DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS DARS  1110 -1 
First Edition  
2023 -mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DARS  1110 -1: 2023 
© UNBS 2023  
   
Dried small sardine and sardine -type pelagic fish  — Part 1: Freshwater  
 
 DUS DARS 1110 -1: 2023  
ii                © UNBS  2023  - All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda  Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2023 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda  National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
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 DUS DARS 1110 -1: 2023  
© UNBS  2023  - All rights reserved                 iii National foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member o f International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Ugand a Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical Committee 
is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of key stakeholders including 
government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other int erested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration a s Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS/ TC 211, Fish and fishery products . 
Wherever the words, “ African  Standard " appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard."  This Draft Uganda Standard, DUS DARS 1110-1:2023 , Dried small sardine and sardine-type pelagic fish — 
Part 1 : Freshwater , is identical with and has been reproduced from a Draft African Standard, DAR S 1110-
1:2023 , Dried small sardine and sardine-type pelagic fish — Part 1 : Freshwater , and is being proposed for 
adoption as a Uganda Standard. AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1110-1 
First Edition 2023  
 
 Reference No. DARS 1110-1:2023 (E) 
ICS 67.120.30  
 
 
© ARSO 2023  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dried small sardine and sardine -type pelagic fish  — Part 1:  
Freshwater   
 
 
 
 
 
DARS  1110-1:2023 
ii © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  2 
4 Provisions with regard to quality  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 3 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  3 
4.2 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  3 
5 Hygiene and handling  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
6 Microbiological limits ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  3 
7 Contaminant limits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  4 
8 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  4 
9 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  5 
10 Weight and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  5 
11 Packaging and labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
11.1 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  5 
11.2 Labelling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 5 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  7 
 
  DARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s  product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical co mmittees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the su bject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO /TC 03, Fish, fisheries and aquaculture . 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2022 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
* © 2022 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS  1110-1:2023 
iv © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development  process is permitted without prior permission 
from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or 
transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to repro duce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 22 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International Ho use 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  1  
Dried small sardine and sardine -type pelagic fish — Part 1 Freshwater  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of test for dried  small freshwater sardine 
and sardine -type pelagic fish  of the species ;Rastrineobola argentea, Rastrineobola sardella, 
Stolothrissa tanganicae , Limnothrissa miodon , Poecilothrissa moeruensis and Engraulicypris 
bangweuluensis .  
 
 
 
2 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 amen dments) applies.  
 
AOAC Official Method 999.10, Lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, and iron in foods — Atomic absorption 
spectrophotometry after microwave digestion  
 
AOAC Official Method 999.11, Lead, cadmium, copper, iron and zinc in foods — Atomic absorption 
spectrophotometry after dry ashing  
 
AOAC Official Method 2015.01, Heavy metals in food — Inductively coupled plasma –mass 
spectrometry  
 
ARS 53, General principles of food hygiene — Code of practice  
 
ARS 56, Prepackaged foods — Labelling  
 
CAC/RCP 52[ WD-ARS 1126:2022] , Code of practice for fish and fishery products  
 
CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives  
 
ISO 4831, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of coliforms — Most probable num ber technique  
 
ISO 4832, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms — Colony -count technique  
 
ISO 4833, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
micro organisms — Colony -count technique at 30 degrees C  
 
ISO 6579, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp.  
 
ISO 6887 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Preparation of test samples,  initial 
suspension and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 1: General rules for the 
preparation of the initial suspension and decimal dilutions  
 
 
ISO 6887 -3, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Preparation of test samples , initial 
suspension and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 3: Specific rules for the 
preparation of fish and fishery products  
 
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1 110-1:2023  
2 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coag ulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus 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 staphylococc i (Staphylococcus 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 (Staphylococc us aureus and other species) — Part 3: Detection 
and MPN technique for low numbers  
 
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
 
ISO 7937, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens — Colony -count technique  
 
 
ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G1 and 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method  
 
ISO 16654, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Escherichia coli O157  
 
ISO 21567, Microbiology of food  and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Shigella spp.  
 
ISO 21872 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio spp. — Part 1: Detection of Vibrio p arahaemolyticus and Vibrio 
cholerae  
 
ISO 21872 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio spp. — Part 2: Detection of species other than Vibrio 
parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply.  
 
3.1 
dried small pelagic  
whole product presented as a dried freshwater  fish which has not been gutted , beheaded or split and 
subsequently washed and dried  
 
3.2 
food grade 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 pr oduct  
 
 
3..3 
sound  
free from physiological deterioration or adulteration/contamination, that appreciably affects their 
appearance, edibility and the keeping quality of the dried fish  
 
3..4 
foreign matter  
any material which is not of fish origin e.g. sand, stones, metallic chips, plant parts etc  
 DARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  3  
4 Provisions with regard to quality  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
4.1.1 Fish shall be prepared from sound fish of the designated species, which is of an acceptable 
quality and fit to be sold fresh for human consumption.  
 
4.1.2 The product shall be free from objectionable extraneous matter.  
 
4.1.3 Water used for washing the fish shall comply with WHO WA 675.  
 
4.1.4 After washing, the fish shall be dried either in the sun or in artificial dryers until a satisfactory 
product is obtained.  
 
4.1.5 The fish, while drying, shall be protected against contamination from dirt, sand, and insects.  
 
4.1.6 The skin of the dried fish shall have the characteristic silvery colour and shall not show any 
evidence of haloph ilic mould (dun) nor visible evidence of red, halophilic bacteria (pink).  
 
4.1.7 The product shall have the characteristic dried fish odour. It shall be free from any indication of 
spoilage  such as mouldness, colour change . 
 
4.1.8 The product shall be free pest infestation  
 
4.1.9 The dried fish shall have a minimum shelf -life of one year / six months . 
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
4.2.1  The dried f reshwater  sardine  pelagic fish shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Physical and chemical requirements for  small freshwater  sardine  pelagic fish  
 
S/N Parameter  Requirement  Test 
1 Moisture,  %, max.  (5 – 7) 12 ISO 6496  (AOAC 950.46.B ) 
2 Total  ash, % max.  15 ISO 5984  
3 Acid insoluble ash,  % max.  0.5 ISO 5985  
4 Water activity (A w) 0.7 max   ISO  
 
4.2.2 The dried fish shall be presented 95 per cent whole and fish shall not show discolouration.  
 
 
 
 
 
5 Hygiene and handling  
 
5.1 The product covered by the provisions of this standard shall be prepared and handled in 
accordance with ARS 53 , CAC/RCP 52  and the relevant public health regulations.  
 
5.2 The dried fish shall not contain more than 10 microgram per kilogram aflatoxin of which not 
more than 5 microgram per kilogram may be aflatoxin B 1 when tested in accordance with ISO 16050 . 
 
5.3 The product shall be free from parasites which represent a hazard to health.  
 
5.4   The products shall not contain more than 10  mg/100  g of histamine based on the average of the  
sample unit tested.  
6 Microbiological limits  
 
6.1 Dried small pelagic fish  shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 2. DARS 1 110-1:2023  
4 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for small freshwater sardine pelagic fish  
 
S/No. Type of microorganism  Maximum limit  Method of test  
(i) Pseudomonas  species per g  Absent  ISO 13720  
(ii) Salmonella  in 25 g Absent  ISO 6579  
(iii) E. coli per g  Absent  ISO 7251  
(iv) Shigella  per g  Absent  ISO 21567  
(v) Coliforms  g (per 100 g)  Absent  ISO 4832  
(vi) Staphylococcus aureus per 10 g  2 × 103g ISO 6888  
(vii) Total viable count  105/g ISO 4833  
(viii) Vibrio cholerae  Absent  ISO/TS 21872  
(ix) Clostridium perfri ngens  Absent  ISO 7937  
(x) Yeasts and moulds  105 ISO 21527 -1 
 
6.2  
 
7 Contaminant limits  
 
Dried small freshwater pelagic fish  shall comply with the contaminant limits given in Table 3. 
 
Table 3 — Contaminant limits for dried small freshwater pelagic fish  
 
Type of contaminant  Maximum limit  
(mg/kg)  Method of test  
(i) Arsenic  0.1 AOAC 2015.01  
(ii) Copper  0.4 AOAC 999.10 /11 
(iii) Iron 5.0 AOAC 999.1 0/11 
(iv) Tin   
 (a) For product packed in tin plate  50.00  ISO 14377  
 (b) For product packed in other packing containers  250.00  ISO 14377  
(v) Mercury  0.5 AOAC 2015.01  
(vi) Lead  0.3 AOAC 2015.01  
(vii) Cadmium  0.3 AOAC 2015.01  
(viii) Zinc 50.0 AOAC 999.1 0/11 
 
8 Pesticide residues  
 
Dried small freshwater pelagic fish  shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits 
established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for similar commodities . 
 
 
 
 DARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  5  
9 Food additives  
 
Only permitted additives by CODEX STAN 192 may be used in processing of dried small freshwater 
pelagic fish . 
 
10 Weight and measures  
 
The fill and the weight of the product shall comply with weight and measures regulations of the importing 
country . 
 
11 Packaging and labelling  
 
11.1 Packaging  
 
11.1.1 Any container for dried fish shall be clean, dry a nd shall protect the organoleptic and other 
quality characteristics of the product during storage and transport.  
 
11.1.2 The package shall not pass on to the product any foreign odour, flavour, and colour or other 
foreign matter.  
 
11.2 Labelling  
 
11.2.1 The containers shall be labelled in accordance with ARS 56  and shall include the following:  
 
(i) Name of the product.  
 
(ii) Name and physical address of processor/packer.  
 
(iii) Net weight in grams or kilograms.  
 
(iv) Date of processing.  
 
(v) Batch or code  number.  
 
(vi) Best before  date 
 
(vii) Storage conditions.  
 
(viii) Country of origin or 'Product of ... ...” and the exact geographical location of the harvest  
 DARS 1 110-1:2023  
6 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
 
Rastrineobola argentea (Silver cyprinid)  being dried  
 
 
 
Stolothrissa tanganicae  and Limnothrissa miodon  [3] 
 
 
  
DARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  7 Bibliography  
 
[1] Isaacs, M. (2016) The Humble Sardine (Small Pelagics): Fish as Food or Fodder. Agriculture & 
Food Security , 5, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066 -016-0073 -5 
[2] Sekadende, B., Scott, L., Anderson, J., Aswani, S., Francis, J., Jacobs, Z. et al. (2020) The Small 
Pelagic Fishery of the Pemba Channel, Tanzania: What We Know and What We Need to Know 
for Management Under Cli mate Change. Ocean & Coastal Management , 197, 105322. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105322  
[3] Abdulkarim, B., Bwathondi, P.O.J. and Benno, B. (2014) Comparative Evaluation of the 
Proximate and Mineral Compositions of Stolothrissa tanganicae and  Limnothrissa miodon from 
Lake Tanganyika. Scientific Journal of Review , 2, 348 –54. https://doi.org/10.14196/sjr.v2i12.1120  
 
[4] EAS 826:2016 , Dried silver cyprinid (Rastrineobola argentea) — Specification  
 
[5] SADC HT 79 :2016,  Dried freshwater small pelagic s — Specification  
 
[6]  WHO WA 675, Guidelines for drinking ‑water quality  
 
 
 
 D-ARS 1 110-1:2023 
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved    
ANNEX 1  
 
Note: This includes common names used such as Kapenta,Chisense,  Usipa, Matemba 
Omena/Dagaa/mukene /Ndagala and isambaza).