DEAS 173: 2023  
ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT EAST  AFRICAN  STANDARD   
 
Pasta  products  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN  COMMUNITY   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2023  Second  Edition  
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.  
 
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards 
Committee mandated  to develop  and issue  East African  Standards.  
 
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner 
States, together  with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer 
organizations. 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  finalization  of standards,  in accordance  with the procedures  of the 
Community.  
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.  
 
 
© East African  Community  2023  – All rights  reserved * 
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* © 2023  EAC — All rights  of exploitation  of any form and by any means  reserved  worldwide  for 
EAC Partner  States’  NSBs  
 
 
© EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  iv © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  v  
 Introduction   
  
Pasta is a very generic term used to describe a commonly consumed food group which 
encompasses noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and similar commodities.  
 
These products have gained a fast popularity in catering and home uses. The manufac turing 
process for macaroni or spaghetti consists of the dough preparation from wheat and cold or 
lukewarm water, kneading process and extrusion through the extrusion press fitted with a die for the 
desired shape.  
 
The extruded products a re cut to a given length and then dried to definite moisture content under 
controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.  
 
Rice, cassava or legumes flour such as beans or lentils, are sometimes used in place of wheat flour 
to yield different tastes an d textures, or as gluten -free alternative  
 
  
  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  3  
  
DRAFT EAST  AFRICAN  STANDA RD                             DEAS 173: 2023  
 
Pasta  products  — Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements sampling and test methods for pasta 
products  derived from wheat flour (Triticum Durum, Triticum Aestivum, Triticum Compactum ) or any 
other suitable flour intended for human consumption . 
 
This standard applies to the following pasta products such as macaroni, spaghetti , Vermicelli, 
noodles, short -cut pasta, lasagna , fortified pasta  and similar products  
 
2.0 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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.  
 
ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of lead content — Flameless 
atomic absorption spectrometric method  
 
AOAC 952.13,  Arsenic in food. Silver diethyldithiocarbamate  
 
EAS 1 , Wheat flour - specification  
 
Codex Stan 192, General standard for food additives  
 
CODEX  STAN  193, Codex  General  Standard  for Contaminants  and Toxins  in Food  and Feed  
 
EAS 38, General  standard  for the labelling  of pre-packaged  foods  
 
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 6579 -1, Microbiology  of food and animal  feeding  stuffs  — Horizontal  method  for the 
detection  of Salmonella  spp. 
 
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  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  4  
 water  activity  less than or equal  to 0.95 
 
 
3.0 Terms and Definit ions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply  
 
3.1  
pasta  
type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour or any other suitable flour 
mixed with water with or without addition eggs, and formed into different shapes.  
 
3.2  
macaroni  
variety of pasta traditionally shaped into narrow tubes produced in  various shapes and sizes.  
 
3.3  
spaghetti  
long, thin, cylindrical, solid pasta products  
 
3.4  
vermicelli  
traditional type of pasta similar but thinner than spaghetti  
 
3.5  
noodles  
types of pasta in the form of solid rods or folded ribbons.  
 
3.6  
egg noodle  
narrow strip of pasta with addition of eggs  
 
3.7  
fortified pasta  
Pasta products to which micronutrients have been added.  
 
3.8 
lasagna  
rectangular or ribbon shaped, thicker than tagliatelle, made from a dough based on flour and eggs, 
with numerous local variants.  
 
4.0 Product description  
 
4.1 Macaroni  
They may be of two types, namely long macaroni or cut macaroni, with the following characteristics:  
follows:  
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  5  
 a) Long macaroni shall be in the form of tubular rods, smooth or corrugated. They shall have the  
outer diameter ranging between 2.5 mm and 7 mm and of wall thickness of about 1 mm  with 
tolerance of ± 0.1 mm. .  
 
b) Cut -macaroni shall be obtained by extrusion and may be in the form of tubular elbows, shells, 
alphabets, numerals, stars, wheels, rings, rice, melon seeds etc.  
 
4.2 Spaghetti  
Spaghetti shall be in the form of solid rods of a minimum length of 250 mm and minimum diameter of 
1.6 mm with tolerance of ± 0.1 mm.  
 
 
4.3 Vermicelli  
Vermicelli shall be in the form of solid rods of diameter between  250 mm and of diameter between 
0.5 mm to 1.25 mm.  
 
 
4.4 Folded vermicelli  
They shall be in the form of folded rods of diameter between 0.5 mm to 1.25 mm.  
 
4.5 Noodles  
They shall be in the form of solid rods of minimum length 250 mm and diameter between 1.25 mm 
and 2.0 mm or ribbons of width from 1.5 mm to 15 mm and thickness ranging from 1.25 mm to 1.0 
mm 
 
4.6 Folded noodles  
These shall be in the form of folded ribbons of thickness ranging from 1.25 mm to 2.0 mm.  
 
4.7 Short -cut pasta  
these shall be produ cts of various defined forms such as shells, stars, squares etc.   
 
4.8 Lasagne  
These shall be square or rectangular shaped pasta  
 
4.9 Egg pasta  
Special type pasta contain  eggs vegetable products and the final products shall have the 
appearance of the characteristic added material such as yellow for egg pasta and green for spinach 
pasta.  
 
The egg macaroni, egg spaghetti, egg noodles or egg alimentary pasta shall contain not  less than 
4% egg yolk solids when tested in accordance with Annex G. The egg yolk solids shall be derived 
from whole egg, frozen egg yolk.  
 
5.0 Requirements  
 
5.1 Ingredients  
5.1.1 Essential Ingredients  
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  6  
 The following ingredients  shall be used in the manufacture of pasta products and shall conform to 
the relevant East African Standards:  
 
a) durum semolina / wheat flour  or any other suitable flour ;  
b) Water; and  
c) Egg (only in the case of egg pasta).  
 
5.1.2 Optional ingredients  
 
In addition to the essential ingredients specified under 5.1.1, any of the following ingredients may be 
used in the manufacturer of pasta products  in singly or in  combination : 
 
a) Milk; 
b) Soya flour;  
c) Vegetable or vegetable products;  
d) Spices;  
e) Gluten;  
f) Edible oilseeds flour;  
g) Edible common salt;  
h) Fruit or fruit products (preserved, dehydrated or pulp); and  
i) Rice.  
 
5.2  General requirements  
 
Pasta  products  shall  
 
a) be smooth,  translucent,  hard brittle  and up to a point  elastic  and when  broken  the 
fracture  shall appear  glassy.  
 
b) possess a characteristic color and flavor  
 
c) be clean, sound, wholesome, and practically free from rodent or insect infestation  
 
d) retain their shapes and show no sign of disintegration and shall swell  appreciably  
when  plunged  into vigorously  boiling  water  and boiled  in accordance  with the time 
declared  by the manufacture  for each  variety  of the  product.  
 
e) When cooked, pasta product shall retain its shape and a certain firmness and develop 
a clear  characteristic  odour  of hard wheat  and shall not  become  pasty.  
 
5.3 Specific requirements  
 
Pasta  products shall also comply with the  specific  requirements given in Table 1.  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  7  
  
 
Table 1 —Specific  requirements for pasta 
products  
 
S/N
o Characteristics  Requireme
nts Methods  of test 
(Annex)  
1 Total  ash (on dry basis)  % 
by mass,  
max. 1.0 B 
2 Acid insoluble ash (on dry 
basis) % by  mass,  max.  
0.2 
 C 
3 Total  protein (N x 5.7) on 
dry basis) %  by mass, min. 8.0  
 ISO 20483  
 
4 Cooking  test: Total  solids  in 
gruel,  % by mass, max. 10 E 
5  
Fat Acidity,(mg NaOH/ 100g) , 
max  
4 ISO 7305  
 
6 Moisture content, % m/m 
max.  12 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  8  
 6. Hygiene  
6.1 Pasta products shall be produced and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
 
6.2 The products shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods specified therein  
 
Table 2: Microbiological Limits for pasta  products  
S/N  Microorganisms  Requirement  Test method  
2 Escherichia coli, 
cfu/g  Absent (<10)  ISO 16649 -2 
3  Salmonella (/25g)  Absent  ISO 6579 -1  
4  Yeast and Moulds, 
per g, max  102 ISO 21527 -2  
5 Staphylococcus 
aureus, CFU/g  Absent  ISO 6888 -1 
 
7.0 Food Additives  
Only the food additives permitted by Codex Stan 192 in the manufacture of pasta products may be 
used without exceeding the limits.  
 
8.0 Contaminants  
 
8.1 Heavy contaminants  
Pasta products  shall conform to those maximum levels as per Codex Stan 193  
 
8.2 Mycotoxins  
Pasta products shall comply with the maximum limit s for mycotoxin given in Table 3  when tested 
according to the test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 3 : Mycotoxin limits for Past a Products  
 
SNo Contaminants  Limits  Test Method  
1 Aflatoxin B1, µg/ kg  5.0 EAS 901  
2 Total aflatoxins, µg/ kg  10.0 EAS 901  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  9  
 9 Sampling  
 
Pasta products shall be sampl ed in accordance to the EAS 900  
 
10 Packaging   
Pasta products shall be packaged in food grade packaging material, which will safeguard the 
hygienic, nutritional, technological and organoleptic qualities of the products.  
 
11 Labelling  
The following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be legibly and i ndelibly marked in 
accordance with the requirements of EAS 38. name  of product in relation to the product description 
given in Clause 4 ; 
a) the word “fortified” placed in brackets, below the name of the product and the details 
of enrichment and quantities added, if enriched with vitamins and or minerals;  
b) the word “spiced” on the label, if spices have been added;  
c) declaration on the label if egg has been added;  
d) declaration of all ingredients on the label in descending order of proportions;  
e) name, physical loc ation and address of manufacturer  
f) net content in metric units  
g) date of manufacture;  
h) batch number;  
i) best before ; 
j) country of origin and  
k) cooking/ use instructions;  
l) allergen declaration, if any and.  
m) instruction for the disposal of packaging materials.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  10  
  
Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination  of moisture  
 
A.1 Apparatus and equipment  
A. 1.1 Moisture dish  
A.1. 2 Air oven capable of maintaining 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours  
A.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ± 0 ,01 g.  
A.1.4 Mortar and pestle or grinder  
A. 1.5 425 micro sieve  
A.1. 6 Desiccator  
 
A.2 Procedure  
 
A.2.1 Preparation of sample — Grind in pestle and mortar about 30 g of the material so 
that at  least 90 % passes through 425 micro sieve. Transfer this prepared sample to a well -
stoppered glass  bottle  for use as indicated  in A.1.2  and D.3.1.  
 
A.2.2 Weigh accurately about 5 g of the prepared sample in a suitable moisture dish made of  
porcelain, silica or platinum, previously dried in an air -oven maintained  and weighed.   Place 
the dish  in air-oven  maintained  at 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours.  Cool the dish in a 
desiccator  and weigh  the dish with the lid on.   Heat again at 105 °C ± 2 °C in the air -oven 
for 30 min cooling and weighing till  the difference between two successive  weighings is  less 
than one milligram.  Note the lowest  mass.  
 
NOTE  The dish containing  the dried  material  for the determination  of ash should  be 
preserved  (see B.1).  
 
 
A.3 Calculation  
Moisture, %  by mass   100M 1  M 2 
M 1  M 
where  
 
M1 is the mass in  g of the dish  with the material  before drying,  
 
M is the mass  in g of the empty  dish,  and 
 
M2 is the mass in  g of the dish with  the material  after drying.  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  11  
  
Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Determination  of total  ash 
B.1 Apparatus and equipment  
B.1.1 Furnace capable of maintaining temperature at 600 °C ± 20 °C  
B.1.2 Crussible  
B.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ± 0,01 g.  
B. 1. 4 Desiccator  
 
B.2 Procedure  
 
Ignite the dried material (see A.1.2 ) in the dish with flame of suitable burner for about one 
hour till the  material is completely charred. Complete the ashing by keeping in muffle furnace 
at 600 °C ± 20 °C  until grey ash results. Cool in desiccator and weigh. Repeat the process of 
heating for 30  min cooling  and weighing till the difference in mass between the two 
successive weighings is less than one  milligram.  Note  the lowest  mass.  
 
NOTE The dish containing this ash for the determination of acid insoluble ash should 
be preserved (see  C.2).  
 
 
B.3 Calculation  
Total  ash on dry basis, % by mass   100M 1  M 2 
M 1  M 
 
 
where  
 
M2 is the mass  in g of the dish  with the ash,  
 
M is the mass  in g of the empty  dish,  and 
 
M1 is the mass  in g of the dish with the dried  material  (see M2 in A.2).  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  12  
  
Annex  C 
(normative)  
 
Determination  of acid insoluble  ash 
 
C.1 Apparatus and equipment  
C.1.1 Furnace capable of maintaining temperature at at 600 °C ± 20 °C  
C.1.2 Crussible  
C.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ±  0,01 g.  
C. 1. 4 Desiccator  
C.1.5 Whatman filter paper No 42  
 
C.2 Reagents  
 
Dilute hydrochloric acid — approximately 5 N prepared by diluting concentrated 
hydrochloric acid  with distilled  water  
 
C.3 Procedure  
 
To the ash contained in the dish (see B.1.1) add 25 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid, cover with 
watch - glass  and heat on water -bath for 10 min. Allow  to cool,  filter the contents  for 
the dish through  Whatman filter paper No 42 or its equivalent.  Wash the filter paper until the 
washings are free from  the acid and return it to the dish. Keep it in an air -oven maintained at 
105 °C ± 2°C for about three  hours.  With the flame of a suitable burner complete the ashing 
in a muffle furnace at 600 °C ± 20 °C  for one hour. Cool the dish in a desiccator and weigh . 
Heat again at 600°C ± 20°C in the muffle  furnace for 30 min.  Cool the dish in the desiccator 
and weigh.  Repeat the process of heating for 30  min, cooling and weighing till the difference 
in mass between the successive weighings is less than  one milligram.  Note  the lowest  mass.  
 
 
C.4 Calculation  
Acid insoluble  ash on dry basis, % by mass   100M 2   M 1
M 1  M 
where,  
 
M2 is the mass in  g of the  dish with  acid insoluble ash,  
 
M is the mass  in g of the empty  dish,  and 
 
M1 is the mass  in g of the dish with the dried  material  (see M2 in A.2).  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  13  
  
 
 
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  14  
  
 
 
 
 
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  15  
  
Annex  D 
(normative)  
 
Determination  of total  solids  in gruel  
 
D.1 Apparatus  
 
D.1.1 Lipless  beaker  — tall-form,  of capacity  500 mL 
 
D.1.2 Oil bath  
 
D.1.3 Electric heater  
 
D.2 Procedure  
 
Take 250 ml water in the lipless beaker and heat over an oil bath kept at about 102 °C by 
electric  heating.  Introduce exactly 25 g of the pasta product (previously) broken into 10 mm 
lengths in case of  long pasta  products and cook at a constant temperature of about 98 °C at 
sea level with occasional  stirring.  
 
NOTE  The cooking  time required  by this apparatus  is on an average  two minutes  more  
than that recommended on the package (i.e. more than that required with f ree boiling 
water).  The cooked pasta should be  allowed to drain for five minutes and the volume of gruel 
collected measured.  Pipette out 20 ml of the gruel, after  stirring well to a tarred petri dish and 
evaporate to dryness on a water -bath.   Transfer the  petri dish and  evaporate to dryness on 
a water -bath.  Transfer the petri dish to a hot air -oven maintained at 105 °C ± 2 °C and  dry to 
constant mass.  
 
 
D.3 Calculation  
Total  solids  in gruel  % by mass    M 2   M 1V 
5 
 
where,  
 
M2 is the mass in  g of petri dish with  total solids  per cent in  20 mL  of gruel,  
 
M1 is the mass  in g of empty  petri dish,  and 
 
V is the volume  of gruel  in ml. © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  16  
                                                                         Annex E  
(normative)  
Determination  of crude  fibre  content  
 
 
E.1 Preparation  of sample  
 
Break the pasta product into small fragments with hands or in mill, and mix well. Grind 300 g 
to 500 g  in mill until all material passes through No 20 sieve. Keep ground sample in sealed 
container to  prevent moisture  changes.  
 
E.2 Reagents  
 
E.1.1 Sulphuric acid solution — 0.255 N ± 0.005 N 1.25 % H 2SO 4/100 ml. The 
concentration shall  be checked  by titration.  
 
E.1.2 Sodium hydroxide solution — 0.313 N ± 0.005 N 1.25 % NaOH/100 ml, free or 
nearly so  from Na2CO 3. The concentration  shall be  checked  by titration.  
 
E.1.3 Prepared asbestos — spread a thin layer of acid washed, medium or long fibre 
asbestos in  evaporation dish and heat for 16 h at 600 °C in furnace.  Boil 30 min with 1.25 % 
H2SO 4, filter, wash  thoro ughly with water, and boil for 30 min with 1.25 % H 2SO 4, filter, wash 
thoroughly with water, and  boil for 30 min with 1.25 % NaOH. Filter, wash once with 1.25 %, 
H2SO 4, wash thoroughly with water,  dry and ignite  for 2 h at 600 °C. 
 
Determine  blank  by treating  1.0 g prepared  asbestos  with acid and alkali.  Correct  crude  
fibre results  of any blank, which should be negligible (about 1 g). Asbestos recovered from 
the determination may  be used  in subsequent  determinations.  
 
E.1.4 Alcohol  — 95 % or reagent  MeOH  or isopropanol  
 
E.1.5 Antifoam compound A — Dilute (1 + 4) with mineral spirits or pot ether, or water, 
dilute  antifoam  B emulsion  (1 + 4). Do not use antifoam  spray.  
 
E.1.6  Bumping  ships  or granules  — Broken  alumdum  crucibles  or equivalent  granule  are 
satisfactory.  
 
 
E.2 Apparatus  
 
E.2.1 Digestion apparatus — with condenser to fit 600 mL beaker, and hot plate adjustable 
to temperature  so that it  will bring  200 mL  water  at 25  °C to rolling  boil 15 min  ± 2 min  
 
E.2.2 Ashing dishes — silica, vireosil  70 mm x 15 mm; or porcelain, coors, No 450, size 1 
or equivalent  
 
E.2.3 Desiccator  — with efficient  desiccator  such  as 4 to 5 mesh  drierite  (CaCl 2 is not satisfactory)  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  17  
  
E.2.4 Filtering  device  — with No 200 type 304 or 316 stainless  steel  screen  easily  washed  
free of digested  residue,  use any suitable  filter funnel.  for example,  Buchner  filter funnel  
 
E.2.5 Suction  filter  — to accommodate  filtering devices.  Attach suction flask to trap in line 
with aspirator  or other  source  of vacuum  with valve  to break  vacuum.  
 
E.2.6 Liquid preheater — for preheating water, 1.25 % H 2SO 4 and 1.25 % NaOH solution to 
boiling  point  of H2O 
 
E.3 Procedure  
 
Extra 2 g of ground material ether or pot ether. Transfer to 600 ml beaker avoiding fibre 
contamination  from paper or brush. Add about 1 g of prepared asbestos, 200 ml boiling 1.25 
%, H 2SO 4 and 1 drop  diluted antifoam.  (Excess antifoam may give results, use only if 
necessary to control foaming.)  Bumping chips of granules may also be added.  Place beaker 
on di gestion apparatus with pre - adjusted hot plate and boil exactly 30 min rotating the 
beaker periodically to keep solids from adhering  to sides.  Remove  beaker  and any suitable  
filter funnel.  
 
In treating the residue, dry mat and residue for 2 h at 130 °C ±  2 °C, cool in desiccator and 
weigh.  Ignite  for 30 min at 600  °C ± 15 °C.  Cool in desiccator  and reweigh.  
 
 
E.4 Calculation  
% crude  fibre in ground  sample  - C = (Loss  in weight  on ignition  
 loss in weight  of asbestos  blank  
x 100) 
Weight  of sample  
 
 
Report  results to 0.1  %. © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  18  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
Annex  F 
(normative)  
 
Degree  of acidity  of raw pasta  
 
F.1 Procedure  
 
Weigh 4 g of milled raw pasta into an Erlenmeyer flask and carefully suspend 100 ml of 
neutralized 50  vol. % ethanol.  Stopper the flask to avoid  solvent loss and leave for one hour 
at room temperature.  The contents  should  be whirled  by hand  four times  during  this period.  
At the end, agitate  the suspensions vigorously, clear by centrifuging (3 min at 300 rvm) or 
filtration (funnel sitting directly on the neck of another Erlenmeyer flask and flute paper filter 
(15 cm) covered with petri dish, both  measures to avoid solvent losses). The suspension is 
to be filtered in total and also 100 mL 50 vol. %  neutralized ethanol are to be filtered in the 
same w ay to be used as a blank (to compensate for any  absorption on the filter paper). To 
50 ml of the cleared -extract and 50 ml of the filtered blank (in case  of centrifuging  no blank  
is necessary),  three  drops  of 1 % phenolphthalein  in ethanol  are added.  These aliquots 
are titrated with 0.1 N NaOH from a burette with 0.02 mL graduation until the first  reddish tint 
appears and remains visible for at least 10 s (change in colour from greenish yellow to  
reddish  yellow  in sample  extracts).  
 
 
F.2 Calculation  
 
 
Acidity degree (pasta dry matter) = (𝑛− 𝑛𝑜 ) 𝑥 5 𝑥 100  
100 − 𝑚 
 
where,  
 
n is the ml 0.1  N NaOH  for 50  mL extract,  
 
no is the ml 0.1  N for  50 ml  blank,  
 
m is the moisture content of  raw pasta.  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  19  
  
Annex  G 
(normative)  
Determination  of egg yolk solids  
 
G.1 Preparation  of sample  
 
Grind in pestle and mortar about 30 g of the material so that at least 90 % passes through 
425 micro  sieve.  Transfer  this prepared  sample to  a well-stoppered  glass  bottle for  use. 
 
G.2 Procedure  
 
G.2.1  Reflux 100 g sample in a Soxhlet apparatus using 100 cm3 pure methanol for two 
hours.  Decant and add a further 100 cm3 pure methanol fractions. Evaporate to dryness. 
Carry out a  phosphorus  determination  as detailed  below.  
 
G.2.2 Phosphorus Determination — Weigh 0.05 g of sample into a platinum dish. Add 5 
cm3 of analytical grade chloroform. Add 8 cm3 of 4 % alcoholic potash and evaporate to 
dryness in an oven  held at 105 °C. Char using an Argand burner and then ash at dull red 
heat in a muffle furnace.  When  the dish has cooled, add 5 cm3 concentrated hydrochloric 
acid and evaporate to dryness. Extract the  residue  with 10-cm3 mL hydrochloric  acid.  Filter  
through  a Whatman  No 54 grade  filter paper  into a100  cm3 graduated  flask.  Wash  any 
residue  well with hot distilled  water.  Neutralize  with normal  sodium  hydroxide  using  
phenolphthalein  as indicator.  Make  to the mark  with distilled  water.  
 
Take a sufficient volume by pipette of the prepared solution containing 5 mg to 5 mg 
phosphorus and transfer  to a stout  boiling  tube.  
 
The total volume  should  be 5 cm3, if lower  than this add distilled  water.  Add, by fast running  
pipette,  1 cm3 10 M sulphuric acid 1 cm3 2.5 % ammonium molybdate and 1 cm3 20 % 
potassium iodide  solution (containing 0.5  % sodium carbonate). Swirl stopper with a glass 
ball and hold in a boiling  water  bath for fifteen  minutes.  Remove  and cool in an  ice bath.  
 
Add sufficient freshly prepared 0.5 % sodium sulphate to remove the iodine colour and to 
give a light  excess. Transfer solution and make up to 50 cm3 in a graduated flask (or smaller 
volume if found  necessary). Measure the colour strength of the solution when held in a 1 cm 
glass cell using 14 and  608 filters on the Spekker Absorptiometer. Carry out a check on the  
Absorptionmeter using distilled  water in the cell. Calculate the phosphorus content by 
reference to the reference curve for a standard  phosphorus  solution.  
 
This solution can be prepared by dissolving 4.388 g analytical grade potassium dihydrogen 
phosphat e in distilled water, adding 2 cm3 in graduated flask.  The solution contains 1 000 µg 
phosphorus/cm3, lower concentrations can be obtained by dilution. For comparison 
purposes, in a series of tests 1 µg  phosphorus/cm3 gave  a Spekker  Absorptiometer  of 0.285.  
 
G.3 Calculation  © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  20  
  
Egg yolk solids  = P2O5 x 56  
 CDEAS 173: 2023 
 
Bibliography  
 
EAS 173:2000 (first ed) Pasta products - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © EAC 2023 – All rights  reserved  22  
  
 
 
 
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