DRAFT EAST  AFRICAN  STANDARD  DEAS 44: 2023  
 
ICS 87.040  
 
 
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST  AFRICAN  COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2023  Fifth Edition  2023  
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 DEAS  44: 2023  
 
 
 
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 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 se ctor 
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 Afr ican 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, 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 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  014, Cereals  and pulses.  
 
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.  
 
This fourth  edition  cancels  and replaces  the third edition  (EAS  44: 2017),  which has  been  technically  revised.  © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  1  
  
DRAFT EAST  AFRICAN  STANDARD                                                                      DEAS 44: 2023  
 
 
 
 
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  — Specification  
 
 
 
1 Scope  
 
1.1 This draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for whole maize 
meal,  granulated maize meal, sifted maize meal, maize grits and maize flour from the grains of common 
maize ( Zea  mays  L.) intended  for human  consumption.  
 
1.2 This standard does not apply to fortified milled maize (corn) products and maize grits intended for  
brewing,  manufacturing  of starch  and any other industrial use.  
 
 
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 ref erences, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,  
the latest  edition  of the  referenced  document  (including  any amendments) applies.  
 
AOAC  965.22 , Sorting  corn grits  sieving  method  modified  
 
CODEX  STAN  193, Codex  general  standard for  contaminants  and toxins in  food and feed 
 
EAS 2, Maize  grains  — Specification  
 
EAS 38, Labelling  of pre -packaged  foods — General  requirements  
 
EAS 39, Hygiene  in the food and drink  manufacturing  industry  — Code  of practice  
 
EAS 900, Cereals  and pulses  — Sampling  
 
EAS 901, Cereals  and pulses  — Test methods  
 
ISO 2171 , Cereals,  pulses and  by-products  — Determination  of ash yield by incineration  
 
ISO 5985 , Animal  feeding  stuffs  — Determination  of ash insoluble  in hydrochloric acid  
 
ISO 6561 -1, Fruits,  vegetables  and derived  products  — Determination  of cadmium  content  — Part 1: Method  
using graphite  furnace  atomic absorption  spectrometry  
 
ISO 6561 -2, Fruits,  vegetables  and derived  products  — Determination  of cadmium  content  — Part 2: Method  
using flame  atomic absorption  spectrometry . 
 
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology  of the food chain  — Horizontal  method  for the detection,  enumeration  and 
serotyping  of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection  of Salmonella  spp . 
© EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  2  
 ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of lead content — Flameless atomic  
absorption  spectrometric method  
 
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of  
coagulase - positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique using  
Baird -Parker  agar medium  
 
ISO 7305,  Milled  cereal  products  — Determination  of fat  acidity  
 
ISO 11085,  Cereals,  cereals -based  products  and animal  feeding  stuffs  — Determination  of crude  fat and total 
fat content  by the Randall extraction  method  
 
ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs  — Horizontal method for the enumeration of  
beta- glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 - 
bromo -4-chloro -3- indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
 
ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of  
yeasts  and moulds — Part 2: Colony  count  technique  in products  with water  activity  less than or equal  to 0,95 
 
 
3 Terms  and definitions  
 
For the purposes  of this document,  the following  terms  and definitions  apply.  
 
3.1 
milled  maize  (corn)  products  
products  obtained  from maize grains  (Zea mays  L.) through  milling  process  
 
3.2 
whole  maize  meal  
food prepared  from fully mature,  sound,  un-germinated,  whole  kernels  of maize,  (Zea mays  L.), by a grinding  
process  in which  the entire  grain is comminuted  to a suitable degree  of fineness  
 
3.3 
granulated  maize  meal  
coarse  product  obtained  from milling  and sifting  of clean  shelled  maize  
 
3.4 
sifted  maize  meal  
form of granulated  maize  meal  that has been  reduced  to a certain  degree  of fineness  
 
3.5 
sifting  
particle  size separation  by sieving  and aspiration  of milled  products  
 
3.6 
clean  maize  kernel  
shelled  maize  that has been  subjected  to a cleaning  process  for the removal  of foreign  and objectionable  
matter  originally  present  
 
3.7 
maize  flour  
product obtained by removing the germ and bran followed by grinding, clean maize kernels using roller mills or  
other  methods and  sifting  the resulting  product  to suitable  degree  of fineness  
 
3.8 
food  grade  packaging  material  
material  which  will safeguard  the hygienic,  nutritional,  technological,  and organoleptic  qualities  of the product  © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  3  
 3.9 
foreign  matter  
organic  or inorganic  material  other  than maize  flour 
 
3.10 
filth 
impurities  of animal  origin  including  dead  insects  
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 Raw materials  and ingredients  
 
Maize  grains  complying  with EAS 2 
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall be:  
 
a) characteristic  of the colour of  maize  from which  it is prepared;  
 
b) free from living  insects,  worms, filth,  and foreign  matter;  
 
c) free from fermented  musty  or other  objectionable  odours  and colours;  and 
 
d) wholesome  and fit for human  consumption.  
 
4.3 Specific  requirements  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall comply  with the requirements  given  in Table  1 when  tested  in accordance  
with the  test methods specified  therein.  
 
 
  © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  
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Table  1 — Specific requirements  for milled  maize  (corn)  products  
 
S/No.  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
Sifted  
maize  meal  Granulated  
maize  meal  Whole  
maize  
meal  Maize  
flour  Maize  grit 
i) Crude  fibre on  
moisture  free basis  % 
m/m,  max.  0.7 1.0 3.0 0.7 1.0 ISO 5498  
ii) Crude  fat on 
moisture  free basis,  
% m/m,  max.  3.0 3.0 3.1* 3.0 3.0 ISO 11085  
iii) Moisture  content,  
%m/m,  max.  14 14 14 
[13.5]  14 14 EAS 901 
iv) Total  ash on moisture  
free basis, % m/m,  
max.  1.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 ISO 2171  
v) Total  ash on moisture  
free basis, % m/m,  
max.  1.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 ISO 2171  
vi) Acid insoluble   ash  
on moisture  free basis,  
% m/m,  max.  0.15 0.35 0.40 0.15 0.15 ISO 5985  
vii) Fat acidity, mg  KOH  
per 100 g  of product,  
on moisture free  
basis, max.  80 80 80 
[200] 
 80 80 ISO 7305  
viii) Residue  on sieving  
through  1000 -micron  
sieve,  %, m/m,  
max.  0.5 N/A N/A 0.5 N/A AOAC  965.22  
* Minimum  crude  fat on moisture free  basis  for whole maize  meal  
 
N/A Not applicable  
 
5 Food  additives  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  may contain only  the permitted  food additives  specified  in CODEX  STAN  192. 
 
 
6 Hygiene  
 
6.1 Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall be prepared  and handled  in accordance  with EAS 39. 
 
6.2 The product  shall comply  with the microbiological  limits  in Table  2 when  tested  in accordance  with test 
methods  specified  therein.  © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  5  
  
Table  2 — Microbiological  limits  for milled  maize  (corn)  products  
 
S/N Micro -organism  Limit  Test method  
i) Total  aerobic  count,  cfu/g,  max.  105 ISO 4833 -1 
ii) Escherichia  coli, cfu/g  <1x 102 ISO 16649 -2 
iii) Salmonella , per 25 g Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
iv) Yeast  and moulds,  cfu/g,  max.  104 ISO 21527 -2 
v) Staphylococcus  aureus , cfu/g  <10 ISO 6888 -1 
 
7 Contaminants  
 
7.1 Pesticide  residues  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall comply  with those  maximum  residue  limits  established  by the Codex  
Alimentarius  Commission  for this commodity.  
 
7.2 Heavy  metals  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall comply  with the heavy  metal  limits  in Table  3 when  tested  in accordance  
with test  methods specified  therein.  
 
Table  3 — Heavy  metals  limits  for milled  maize  (corn)  products  
 
S/N Heavy  metal  Maximum  limit 
 
mg/kg  Test method  
ii) Lead  (Pb) 0.2 ISO 6633  
iii) Cadmium (Cd)  0.1 ISO 6561 -1 
ISO 6561 -2 
7.3 Mycotoxins  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall comply  with mycotoxin  limits  specified  in Table  4 when  tested  in 
accordance with  test methods specified  therein.  . 
© EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  6  
  
Table  4 — Mycotoxins limits  for milled  maize  (corn)  products  
 
S/ N Mycotoxin  Maximum  Limit  
µg/kg  Test method  
i. Total  aflatoxins  10 EAS 901 
ii. Aflatoxins  B1 5 
iii. Fumonisins  2 000 
 
8 Weights  and measures  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  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 Packaging  
 
Milled  maize  (corn)  products  shall be packaged  in food grade  packaging  materials.  When  sacks  are used  for 
packaging,  they shall be  clean,  sturdy  and securely  sewn  or sealed.  
 
 
10 Labelling  
 
The following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be legibly and indelibly marked in 
accordance with the requirements of EAS 38 : 
 
a) name  of product  as "Whole  Maize  Meal, Sifted  Maize  meal,  Maize  Flour  or Granulated  Maize  Meal";  
 
b) name  and address  of the manufacturer/packer/importer;  
 
c) brand name  and/or  registered  trade  mark;  
 
d) batch  or code number;  
 
e) net weight  in SI units;  
 
f) storage  instruction  as “Store  in a cool dry place  away  from any  contaminants’  
 
g) the statement  "Food  for human  consumption";  
 
h) country  of origin;  
 
i) date of manufacture;  
 
j) expiry  date;  and 
 
k) instructions  for disposal  of used  package.  
 
 
11 Sampling  
 
Sampling  shall be done  in accordance with  EAS 900. © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  7  
 Bibliography  
 
[1] CODEX  STAN  154:1985(Rev.1:1995),  Standard  for whole  maize  (corn)  meal  
 
[2] EAS 44:2017, Milled  maize  (corn)  products  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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