ICS 67.180.10 
 
Reference number  
DRS  563: 2023  
© RSB 2023  
  
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS  
563  
 
First edition  
2023 -mm-dd 
 
Molasses  for human consumption  — 
Specification  
   
DRS 563: 2023  
©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2023  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without 
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
P.O Box 7099 Kigali -Rwanda  
KK 15 Rd, 49  
Tel. +250 788303492  
Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rsb.gov.rw  
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw   DRS  563: 2023  
iii                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  3 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  3 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  4 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  4 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  4 
4.2 Raw material  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 5 
4.2.1  Other permitted ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  5 
4.3 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  5 
5 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  6 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  6 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  6 
7.1 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  6 
7.2 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 7 
8 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 7 
9 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  7 
10 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 8 
Annex  A (normative)  Determination of Brix ................................ ................................ ...........................  9 
A.1 Brix determination by refractometer method  ...............................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
Annex  B (normative)  Determination of acid insoluble ash  ................................ ................................  10 
B.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ..........................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
B.2 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ .........................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
B.3 Procedure  ................................ ................................ .........................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
B.4 Calculation  ................................ ................................ .......................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
 DRS 563: 2023  
©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword   
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The ma in task of technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards adopted 
by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and gazettment as 
Rwanda Standards.  
DRS  xxx was prepared by Te chnical Committee RSB/TC 012, Sugars and Sugary Products . 
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Sugars and sugary products  
(RSB/TC 012) in the preparation of this standard.  
Paragraph of p articipants  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  DRS  563: 2023  
v                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 Introduction   
Molasses is a thick liquid produced during the production of sugar. It's manufactured by extracting juice from 
sugar cane and sugar beets and boiling it to make sugar crystals. Sugar can e and sugar beets release liquid 
when crushed. Sugar crystallizes on the surface of this juice when it is cooked. Often used as one of the by -
sugar Food & Nutrition products, molasses is a sweet, black, viscous liquid that remains after the sugar has 
been extracted.  
The liquid boils and becomes denser once the sugar is removed. Molasses thickens with each cycle of boiling, 
resulting in three distinct types: light, dark, and blackstrap. The leftover sugar syrup is darker and extremely 
thick after a third coo king cycle - known as organic blackstrap molasses. It's the gooiest and sticky of all the 
molasses types, but it's also high in iron, nutrients, and vitamins like B6. Molasses thickens baked beans, 
sweetens barbeque sauces, and converts gingerbread cookies into darker, velvety, and delicious treats.  
 
 
 
 
 DRS  563: 2023  
3                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 Molasses  for human consumption  — Specification  
1 Scope   
This Draft Rwanda  Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for molasses intended  for human 
consumption.  
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 edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest 
edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
RS CAC/RCP 1, General principles of food hygiene  
RS CODEX STAN 192, Codex general standard for food additives  
RS EAS 12, Potable water — Specification  
RS EAS 38 , Labelling  of pre-packaged  foods  — General  requirements  
RS EAS 5 , Refined  white  sugar  – Specifi cation  
RS EAS 749 , Brown sugar  – Specification  
RS EAS 770 , Fortified sugar — Specification  
RS EAS 8 , Raw cane  sugar – Specification  
RS EAS 805 , Use of nutrition  and health  claims  — Requirements  
RS ISO 2173 , Fruit and  vegetable  products  — Determination  of soluble  solids  — Refractometric  method  
RS ISO 2447 , Fruit and vegetable  Products  — Determination  of tin content  
RS ISO 4831 , Microbiology  of food and animal  feeding  stuffs  — Horizontal  method  for the detection  and enumeration  
of coliforms  — Most  probable number technique  DRS 563: 2023  
©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved                  4 
 RS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology  of the food chain  – Horizontal  method  for the enumeration  of microorganisms  – Part 1: 
Colony  count  at 30 C  by the pour  plate  technique  
RS ISO 5379:2013 , Starches and derived products – Determination of sulphur dioxide content, Acid metric method 
and nephelometric method  
RS ISO 6633 , Fruit and vegetables  products  — Determination  of lead content  – Flameless  atomic  absorption  
spectrometric  method  
RS ISO 6634 , Fruit,  vegetables  and derived  products  — Determination  of arsenic  content  — Silver  
diethyldithiocarbamate  spectrophotometric  method  
RS ISO 6637 , Fruits,  vegetables  and derived  products  — Determination  of mercury  content  — Flameless  atomic 
absorption method  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply  
3.1 
brix or degrees brix  
the concentration of sugar in syrup corresponding approximately to concentration of solutes expressed in percentage 
as measured with a refr actometer or hydrometer and expressed in oBrix units  
3.2 
food packaging material  
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not impart 
any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product.  
3.3 
Molasses  
Is clean, sound, viscous  product obtained by evaporating the juice of sugarcane and removal of all or any part of the 
commercially crystallisable sugar.  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Molasses for human consumption  shall;  DRS  563: 2023  
5                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 a) be characteristic  of the product  and have  a well-balanced  flavour  
b) be free from off-odours  and off-flavours  when  assessed  using  the normal  sensory  tests.  
c) be free from foreign matter  such  as impurities  of animal  origin,  including  dead  insects when  assessed  using  the 
normal  senses.  
d) have  a uniform consistency  
e) show  no turbidity  (except  turbidity  arising  from the  ingredients)  
f) shall show  no sedimentation  (except  sedimentation  arising  from the  ingredients)  
4.2 Raw material  
Sugars or juices from sugarcane and/or other alternative plant sources selected at the proper stage of maturity  
4.2.1  Other permitted ingredients  
The following  ingredients may be used in the production of molasses  for human consumption ; 
a) Brown sugar added shall comply with RS EAS 749  
a) Refined white sugar added shall comply with RS EAS 5  
b) Fortified white sugar added shall comply with RS EAS 770  
c) Raw cane sugar added shall comply with RS EAS 8  
4.3 Specific requirements  
Molasses shall  comply  with the specific requirements stipulated in Table 1 w hen tested in accordance with test method 
specified therein  
 
 
Table 1  ⎯ Specific requirements for molasses   
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  DRS 563: 2023  
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 Dark sweet molasses  Black  strap molasses  
i.  Total  soluble  solids  at 20 o C Min. 740Brix RS ISO 2173  
ii.  pH of 10% solution  m/v 4.0-6.0 ICUMSA /GS1/2/3/4/7/8/9 - 
23 
iii.  Total  sugars  % m/m Min. 45 35 AOAC  996.04  
iv.  Ash content  % m/m Max.  10 AOAC  900.02  
v.  Density,  g/cm3  min. 1.30 AOAC  962.37  
vi.  Sulphated  ash   %   m/m Max.  16 ICUMSA  
GS3/4/7/8 -11 
vii.  Sulphur  dioxide  as SO 2 ppm,  Max.  < 100 RS ISO 5379  
viii.  Loose Sludge  % v/v Max absent  Annex  A 
5 Food additives  
Food additives which may be used in the manufacture of molasses  for human consumption  shall comply with RS 
CODEX STAN 192  
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Molasses for human consumption  shall be manufactured processed, packaged, stored and distributed under 
hygienic conditions prescribed in RS CAC/RCP 1.  
6.2 Molasses  for human consumption  shall not exceed microbiol ogical limits in Table 2 when tested in accordance 
with test methods specified therein  
Table 2  ⎯ Microbiological limits for molasses for human consumption    
S/N Microorganism  Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Total  viable count,  cfu/g,  max.   <25 RS ISO  4833 -1 
ii.  Coliform count,  cfu/g,  max.  Absent  RS ISO  4832 
iii.  Yeast  and mould  count,  cfu/g,  max.   <10 RS ISO  21527 -1 
iv.  E.coli cfu/,  max.  Absent  RS ISO 7251  
v.  Staphylococcus  aureus  cfu/g,  max.  Absent  RS ISO  6881 -1 
7 Contaminants  
7.1 Pesticide residues  
Molasses for human consumption shall conform to those maximum residue limits for pesticide residues established 
by Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  DRS  563: 2023  
7                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 7.2 Heavy metals  
Molasses for human consumption  shall not exceed the acceptable limits of Heavy metals specified in Table 3  
Table 3  — Limits of heavy metals  in molasses  for human consumption     
S/N Heavy metal   Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Lead  (Pb) 0.05 RS ISO 6633  
ii.  Arsenic  (As) 0.2 RS ISO 6634  
iii.  Tin (Sn) 250 RS ISO 2447  
iv.  Mercury  (Hg) 0.05 RS ISO 6637  
8 Packaging  
Molasses  for human consumption  shall be packaged in a food grade material to safe guard the hygienic and nutritional 
quality of the product.  
9 Labelling  
9.1 In addition to the requirements of RS EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall be legibly and 
indelibly marked;  
a) common name of the product, “molasses  for human consumption ”. 
b) complete list of ingredients shall be declared on the label in descending order of proportion;  
c) net weight in metric units;  
d) name and physical address of the manufacturer/packer/distributor of the product shall be declared on the label;  
e) date of manufacture;  
g) lot identification;  
h) expiry date;  
i) country of origin;  
k) storage instructions; and  DRS 563: 2023  
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 l) instructions on d isposal of used package.  
10 Sampling  
Molasses  for human consumption  shall be done in accordance with Annex B . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DRS  563: 2023  
9                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative ) 
 
Determination of loose sludge   
 
 
A.1  Weigh  270 g of raw molasses  and add the following  quantity  of distilled  water  X g, where  
X = 6 x (Brix – 45) g of distilled  water  at 20 0C. 
A.2 Adjust the pH to 4.5 using 10 % H 2SO 4. Boil for 3 min and allow settling in graduated cones. Note the settled 
volume after 30 min and express as %, (v/v) loose sludge.  
 
 
 
 
 
  DRS 563: 2023  
©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved                  10 
 Annex  B 
(normative ) 
 
Sampling  
 
B.1  Sampling of molasses  
 
B.1.1  In drawing,  preparing,  storing and  handling test  samples,  the following  precautions  and directions shall be 
taken:  
a) The sampling  instrument  shall be clean  and dry when  used.  
 
b) The samples, the material  being sampled the sampling instrument and the containers for samples  
shall be protected from adventitious contamination.  
c) To draw  a representative  sample,  the contents  of each  container  selected  for sampling  
shall be mixed as thoroughly possible by shaking or stilling or bot h, or by rolling so as to 
bring all portions into uniform distribution.  
 
d) The sample  shall be  placed  in suitable  clean, dry  and air-tight metal or glass  containers,  
on which  the material has no action  
 
e) The sample containers shall be of such a size that they are almost, but not completely, 
filled by the sample.  
 
f) Each  sample  container shall  be sealed  airtight  and market  with full details  of sampling  and 
the date of sampling.  
 
g) Sampling can consist of a weig hted metal cylinder with removable top, to which a rod is 
attached (see Figure.1). The cylinder  is fasted to suitable rod. For  tacking a sample, it is  
lowered  in the  tank to the required depth, and the top is removed with  the help of the  rod 
and the can  then filled.  DRS  563: 2023  
11                ©RSB 2023  - All rights reserved  
  
 
 
 
For other  containers,  the sampling  device  of the design  shown  in Figure  2 may be used . 
DRS 563: 2023  
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B.2 Scale of sampling  
B.2.1 Supply in tank/tankers  
Samples  shall be drawn  from each  container/tanker  as follows:  
 
Equal portions of the material shall be taken from different layers of the tank/tanker with the help of the 
sampling can to obtain a composite sample not less than 2.5 litres and mixed thoroughly in a suitable 
container.  
 
Divide this composite sample into three equal portions of not less than 750 mL in dried bottles or other 
containers, seal airtight and label with  all the particulars of the sample.  
 
B.2.2 Supply in containers  
All the containers  in a single  consignment  shall constitute  a one lot. 
 
B.2.3 Gross sample.  
For the  purpose of drawing samples  for test a number of containers  shall be selected at  random  from a lot. The 
number  of containers  in relation  to the size of the lot or scale  of sampling  shall be as stipulated in table B.1.
DRS 563: 2023  
i Error! Reference source not found.  
  
 
 
Table  B.1 — Minimum  number  of containers  to be selected  for sampling  from  various  sizes  of lots. 
 
Lot size Sample  size 
2 - 8 2 
9 - 27 3 
28 - 64 4 
65 - 125 5 
126 - 216 6 
217 - 343 7 
344 - 512 8 
513 - 729 9 
730 - 1000  10 
1001  - 1331  11 
B.3 Sampling from containers  
B.3.1  General  
Mix thoroughly  the contents  of all  the containers  in the gross  sample  whether they  are drums  or cans  
of other, by  shaking or stirring or both, or by  rolling so as to bring all portions  into uniform distribution.  
 
B.3.2  Drawing  samples  
Samples shall be drawn by inserting the sampling device through the bung hole or any other 
convenient opening.  Equal portions  of the  well-mixed  material  from each  container  in the gross 
sample  shall be  taken so as  to obtain  a quantity  not less than 2.5 litres.  The composite  sample  thus 
obtained  shall be  divided  into three equal portions  of not less  than 750 mL in dried bottles or other 
containers, sealed airtight and labeled with  all the particulars of t he sample.  
 
B.3.3  Reference  sample  
The third sample  bearing  the seals  of sampler and  the producer shall be  kept in  appropriate  place  to 
be used in the case of dispute.  
  
 B.3.4  Time  limit for analysis  
All samples  shall be tested  within  two months  from the date of sampling . 
 
B.3.5  Criterion  for acceptance  
If on testing, the sample is found to conform to the requirements specified in the standard, the 
consignment shall be accepted.