DEAS 2: 2024  
ICS 67.060  
© EA C 2024                                                                                                                            Fifth Edition 2024   
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Maize grains — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 2: 2024  
© EAC 2024 – All rights reserved  ii 
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 DEAS 2: 2024  
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 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 Commit tee 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 S tandards 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.  
DEAS 2 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC /TC 014, Cereals, pulses and related products . 
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (EAS 2: 2013) which has been technically revised.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 2:  2024  
 
© EAC 2024  – All rights reserved  1 
 Maize grains — Specification  
1.0 Scope  
This draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for maize grains of  varieties 
grown from common maize  grains , Zea mays indentata  L. and/or Zea mays indurata  L. Zea mays everta  or their 
hybrids intended for human consumption.  
2.0 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, on ly the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
CODEX STAN 193 , General standard for con taminants and toxins in food and feed  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Requirements  
EAS 900, Cereals and pulses — Sampling   
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test methods  
3.0 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms  and definitions shall apply.  
3.1 
maize (corn) grain  
shelled grain or kernel of the species Zea mays indentata L. (dent maize) and/or Zea mays indurata  L. (flint 
maize), Zea mays everta  and/or their hybrids  
3.2 
pest damaged grain  
grain which shows damage o r owing attack by rodents, insects, mites or other pests  
3.3 
discoloured grains  
maize grains which are damaged by heat, frost , burnt spores or water  
 
3.4 
rotten and diseased grain  
grain affected by mould growth or bacterial decomposition or other causes  that may be noticed without having 
to cut the grains to examine it and renders it unsafe for human consumption  
3.5 
mouldy grain  
grain with visible mycelial growth on its tip or surface  
3.6 
immature and shrivelled grain  
grain which is underdeveloped, thin and papery in appearance   
© EAC 2024 – All rights reserved  2 
 3.7 
broken kernels  
pieces of maize which pass through a 4.50 -mm metal sieve  
3.8 
other grains  
edible grains, whole or broken, other than maize, that is, cereals, pulses and other edible legumes  
3.9 
foreign matter  
all organic and ino rganic material other than maize grain, broken kernels and other grains  
3.9.1  
inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
3.9.2  
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds)  other than grain of maize, dam aged maize grain, other 
grains, inorganic extraneous matter and harmful/toxic seeds  
3.10 
harmful/noxious seeds  
seeds such as Crotolaria ( Crotalaria spp .), Corn cockle ( Agrostemma githago L .), Castor bean ( Ricinus 
communis L .), Jimson weed ( Datura spp .) whi ch can have a damaging or dangerous effect on health, sensory 
properties or technological performance  
3.11 
filth 
filth impurities of animal origin including dead insects  
3.12 
defective/damaged grain  
pest damaged, discoloured, stained, rotten and diseased, immature and shrivelled grains and broken grain  
3.13 
food grade packaging material  
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  
3.14 
flint maize (corn)  
form of corn whose mature kernel has a smooth, vitreous, appearance and a rather round shape  
3.15 
dent maize (corn)  
form of corn whose mature kernel has the shape of a horse’s tooth with a depression in the crown  
4.0 Classification  
4.1 Colour  
Maize shall be classified as yellow, white, red or a mixture of these colours as follows:  
a) yellow maize shall contain not more than 5 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains which 
are yellow and/or light red in colour are considered t o be yellow maize;  
b) white maize shall contain not more than 2 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains which 
are white and/or light pink in colour are considered to be white maize; and   
© EAC 2024 – All rights reserved  3 
 c) red maize shall contain not more than 5 % by weight of maize of other colours.  
4.2 Shape  
Maize may be classified as flint or dent or their hybrids or mixtures thereof as follows:  
a) flint maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of flint 
maize;  
b) dent maize includes maize of a ny colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of dent 
maize; and  
c) a mixture of flint and dent maize includes maize of any colour which consists of more than 5 % but less 
than 95 % of flint maize.  
5.0 Requirements  
5.1 General requirements  
Maiz e grain shall be practically free from foreign odours, moulds, live pests, toxic or noxious weed seeds, other 
edible grains.  
5.2 Specific requirements  
5.2.1  Maize grain shall comply with maximum limits given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 1 ― Specific requirements for maize grain  
S/N Characteristic  Maximum limit  Test 
method   
(EAS 901)  Grade 1  Grade 2  Grade 3  
i.  Foreign matter, %, m/m  0.5 1.0 1.5 
Clause 4  
 ii.  Inorganic matter, %, m/m  0.25 0.5 0.75 
iii.  Pest damaged grains, %, 
m/m 1.0 3.0 5.0 
iv.  Rotten and diseased grains, 
%, m/m  1 2 3 
v.  Discoloured grains, %, m/m  1.5 2.0 2.5 
vi.  Immature and shrivelled 
grains, %, m/m  1.0 2.0 3.0 
vii.  Filth, %, m/m  0.1 
viii.  Broken kernels, %, m/m  2.0 4.0 6.0 
ix.  Moisture, %, m/m 13.5 Clause 5   
© EAC 2024 – All rights reserved  4 
 5.2.2  All grades of popcorn kernels shall be of such quality wi th an expansion ratio (cc/g) as specified in Table 
2 
Table 2: Specific requirements for popcorn grains  
S/N Butterfly popcorn  Mushroom popcorn  
Grades  Expansion 
ratios (cc/g)  Grades  Expansion 
ratios( cc/g)  
1. Grade 1  39-42 Grade M1  29-32 
2. Grade 2  36-38 Grade M2  26-28 
3. Grade 3  30-35   
6.0 Contaminants  
6.1 Pesticide residues  
Maize grain shall comply with those pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
for this commodity.   
6.2 Other contaminants  
6.2.1  Maize grain shall comply with those limits for heavy metals specified in CODEX STAN 193 established 
by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
6.2.2  Maize grain shall comply with the maximum limits for mycotoxins given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the test methods prescribed therein.  
Table 2 — Mycotoxin limits for maize grain  
 
 
 
 
 
7.0 Hygiene  
Maize grains shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS39.  S/N Mycotoxin  (µg/kg)  Maximum limit  Test method  
(EAS 901)  
i.  Total aflatoxins 
(AFB 1+AFB 2+AFG 1 +AFG 2),  10 
Clause 9 or 10  
ii.  Aflatoxin B 1,  5 
iii.  Fumonisins,  2000  Clause 11 or 12   
© EAC 2024 – All rights reserved  5 
  
8.0 Packaging  
8.1 Maize grains shall be packed in food grade packaging material which will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional and organoleptic qualities of the products.  
8.2 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.  
9.0 Labelling  
9.1 Labelling of retail containers  
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with the following:  
a) product name as “White Maize Grains, Yellow Maize Grains, Red Maize Grains or Mixed Maize Grains” 
‘Popcorn grain’;  
b) grade;  
c) name, address and physical location of the producer/packer/importer;  
d) lot/batch/c ode number;  
e) net weight, in metric  units;  
f) the declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’;  
g) storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
h) crop year;  
i) packing date;  
j) instructions on disposal of used package;  
k) country of origin; an d 
l) declaration on whether the maize was genetically modified, where applicable.  
9.2 Labelling of non -retail containers  
Information detailed in 10.1 shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except that 
the name of the product, lot  identification and the name and address of the processor or packer as well as 
storage instructions, shall appear on the container.  
However, lot identification and the name and address of the processor or packer may be replaced by an 
identification mark pr ovided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.  
10 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with EAS 900.  
 DEAS 2: 2024    
 
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