DEAS 301: 2022 
ICS 21.060.20 
 
© EAC 2022                                                                                                                            Third  Edition 2022 
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Edible palm  oil — Specification   
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 DEAS 301: 2022  
ii © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
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 DEAS 301: 2022  
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  iii 
 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 r epresentatives 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 representati ve 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 recei ved 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 .  
EAS 301 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/ TC/015, Oil Seeds, Edible Fats and Oils.  
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (EAS 301:2013), which has been technically revised.  
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 301: 2022 
 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  1 
 Edible palm  oil — Specification   
1 Scope   
This Draft East African standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for virgin and refined 
edible palm oil derived from fruit (mesocarp) of the palm (Elaeis guineensis).  
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 (in cluding any amendments) applies . 
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Specification  
EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene for food and drink manufacturing industries  
CXS 192 -1995, General Standard for food additives  
EAS 769, Fortified edible oils and fats — Specification  
EAS 804, Claims on foods —Requirements  
EAS 805, Use of nutritional and health claims — Requirement  
ISO 660, Animal and vegeta ble fats and oils — Determination of acid value and acidity  
ISO 661, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Preparation of test sample  
ISO 662, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
ISO 663, Animal and veg etable fats and oils — Determination of insoluble impurities content  
ISO 2590, General method for determining of arsenic — Diethyldithiocarbamate photometric method  
ISO 3596, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of unsaponifiable matter — Method using diethyl 
ether  
ISO 3657, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of saponification value  
ISO 3960, Animal and vegetable fats and oils 
  Determination of peroxide value — Iodometric (visual) endpoint 
determination  
ISO 3961, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of iodine value  
ISO 5555, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Sampling  
ISO 6320, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of refractive index  DEAS 301: 2022 
2 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 ISO 6883, Animal and vegetable fats and oi ls — Determination of conventional mass per volume (litre weight 
in air)  
ISO 8294, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of copper, iron and nickel contents — Graphite 
furnace atomic absorption method  
ISO 10539, Animal and vegetable fats and o ils — Determination of alkalinity  
ISO 12193, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy  
ISO 15305, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of Lovibond colour  
3 Terms and d efinitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following  terms and definitions apply . 
3.1  
edible palm  oil 
foodstuff composed primarily of glycerides of fatty acids obtained from fleshy mesocarp of the fruit of the oil 
palm (Elaels gulneensis). It may contain small amounts of other lipids such as phosphatides, of unsaponifiable 
constituents and of free fatty acids naturally present in the oil . 
3.2  
virgin palm  oil 
edible oil obtained, without altering the nature of the oil, by mechanical procedures,  for example, expelling or 
pressing, and the application of heat only. It may have been purified by washing with water, settling, filtering 
and centrifuging only . 
3.3  
refined (non –virgin) palm  oil 
edible oil obtained, by mechanical procedures and/or solve nt extraction and subjected to refining processes . 
3.4  
cold pressed palm  oil 
edible oil obtained, without altering the nature of the oil by mechanical procedures, for example, expelling or 
pressing, without the application of heat. It may have been purifi ed by washing with water, settling, filtering and 
centrifuging only.  
3.5  
food grade packaging material   
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for the intended use and which will not 
impart any toxic substance or undesirable od our or flavour to the product  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Edible palm oil shall:  
a) be free from adulterants, and any other foreign matter, separated water and added colouring 
substances;  
b) be free from rancid odour and taste ; and  
c) be free from admixture with other oils, when tested according to appropriate method . DEAS 301: 2022 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2 Specific requirements  
Edible palm oil shall comply with requirements specified in Table 1.  when tested in accordance with the test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 1  ― Specific requirement s for edible palm oil  
S/No. Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Moisture and matter volatile at 105 oC, % 
m/m, max.  0.2 ISO 662  
ii.  Insoluble impurities, % m/m, max.  0.05 ISO 663  
iii.  Acid value, mg KOH/g oil, max  Non virgin oil: 0.6  
Virgin oil:  10 ISO 660  
iv.  Soap content, % m/m, max.  0.005  ISO 10539  
v.  Relative density (50 oC/ water at 20 oC ) 0.891 – 0.899  ISO 6883  
vi.  Refractive index, 50 oC 1.454 – 1.456  ISO 6320  
vii.  Slip melting point, max.  39 oC ISO 6321  
viii.  Saponification value (mg KOH/g oil)  190 – 209 ISO 3657  
ix.  Iodine value (Wij’s), min.  45  ISO 3961  
x.  Colour, 133.35 mm (5¼ in.) Lovibond  Non-Virgin :≤ 6 R  
Virgin: ≥ 6  ISO 15305  
xi.  Unsaponifiable matter, g/kg, max.  12 ISO 3596  
xii.  Total carotenoids in virgin palm oil, 
mg/kg, as Beta carotene  500 – 2000  Annex A  
xiii.  Peroxide value, mEq  peroxide 
oxygen/kg oil, max.  10 ISO 3960  
xiv.  Iron, mg/kg, max.  Virgin:  5 
Refined:  1.5 ISO 8294  
xv.  Copper, mg/kg, max.  Virgin:  0.4 
Refined  0.1 ISO 8294  
xvi.  Colour, units in a 25.4 mm Lovibond 
cell, max.  Red:  4 
Yellow:  50 ISO 15305  
4.3 Fortification  of edible palm  oil 
Edible palm  oil may be fortified in accordance with EAS 769.  
5 Food additives  
5.1 Virgin or cold pressed palm  oils shall not contain food additives  DEAS 301: 2022 
4 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 5.2 Refined palm  oil may contain  food additives as permitted in CXS 192  
6 Flavouring agents  
Flavouring used in refined edible palm  oil shall comply with guidelines for use of flavourings CXG 66 -2008.  
7 Hygiene  
Edible palm  oil shall be produced, prepared  and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
8 Contaminants  
8.1 Pesticide residues  
Palm  oil shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
8.2 Heavy metal contaminants  
Edible palm  oil shall comply with the  maximum limits specified in Table 2.  
Table 2  ― Limits for heavy metal contaminants in edible palm  oil 
S/No.  Contaminant  Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Lead, mg/kg  0.08 ISO 12193  
ii.  Arsenic, mg/kg  0.1 ISO 2590  
 
10 Packaging  
Edible palm  oil shall be packaged in food grade containers and sealed in manner to ensure the safety and 
quality requirements specified in this standard are maintained throughout the shelf life of the product.   
11 Labelling  
11.1 In addition to the labelling requirements in EAS 38 the name of the product shall be ‘ palm  oil’ and with the 
description as either:  
a) virgin,  
b) refined or non -virgin  
11.2   Health and nutrition c laims  
Where Health and nutrition claims  have been used, they  shall be done in accordance to EAS 804 and EAS 
805 DEAS 301: 2022 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  5 
 12 Sampling  
Sampling shall be carried in accordance with ISO 5555 and samples prepared for testing according to ISO 661.  DEAS 301: 2022 
6 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 Annex A  
(informative)  
 
Determination of carotene contents  
A.1 Definition  
The carotene of palm oil is defined and calculated as B -carotene in parts per million (ppm)  
A.2 Principle  
Spectrophotometric measurement at 446 nm of the absorbance of a homogenized and diluted sample  
A.3 Reagent  
Trimethylpentane (ISO -octane) or n -hexane, opti cally pure at 446 nm  
A.4 Apparatus  
A.4.1  Spectrophotometer, with 1 cm quartz cuvettes suitable for measurement at 446 nm  
A.4.2  Volumetric flask, 25 -mL capacity  
A.4.3  Pipette, 5 -mL capacity  
A.5 Preparation of sample  
Melt the sample at 60 ºC to 70 ºC and hom ogenize thoroughly before taking a test portion. Filter through a fast 
filter paper if the sample contains impurities or is not clear.  
A.6 Procedure  
Weigh, to the nearest 0.0001 g, 0.3 g of the sample into the 25 -mL volumetric flask. Dissolve the test port ion 
with a few millilitres of solvent and dilute to the mark.  
Pipette accurately 5 mL of the prepared solution into another 25 -mL volumetric flask and make up to volume 
with the same solvent.  
Transfer the diluted solution to the 1 cm cuvette and measure th e absorbance at 466 nm against the solvent 
used. Correct for cuvette error at the same wavelength.  
A.7 Expression of results  
The carotene content is expressed as ppm β -carotene and is given by:  
Corotene Content = 478.5(𝑎𝑠−𝑎𝑏)
𝑤 
 
 DEAS 301: 2022 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  7 
 where,  
as is the absorbance of the sample;  
ab is the cuvette error; and  
w is the weight, in grams, of sample.  
Express the results to the nearest unit.  
  DEAS 301: 2022 
8 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 Annex B 
(informative)  
 
GLC fatty acid composition  
When required the fatty acid profile should be determined by Gas Liquid Chromatography. Ranges of fatty acids 
are given in Table B.1 for information.  
Table B.1 — GLC fatty acid composition  
Carbon  
Configuration  
C12 
 
C14:0  
 
C16:0  
 
C16:1  
C17:0  
C18:0  
C18:1  
C18:2  
C18:3  
C20:0  
C:21:0  
C22:0  
Composition  % 
 −0.5 
 
0.5-2.0 
 
39.3-47.5 
0.6 
ND – 0.2 
3.5-6.0 
36-44 
9.0-12 
0.5 
1.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 301: 2022   
 
© EAC 2022  – All rights reserved