilseeds — Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal  feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
ISO 16050 , Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 
in cereals,  nuts and derived products — High-performance liquid chromatographic method  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following  terms and definitions apply . 
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at t he following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
3.1  
raw cashew kernels  
product obtained by  removing the shell and the testa of the cashew nut  
3.2 
foreign matter  
organic an d inorganic materials other than raw cashew kernel  DEAS 1001: 2019  
2 © EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  
 3.3 
scorched kernels  
kernels that are discolored due to overheating during heat processing   
3.4  
whole kernel  
kernel which has the characteristic shape of a cashew kernel and not more than 1/8th of the k ernel has been 
broken off. This grade may also be designated as W  
3.5  
splits kernel  
one half of a cashew kernel that has been split lengthwise, provided not more than 1/8 of this cotyledon has 
been broken off  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Raw cashew kernels shall be:  
a) of a characteristic shape and may be either scorched or unscorched, in the form of wholes or pieces ; 
b) practically free from rancidity ; 
c) dry, have colour characteristic to variety, characteristic flavour , uniform appearance practical ly free 
from spots  (with an exception of dessert grade)  and adhering testa ; and  
d) practically free from living insects, moulds, dead insect, mites, insect fragments, excrement and 
rodent contamination or any other substance which are injurious to health . 
4.2 Specific requirements  
Raw c ashew kernels shall comply with th e specific requirement s given in Table 1 , when tested in accordance 
with the method s specified therein.  
Table 1 ―Specific requirement  for raw cashew kernels  
S No  Characteristics  Requirements  Test methods  
1 Moisture  and volatile matter  % 
(m/m) , max.  5.0 ISO 665  
 Free fatty acid , (as oleic acid)  
%, (m/m), max  1 ISO 729  
 
4.3 Grading  
Where grading  is done , it shall be as given in annex A.  
5 Hygiene  
5.1 Raw c ashew kernels shall be produced, processed, handled and stored in accordance with EAS 39.  DEAS 1001: 2019  
© EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 5.2 Cashew kernel shall comply with the microbiological limits given in T able 2  when tested in accordance 
with the method specified therein.  
Table 2 ― Microbiological  Limits for raw cashew kernels  
S/N Microorganism  Maximum limit  Test methods  
1 Salmonella per 25 g  Shall be absent  ISO 6579 -1 
2 E. coli MPN/g  Shall be absent  ISO 7251  
6 Contaminants  
6.1 Pesticide residues  
Raw c ashew kernels  shall comply  with those maximum residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
6.2 Aflatoxins  
Total Aflatoxin shall not exceed 10 μg/kg while aflatoxin B1 shall not exceed 5 μg/kg when tested in 
accordance with ISO 16050 . 
7 Packag ing  
Raw c ashew kernels shall be packaged in containers made from food grade packaging material and sealed in 
a manner that will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional and organoleptic properties of the product  
8 weights and measures  
Raw c ashew kernels shall  be packaged in accordance with the weights and measures regulations of the 
destination country.  
NOTE  EAC Partner States are signatory to the International Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package 
weight of 50 kg where human loading and offloading is  involved  
9 Labelling  
In addition to the labelling requirements specified in EAS 38 , the following information shall be legibly and 
indelibly labelled;  
a) name of the product  as “raw cashew kernel” ; 
b) grade ; and  
c) declare d that it might be allergenic . 
10 Nutriti on and health claims  
Raw cashew kernels may have claims on nutrition and health. Such claims when declared shall comply with 
EAS 803, EAS 804 and EAS 805  DEAS 1001: 2019  
4 © EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  
 10 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with ISO 5 42. DEAS 1001: 2019  
© EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Raw c ashew kerne l grading  
Raw cashew kernels are graded base on color, shape and size  
Size code/count (WW)  Maximum number of kernels per 
pound/ 453.59 grams  Maximum number of kernels 
per kg  
150 150 325 
180 180 395 
210 210 465 
240 240 530 
320 320 706 
450 450 990 
500 500 1100  
Note  1 WW = White whole kernel  
NOTE 2  Tolerance — Up to 2 % by mass of the next lower grade . 
 
Size code/count (SW)  Maximum number of kernels per 
pound/ 453.59 grams  Maximum number of kernels per 
kg 
150 150 325 
180 180 395 
210 210 465 
240 240 530 
320 320 706 
450 450 990 
500 500 1100  
Note  1: SW = Scorched whole kernel  
NOTE 2  Tolerance — Up to 2 % by mass of the next lower grade.  
 
Whole kernels:  Kernel of the characteristic kidney shape with more than 7/8th of the kernel intact. Kernels 
with no more than one eighth of the kernel broken off are considered as whole  
Brokens: Kernels where one eighth or more of the original kernel is broken off  
Butts:  Kernels of not less than 3/8th of a whole kernel, which have been broken crosswise but the cotyledons 
are still naturally attached  
Splitts: Kernels splits lengthwise naturally, provided that no more than one eighth is broken off  
LWP (Large white pieces): Pieces of raw cashew kernels, not passing through a sieve aperture 4.75 mm  DEAS 1001: 2019  
6 © EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  
 SWP (Small white pieces): Pieces of cashew kernel, passing through a sieve aperture of 4.75 mm but not 
passing through a sieve of aperture 2.80 mm  
Very small pieces: Pieces of raw cashew kernels, not passing through a sieve of aperture 2.36 mm  
BB (baby bits or granules): Pieces of raw cashew kernels, not passing through a sieve of aperture 1.70 mm  
 DEAS 1001: 2019    
 
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved