KENYA STANDARD      DKS 1485:2020  
    ICS 67.080.10  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fruit ( Water-based ) flavoured drinks  — 
Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 2020  Fourth Edition , 2020 
 
 
  DKS 1485:2020  
 
ii  © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRES ENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
Gonas Best Ltd . 
Kenafric Industries  Ltd. 
Aquamist Ltd . 
PATCO Industries Ltd . 
Kevian Kenya Ltd . 
Coca -Cola Central East and West Africa Ltd . 
Victoria Juice Ltd . 
Excel Chemicals Ltd . 
Kenya Industrial  Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Government Chemist’s Department  
Consumer Information Network  
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology  — Department of Food Science and Technology  
Agriculture and Food Authority  
Ministry of Health  — Food Safety Unit  
Kenya Bureau of Standards  — Secretariat  
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
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for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 201 8 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001  of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright subsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any mea ns without prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.  
  KENYA STANDARD                                          DKS 1485:2020  
ICS 67.080.10  
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved    iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fruit ( Water -based ) flavoured drinks — 
Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
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Fax: (+254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 
  DKS 1485:2020  
 
iv  © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved   
Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was developed by the Technical Committee on Water -based flavoured  drinks — 
Specification under the guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the 
procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Standards.  
 
This standard covers all types of fruit flavoured drinks made from water, permitted sweetening a gents either 
nutritive or nonnutritive sweeteners used singly or in combination and permitted food additives, natural or 
synthetic colourings, flavouring emulsions, among other permitted ingredients. Fruit (water based) flavoured  
drinks shall be distinguis hed from carbonated soft drinks, fruit squashes, fruit juices fruit -based soft drinks and 
flavoured water through appropriate labelling.   
 
The standard stipulates the chemical, microbiological and other quality limits for flavoured soft drinks.  Labelling 
requirements of water -based flavoured drinks  have been incorporated in this standard to prevent any 
misrepresentations of the products through, say, fruit pictorials on the labels.  
 
Labelling requirements of water -based flavoured  drinks have been incorporated in this standard to prevent 
any misrepresentations of the products through, say, fruit pictorials on the labels.  
 
This standard cancels and replaces the second edition KS 1485:20 18, Fruit flavoured drink — Specification  
which has been technically revised.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
 
KS EAS 77 Fruit drinks — Specification.  
 
224, Fruit drinks and squashes — Specification . 
 
Food Drugs and Chemical Substances Acts – Chapter 254 . 
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these  sources.  
 
 
  
KENYA STANDARD             DKS 1485: 2020  
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved    1  
Fruit ( Water -based ) flavoured drinks — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope   
 
This Kenya Standard specifies  the requirements, methods of sampling and test for fruit ( water -based ) 
flavoured drinks.  
 
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 (including any amendments) applies.  
 
KS 224, Fruit drinks and squashes — Specification  
 
KS 77, Soft f ruit juice — Specification  
 
KS EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods  
 
KS EAS 39, Code of practice — Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry   
 
CODEX STAN 1, General standard for the labeling of prepackaged foods  
 
KS CODEX STAN 192, General St andard for food additives  
 
KS EAS 29, Carbonated (beverages) soft drinks — Specification  
 
KS EAS 12, Potable Water — Specification  
 
KS EAS 770, Fortified sugar — Specification  
 
KS 660, Guide to the safe use of food additives  
 
KS 1701, Refined white sugar — Specification  
 
KS EAS 803, Nutrition labelling — Requirements  
KS EAS 804, Claims — General requirements  
KS EAS 805, Use of nutrition and health claims — Requirements  
 
KS ISO 4831, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of Coliforms — Most probable number techniques  
 
KS ISO 4832, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms — Colony -count technique  
 
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and anima l feeds — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration 
of presumptive Escherichia coli - Most probable number technique  
 
KS ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staph ylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species)  
 
KS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms 
— Part 1: Colony count at 30°c by the pour plate technique.   
2  © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved   
KS ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food  chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp . 
 
KS ISO 17239, Fruits, Vegetables and derived products — Determination of arsenic content — Method using 
hydride generation atomic  absorption spectrometric  
 
KS ISO 17240, Fruits and vegetable products — Determination of tin content — Method using flame atomic 
absorption spectrometric  
 
KS ISO 12193, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy.  
 
3 Terms and definition s 
 
For purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 
fruit (water -based ) flavoured drinks  
concentrated or ready -to-drink products prepared from water, sweetening agents, natural, nature identical or 
permitted artificial fruit flavourings, permitted colorings  and other optional permitted ingredients  
 
3.2 
INS 
International Numbering System used in identifying the approved food additive  
 
3.3 
portable water  
product complying with KS EAS 12  
 
3.4 
food additive  
any substance not normally consumed as a food by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient of the 
food, whether or not it has nutri tive value, the intentional addition of which to food for a technological (including 
organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport 
or holding of such food results, or may be reasonably expected to result (directly or indirectly), in it or its by -
products becoming a component of or otherwise affecting the characteristics of such foods. The term does not 
include contaminants or substances added to food for maintaining or improving nutritional quali ties. (see 
general standard for food additives Codex STAN 192)  
 
3.5 
concentrated products  
a concentrate is a form of substance which does not have the majo rity of its base solvent, water   
 
3.6 
ready to drink  
are packaged beverages that are those sold in a prepared form, ready for consumption  
 
3.7 
hermetically sealed  
a hermetic seal is the quality of a container or structure that is airtight (excluding passage o f air, oxygen, or 
other gases)  
 
3.8 
uniform  
not ch anging in form or character; remaining the sa me in all cases and at all time  
 
3.9 
nature identical flavouring  DKS 1485: 2020  
 
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved    3 substances chemically isolated from aromatic raw materials or obtained synthetically; they are chemically 
identical to substances present in natural products intended for human consu mption, either processed or not  
 
3.10 
sugar free fruit (water based) flavoured drinks  
sweetened exclusively with permitted non -nutritive sweeteners  
 
3.11 
Sweetening agents  
 
Sucrose, glucose or fructose, natural sweeteners and any other permitted nutritive and nutritive sweeteners 
used in sweetening fruit (water based) flavoured drinks.   
 
3,12 
carbonated fruit (water based) flavoured drinks  
fruit (water based) flavored drinks which, after processing , has been made  effervescent by the addition of 
carbon dioxide from another origin  
3.13 
one gas (carbonation) volume  
amount of carbon dioxide the water volume absorbs at the standard atmospheric pressure at 15.6  ºC 
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1  General requirements  
 
The product shall ; 
 
a) have a uniform colour ;  
 
b) possess a good body ; 
 
c) be free from defects ; and   
 
d) possess normal characteristic taste and flavour.  
 
e) Fruit ( Water -based ) flavoured drink shall not contain any substances harmful or injurious to health.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
4.2.1 Fruit (Water Based) flavored drinks  shall comply with the specific  requirements given in 
Table 1 , when tested in accordance with the test methods specified  therein.  
 
Table 1— Specific  requirements for ready -to-drink energy drin ks 
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Degree brix (oB) at 20 °C a 
Concentrated products min 
 
Ready to drink  products min 30.0 
 
10.0 KS ISO 2173  
ii.  Carbon dioxide b, gas volume min.  1 Annex A   
4  © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
iii.  Sugar free (glycogenic carbohydrates) c 
Brix max.  0.25 KS ISO 2173  
a Does not apply to sugar free or reduced sugar fruit (water based)  drinks.  
b Applies to the carbonated fruit (water based)   drinks.  
c Applies to sugar free fruit (water based)   drinks.  
NOTE 1  Reduced calorie energy drinks, shall comply with the requirements of Food, Drugs and Chemical 
Substances Act, Cap. 254 of the Laws of Kenya.  
NOTE 2  1 Gas volume eqv to 1.966 g/l of CO 2. 
 
 
 
5 Contaminants  
 
5.1 Limits for heavy metals contaminants  
 
Water -based flavoured  drink shall not contain heavy metal contaminants in excess of the limits given in Table 
2 when tested in accordance with the methods provided there in. 
 
Table 2 — Heavy metal contaminants limits for water -based flavoured drink  
 
S/N Contaminant  Maximum level  Test m ethod  
i)  Arsenic (As)  0.2 mg/kg  ISO 17239  
ii)  Lead (Pb)  0.3 mg/kg  KS ISO 9526  
iii)  Tin (Sn)  250 mg/kg  KS ISO 17240  
 
5.2 Other contaminants  
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall comply with  those maximum levels for 
contaminants established by the Codex Alimetarius Commission  for these products . 
 
6 Hygiene  
 
6.1  Manufacturing premises  
 
Fruit (water based) flavoured drinks  shall be processed, packaged, stored and distributed under hygienic 
conditions in accordance with KS EAS 39,  the Public Health Act, Cap. 242 and the Food, Drugs and Chemical 
Substances Act, Cap . 254 of the Laws of Kenya.  
 
 
6.2 Microbiological l imits  
 
The product shall be free from pathogenic organisms and shall comply with  the microbiologica l limits 
stipulated in Table 3  when tested in accordance with the methods provided therein . 
 
Table 3  — Microbiological limits for water -based flavoured drink  
 
S/N Micro -organism  Limit  Test  m ethod  DKS 1485: 2020  
 
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved    5 i)  Coliforms,  per 100  ml Not detected  KS ISO 4831 or KS 
ISO 4832  
ii)  Escherichia coli, per 25  g, (cfu/g), max . Not detected  KS ISO 7251  
iii)  Yeast and moulds (cfu/g), max.  10 KS ISO 6881 -1 
iv)  Staphylococcus .aureas, per 25  g Not detected  KS ISO 6881 -1 
v)  Shigella  per 25  g Not detected  KS ISO 4833 -1 
vi)  Salmonella, per 25  g Not detected  KS ISO 6579 -1 
vii)  Vibrio cholera, per 25  g Not detected  KS ISO 6579 -1 
 
7.0  Packaging  
 
Fruit ( water based) flavored drinks  shall be packaged in food grade material that ensures the 
integrity and safety of the product.  
 
8.0 Weights and measures  
Fruit (water  based)  flavored drinks  shall be packaged in volumes in accordance with the Weights 
and Measures Regulations.  
  
 
Labelling  
 
8.1 Labelling of fruit ( water -based ) flavoured drinks shall comply with KS EAS 38, KS EAS 803, KS 
EAS 804 and KS EAS 805. In addition, the following information shall be legibly and indelibly 
marked on the container. These requirements shall also apply to bulk packages:  
 
 
8.2 Prepackaged fruit (water based) flavored drinks shall not be described or pre sented on any label or in 
any labelling in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression 
regarding its character in any respect and shall include the following:  
 
i) name of product shall be X flavored drink (such as “Orange flavoured drink” , “Lemon flavoured drink”; ‘’ 
mango flavoured drink’’ or pineapple flavoured drink) where X is the name of the flavor in the drink  
ii) In the case of fruit (water based) flavoured drink products manu factured from two or more 
fruit flavours , the product name shall include the names of the fruit flavours comprising the mixture 
in descending order of proportion by weight (m/m) or the words "fruit flavoured drink blend", " a 
fruit flavoured drink mixture", "mixed fruit flavoured drink" or other similar wording . 
 
 
iii) list of all ingredients shall be listed in descending order of ingoing weight (m/m) and it shall include 
specific names of additives and/or the INS number at the time of the m anufacture of the food;  
 
iv) name, physical location a nd address of manufacturer;  
 
v) net volume in ml or L;  
 
vi) batch number;  
 
vii) expiry date including day, month and year;  
 
viii) country of manufacture or “Made in Kenya” for locally manufactured products;  
 
ix) storage conditions;   
6  © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved   
x) directions of use stating the recommended  amount of the product that should be applied in a stated 
volume of potable water;  
 
xi) cautionary statement that “upon opening a can of the product, contents should be consumed within a 
stated time period” ; and  
 
xii) manufacturing date including day, month and yea r. 
 
8.3 Pictorial representations  
 
No fruit (water based) flavored drink  may be represented pictorially on the label except the species 
of fruits or fruit juices present, in the fruit drink in amounts constituting 5 % or more, provided that 
where two or more fruits or fruit juices are used, the combination of the fruits or fruit juices whose 
content individually constitutes 5 % or mo re may be used in the pictorial.  
 
8.4 Additional labelling requirements  
 
8.4.1  The following designations shall be used where applicable:  
a) If non -nutritive sweetener is used, the following words “contains non -nutritive sweetener for special 
dietary use” shall be declared on the label in close proximity; and  
b) The name and type of non -nutrit ive sweeteners used shall be indicated in the label.  
 
9 Sampling  
 
9.1 The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall be sampled and tested using appropriate 
standard methods declared in this standard.  
 
 
 
 
Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Method of measuring gas volume  
A.1 Principle  
A.1.1  The method involves snifting of the top gas. The pressure reading should drop to 2 psi, to remove the 
air before testing for carbon dioxide volume. In so doing correction of altitude as per table should be considere d 
as pressure is affected by altitude.  
A.1.2  The apparatus consists of pressure gauge having a hollow spike with holes in its side. The bottle is 
inserted from the side into the slot provided in the neck of the carbon dioxide tester and is secured in place  by 
tightening with a threaded system. The pressure gauge is inserted until the needle point touches the crown 
cork. There is a snift valve on the gauge stem which is kept closed until the needle point of the pressure gauge 
is forced through the crown cork . The reading is noted on the gauge.  
A.2 Procedure  
Clamp the bottle in the frame of the gas volume tester. Pierce the crown cork but do not shake the 
bottle. Snift off the top gas quickly until the gauge reading drops to zero. Make certain to close the 
valve instantly the needle touches zero in the pressure gauge. Shake the bottle vigorously until the DKS 1485: 2020  
 
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved    7 gauge gives the reading that additional shaking does not change. Record the pressure. Note the 
temperature and record. Obtain the volume of gas from pressure -temperature chart (carbon dioxide 
chart).