Cassava wheat composite  
flour – Specification  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cassava wheat composite  
flour – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE: This is a draft proposal and it shall neither be used nor regarded as a Malawi standard  
________________  
 Published by  
MALAWI STANDARDS BOARD  
 ICS 67 .080.2 0           DMS 1765:2021  
                     First edition  
          
 
 
 
 
DRAFT PROPOSAL  
 
 
  
 ICS 67 .080.2 0           DMS 1765:2021  
                     First edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cassava wheat composite  
flour – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Obtainable from the  
Malawi Bureau of Standards  
P O Box 946  
BLANTYRE  
 
Tel: +265 870 488  
Fax: +265 870 756  
       E-mail: mbs@ mbsmw.org  
    Website: www.mbsmw.org  
Price based on 6 pages  
© Copyright reserved 
i 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Contents                     Page  
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  .i 
Technical c ommittee  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  .i 
Notice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. .i 
Scope ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  1 
Normative references  ................................ ...............................  ……………………………………………………. 1 
Term s and d efinition s ................................ ................................ .................  ………… …………. ………………… 2 
Essential composition and quality factors  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
Contaminants……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 
Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
Pack aging and labell ing………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 
Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  .5 
Annex A: Determination of acid -insoluble ash  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. .6 
 
 
FOREWORD  
 
This draft proposal  was prepared by MBS/TC 19 , the Technical Committee on  Bread and Confectioneries , to 
provide the requirement s for wheat and sweetpotato blended flours . 
 
In preparing this draft proposal , reference was made to  the following African standard : 
 
ARS 840:2016,  Cassava wheat composite flour – Specification . 
 
Acknowledgement is made for the use of the information.  
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
 
This draft proposal was prepared by MBS/TC 19 , the Technical Committee on Bread and Confectioneries  and 
the following companies, organizations a nd institutions were consulted : 
 
Bakhresa Grain Milling;  
 
Blantyre City Council;  
 
Bread Talk;  
 
Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station;  
 
International Potato Center Malawi;  
 
Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources;  
 
Ministry of Health – Department of Nutrition, HIV & AIDS;  
 
National Fortifi cation Alliance;  
 
Universal Industries Limited; and  
 
University of Malawi . 
 
 
NOTICE  
 
This standard shall be reviewed  every five years or whenever necessary in o rder to keep abreast of progress . 
Comments are welcome and shall be considered wh en the standard is being reviewed .  
1 
 DMS 1765 :2021                                
DRAFT PROPOSAL   
 
Cassava wheat composite flour – Specification  
 
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft proposal  specifies requirements, the methods of sampling and test for cassava -whea t composite 
flour. It  does not apply to other composite flours from non -wheat sources which may be used in different 
products.  
 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
 
The following standards contain provisions, which through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this 
draft proposal. All standards are subject to revision and, since any reference to a standard is deemed to be a 
reference to the latest edition of that standar d, parties to agreements based on this draft proposal are 
encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent edition of the standard s indicated below. 
Information on current valid national and international standards can be obtained from the Mal awi Bureau of 
Standards.  
 
MS 19: Label ling of prepack aged foods – General standard;  
 
MS 21:  Food and food processing units – Code of hygienic conditions;  
 
MS 30: Fortified wheat flour  – Specification ;  
 
MS 55: Wheat grain – Specification;  
 
MS 144 : Agricultural food products – Determi nation of crude fibre content – General method ; 
 
MS 146 : Cereals and cereal products – Sampling.  
 
MS 148:  Animal feeding stuffs – Deter mination of fat content ; 
 
MS 149:  Cereals, pulses and by -products – Determina tion of  ash content ; 
  
MS 237: Food additives – General standard;  
 
MS 302: Contaminants and toxins in foods – General standard ; 
 
MS 349:  Edible cassava  flour – Specification;  
 
MS 610:  Cereals and cereal prod ucts – Determination of moisture content – Reference method ; 
 
MS 624:  Nutrition labelling – Requirements;  
  
MS 625: Nutrition Claims – Guidelines;  
 
MS 1300: Spices and Condiments – Determination of Degree of Fineness of Grinding – Hand Sieving Method 
(Reference Method) ; 
 
MS 1386 : Cassava and cassava products – Determination of total cyanogens – Enzymatic assay method;  
 
MS 1786:  Milled cereal products – Determination of fat acidity ; 
 
ARS 839 : Dried cassava chips – Specification;  
  
2 
 CAG/GL 23: Guidelines for use of nutrition  and health claims – Requirements ; 
 
ISO 1871 : Food and feed products – General guidelines for the determination of nitrogen by the Kjeldahl 
method   
  
ISO 6579:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of  Salmonella 
spp.;  
  
ISO 6888 -1: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphyloco ccus aureus and other species) – Part 1: Technique using Baird -
Parker agar medium ;  
  
ISO 6888-2: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphyloco ccus aureus and other species) – Part 2: Technique using rabbit 
plasma fibrinogen agar medium ;  
  
ISO 6888 -3: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococ cus aureus and other species) – Part 3: Detection and MPN 
technique for low numbers ;  
  
ISO 7251 : Microbiology of food and an imal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration o f presumptive Escherichia coli – Most probable number technique ;  
  
ISO 15141 -1: Foodstuffs – Determination of ochratoxin A in cereals and cereal products – Part 1: High 
performance liquid chromatographic method with silica gel clean up ; 
  
ISO 15141 -2: Foodstuffs – Determination of ochratoxin A in cereals and cereal products – Part 2: High 
performance liquid chromatographic method with bicarbonate clean up ;   
  
ISO 16050 : Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G 1 and G 2 in 
cereals, nuts and derived products – High performance liquid chromatographic method ; and 
  
ISO 21527 -2 Microbiology of food and animal feeding  stuffs – Horizontal method for the en umeration of yeasts 
and moulds – Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0.95 .  
  
 
3 TERM S AND DEFINITION S 
 
For the purposes of this draft proposal , the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 
cassava -wheat composite flour   
combination of cassava flour and wheat flour  
  
3.2 
filth  
impurities of animal origin (including dead insects)  
  
3.3 
food grade material  
one that will not transfer non -food chemicals into the food and contains no chemicals which would be 
hazardous to human health  
  
3.4 
foreign matter  
all organic and inorganic materials (such as sand, soil, glass)  
 
 
   
3 
 3.5 
flour   
finely  ground content of wheat grains or dried peeled cassava roots  
 
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
 
4.1 Raw materials  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall be prepared by blending wheat  flour complying with MS 30 or wheat 
grains complying  with MS 55 and cassava  flour complying wi th MS 349  or dried cassava chips complying with 
ARS 839 . 
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall be : 
 
4.2.1  Homogenous in size and colour;  
 
4.2.2  Practically free of filth and foreign matter; and 
 
4.2.3  Free from rancid, objectionable odours or flavours . 
 
4.3 Specific requirements  
 
4.3.1 Testing for particle size shall be done in accordance with MS 1300 . Not less than 90 % shall pass 
through a 0.25 mm sieve for fine flour.  
 
4.3.2  Cassava wheat composite  flour shall comply with the specific chemical compositional requirements 
specified in Table 1  when tested in accordance with test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 1 – Chemical c ompositional requirements for cassava wheat composite  flour  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/N Characteristic  Requiremen t Method of test  
1 Protein content, % m/m , min. (N x 6.25)  8.0 ISO 1871  
2 Crude fat content, % m/m, on a dry weight basis, min.  2.0 MS 148  
3 Crude fibre content, % m/m,  on dry matter basis, max.  1.25 MS 144  
4 Acid value, mg/kg   50 MS 1786  
5 Acid-insoluble ash, % m/m , max.  0.35 Annex A  
6 Moisture content, %, m/m , max.  13.5 MS 610  
7 Hydrocyanic acid content, mg/kg, max  10 ARS 844  
 
4.3 Microbiological limits  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall be free from pathogenic organisms and shall comply with the 
microbiological limits indicated in Table 2.  
 
Table 2 – Microbiological limits  for cassava wheat composite  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/N Micro -organism(s)  Limit  Method of test  
1 Escherichia coli, cfu/g,   absent  ISO 7251  
2 Salmonella , cfu/25 g,   absent  ISO 6579  
3 Yeasts and moulds, cfu/g, max.  104 ISO 21527 -2 
4 Staphylococcus aureus , cfu/g max .  102 ISO 6888 -1, 2 & 3 
 
  
4 
 5 FOOD ADDITIVES  
 
Only those food additives listed und er this product in MS 237, may be used and only within the limits specified.  
 
 
6 CONTAMINANTS  
 
6.1 Heavy metals  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall comply  with maximum levels of heavy metals permitted in MS 302 . 
 
6.2 Pesticide residues  
 
The product shall conform to the maximum residue limits established by th e Codex Alimentarius Commission . 
 
6.3 Mycotoxins  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall comply with mycotoxin limits specified in Table 3 when tested in 
accordance with test methods specified therein . 
 
 
 
Table 3 – Mycotoxin limits for  cassava wheat composite  flour  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/N Mycotoxin  Limit Method  of test  
1 Total Aflatoxin (AFB 1+AFB 2+AFG 1 +AFG 2)), µg/kg, max  10  ISO 16050  
2 Aflatoxin B 1 only, µg/kg, max  5 
3 Ochratoxin A, µg/kg, max  5  ISO 15141 -1 & -2 
 
NOTE : For baby foods and young children and dietary foods for special purposes intended for infants, both the 
Aflatoxin B 1 and Ochratoxin A are restricted to 0.50 µg/kg, max.  
 
 
7 HYGIENE  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour shall be manufactured in premises complying with the hygienic practices 
stipulated in MS 21.  
 
 
8 PACK AGING AND LABELLI NG 
 
8.1 Pack aging 
 
8.1.1 Cassava wheat composite  flour shall be packaged in food grade materials . 
 
8.1.2 When the product is packaged in sacks, these shall be clean, sturdy and strongly sewn or sealed.  
 
8.2 Labelling  
 
8.2.1 In addition to the requirements in MS 19, the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and 
shall be legibly and indelibly marked:  
 
8.2.1.1  Common name of the product “Cassava wheat composite flour”;  
 
8.2.1.2  Percentage composition of cassava wheat flour shall be declared.  
 
8.2.1.3  Name, and physical address of the manufacturer/ distributor and /or trade name/ brand name;  
 
8.2.1.4  List of ingredients in descending order;  
 
8.2.1.5  Date of manufacture;   
5 
 8.2.1.6  Storage instructions;  
 
8.2.1.7  Lot / batch identification in code or clear;   
 
8.2.1.8  Best before date ;   
 
8.2.1.9  Country of origin;  
 
8.2.1.10  The net weight in metric units; and  
 
8.2.1.11  Instructions on disposal of used package.  
 
8.2.2 When labelling non -retail packages, information for non -retail packages shall either be given on the 
packages or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification and the na me 
and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the packages.  
  
8.2.3  Nutrition labelling  
 
The amount of nu trients in the cassava wheat composite flour shall be declared on the  label in accordance 
with MS 624 . 
 
8.2.3 Nutrition and health claims  
 
Cassava wheat composite  flour may have claims on nutrition  and health. Such claims when declared shall be 
in complianc e with MS 625  and CAG /GL 23 .  
 
 
9 SAMPLING  
 
Sampling shall be d one in accordance with MS 146 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
6 
 ANNEX A  
(Normative)  
 
DETERMINATION OF ACID -INSOLUBLE ASH  
  
A.1 REAGENT  
  
Dilute hydrochloric a cid – 1:1, prepared from concentrated hydrochloric acid.  
  
 
A.2 PROCEDURE  
  
A.2.1  Weigh accurately about 2 g of the dried material in a tared porcelain, silica or platinum dish.  
Ignite with a meker burner for about 1 hour.  
 
A.2.2  Complete the Ignition by keeping in a muffle furnace at 500 °C to 570 °C until grey ash results.  
  
A.2.3  Cool and filter through whatman filter paper No. 42 or its equivalent.  
 
A.2.4  Wash the residue with hot water until the washings are free from chlorides as tested with silver nitrate 
solution and return the filter paper and residue to the dish.  
 
A.2.5  Keep it in an electric air oven maintained at 135 ± 2 °C for about 3 hrs. Ignite the dish again for about 
30 minutes, cool and weigh.  
 
A.2.6  Repeat this process till the difference between two successive weighings is less than 1 mg. Note the 
lowest weight.  
 
 
A.3  CALCULATION  
  
Acid-insoluble ash, per cent by weight  
  
=100(𝑀2−𝑀)
𝑀1−𝑀 
 
Where ,  
  
𝑀2 is the lowest weight, in g, of the dish with the acid insoluble ash;  
  
𝑀 is weight, in g, of the empty dish; and  
 
𝑀1 is weight, in g, of the dish with the dried product taken for the test.  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
ICS 67.080.20          DMS 1765 :2021 
           First edition  
 
 
 
 
 
THE MALAWI  BUREAU OF STANDARDS           CERTIFICATION MARK SCHEME  
The Malawi Bureau of Standards is the 
standardizing body in Malawi under the aegis 
of  the  Ministry   of  Industry .  Set up in 1972 
by the   Malawi  Bureau   of  Standards  Act 
(Cap: 51:02), the Bureau is a parastatal body 
whose activities aim at formulating and 
promoting the general adoption of standards 
relating to structures, commodities, materials, 
practices, operations and from time to time 
revise, alter and amend the same to 
incorporate advanced technology.  To bri ng the advantages of standardization 
within the reach of the common consumer, the 
Bureau operates a Certification Mark Scheme. 
Under this scheme, manufacturers who 
produce goods that conform to national 
standards are granted permits to use the 
Bureau’s “Ma rk of Quality” depicted below on 
their products.  This Mark gives confidence to 
the consumer of the commodity’s reliability.