DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 890  
Second Edition  
2023 -mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 890 2023  
© UNBS 2023   
  
Dried tomatoes  — Specification  
 DUS 890: 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  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 41 4 333 2 50/1/2/3  
Fax: +256 41 4 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 890:2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
4.1 Ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  2 
4.1.1 Basic ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 2 
4.1.2 Optional ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  2 
4.2 General quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
4.2.1 Presentation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  2 
4.2.2 Physical appearance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  2 
4.2.3 Colour, odour and flavour  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
4.2.4 Moulds and insects  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  3 
4.2.5 Extraneous matter  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 3 
4.3 Moisture content  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 3 
6 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  4 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
8 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
10 Weights and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  5 
12 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
Annex A (normative)  Determination of the moisture content for dried tomatoes  ................................ ...... 6 
A.1 Definition  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  6 
A.2 Principle  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
A.3 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  6 
A.4 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  6 
A.4.1 Preparation of the sample  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  6 
A.4.2 Test portion  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  6 
A.4.3 Determination ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  7 
A.5 Calculation and expression of results  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 7 
Annex B (informative)  Sampling of tomatoes  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 8 
B.1 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  8 
B.2 Sampling method  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 9 
B.2.1  Identification of lots and/or getting a general impression of the consignment  ..............................  9 
B.2.2  Presentation of product  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
B.2.3 Control of product  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 10 
Bibliography ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  1 
 DUS 890: 2023  
iv © UNBS 2023– All rights reserved  
 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 of 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 Uganda 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 interested 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 as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS /TC 204, Fruits, vegetables, 
tubers and processed products .  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 890: 2023  
 
© UNBS 2023  – All rights reserved  1 
 Dried tomatoes  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Uganda Standard specifies requirements , test methods and sampling for dried tomatoes of varieties 
(cultivars) grown from Lycopersicon esculentum  Mill. and its hybrids, intended for direct consumption without 
further processing or for use in the food industry.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
US EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods - General requirements  
US EAS 39 , Code of practice for hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry   
US 45, General General standard for food additives  
US 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  
US EAS 803, Nutrition labelling - Requirements  
US EAS 805 , Use of nutrition and health claims - Requirements  
US 640, Dried fruits and vegetables -Code of practice for production, handling and processing  
US 738, General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
US ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique   
US 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 water activity less than or equal to 0. 95  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purpose of this standard, the following term and definition shall apply.  
dried tomatoes  
product:  
 
a) prepared from varieties characteristic of the named vegetable; and  
b) processed by drying either by the sun or by other recognized methods of dehydration with or without 
added food additives, into a form of marketable dried product  as per clause 4.2.1    
2 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 4 Requirements  
4.1 Ingredients  
4.1.1  Basic ingredients  
Tomatoes to be used shall be fresh, clean and at appropriate level of maturity conforming to the 
characteristics of the tomatoes and of a quality suitable for human consumption.  
4.1.2  Optional ingredients  
Other edible material su ch as spices and condiments may be added to the product provided it is suitable for 
consumption. The edible material shall conform to relevant standards.  
4.2 General quality requirements  
4.2.1  Presentation  
Dried tomatoes may be presented as follows:  
a) whole;  
b) halves, cut in two equal parts along the longitudinal axis;  
c) julienne strips, that are approximately 6 mm to 7 mm wide and length typical of dried tomatoes;  
d) double diced, random pieces which are approximately 12 mm to 25 mm in length;  
e) triple diced, random pieces which are approximately 6 mm to 12 mm in length;  
f) finely diced, random pieces which are approximately 3 mm to 6 mm in length irregular cubes);  
g) ultra finely diced, a granular form of dried tomatoes, 1.5 mm to 3 mm in length;  
h) powder; and  
i) other sufficiently distinctive styles or forms of presentation.  
The contents of each package shall be uniform and contain only dried tomatoes of the same origin, quality 
and size (if sized). The visible part of the contents of the package shall be representative of its entire contents.  
4.2.2  Physical appearance  
When examined visually dried tomatoes shall be  
a) free from damage caused by pests  
b) free from presence insect excreta and their body parts  intact (only for wholes and halves); except for 
edges that are slightly torn, slight superficial damage and slight scratches,  
c) free from rot or deterioration that may make it unfit for consumption,  
d) free from blemishes, areas of discolouration or spread stains in pronounced contrast with the rest of 
the produce affecting an aggregate not more than 5 % of the surface of the produce, and  
e) free of abnormal external moisture.  DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2.3  Colour, odour and flavour  
Dried tomatoes shall have their characteristics colour, odour and flavour. They shall be free from off -odour, 
off-flavour and foreign taste including rancidity and mustiness. Dried tomatoes shall be free of fermentation.  
NOTE Dried tomatoes may be sulphured in order to retain their original colour. A slight smell of sulphur dioxide (SO 2) is 
not considered as “abnormal”.  
4.2.4  Moulds and insects  
Dried tomatoes shall be free from mould filaments and insect infestation, including the presence of dead 
insects and/or mites, their debris or excreta, when examined visually.  
4.2.5  Extraneous matter  
Dried tomatoes shall be practically free from extraneous matter including soil particles and loose stalks, when 
examined visually.  
4.3 Moisture content  
When examined in accordance with the method in Annex A, the dried tomatoes shall have different moisture 
contents as indicated in Table 1. The texture of the dried tomatoes shall vary according to the moisture 
content as indicated in Table1.  
Table 1 — Moisture content limits for dried tomatoes  
 
Moisture designation  Moisture of dried tomatoes  Texture  
Minimum 
percentage  Maximum 
percentage  
High moisture  25  50  Soft and pliable  
Regular moisture  18  25  Firm but pliable  
Reduced moisture  12  18  Very firm  
Low moisture  6  12  Hard and brittle  
N/A 12 Fine/coarse powder  
 
Dried tomatoes treated with preservatives or preserved by other means (for example, pasteurization) may 
have moisture content between 25 % and 50 %.  
4.4 Classification  
Dried tomatoes may be classified into classes in accordance with the tolerances for defects as indicated in 
Table 2. The defects allowed shall not affect the general appearance of the produce as regards quality, 
keeping quality and presentation in the package.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
4 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
  
Table 2 — Tolerance for defects  
 
6 Food additives  
Food additives such as preservatives and nutritive carbohydrates may be used in accordance with US 45.  
7 Contaminants  
Dried tomatoes shall conform to the tolerance limits for contaminants in US 738.  
Dried tomatoes shall comply with those maximum residue limits for pesticides established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
8 Hygiene  
Dried tomatoes shall be produced and handled in accordance with  US EAS 39 or US 640 .The products shall 
conform to the requirements for microbiological limits in Table 3.  Defects allowed  Tolerances allowed, percentage of defective dry tomatoes by weight  
Extra  Class I  Class II  
(a) Tolerances for dried tomatoes 
not satisfying the minimum 
requirements, of which no more 
than:  5 10 15 
Fermentation, decay, mould or 
damage by pests, of which not more 
than  1 2 3 
Mould  0.5 1 1 
Fermentation  0.5 1 1 
Mechanical injury, tears, calluses 
and scars, for wholes and halves  2 3 5 
Blemishes and discolouration, for 
wholes and halves  4 6 9 
Dirty fruit  0 0.5 1 
Soft (low moisture produce), scars, 
blisters and other superficial defects 
(excluding abscissa of tomato)  1 2 3 
(b) Size tolerances  
For produce not conforming to the 
size indicated, if sized  10 10 10 
(c) Tolerance for other defects  
Foreign material and extra 
vegetable matter (leaves, wood, 
sticks and stem)  0.5 1 1.5 
Living pests  0 0 0 DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  5 
 Table 3 — Requirements for microbiological limits in dried tomatoes  
Microbiological parameter,  
cfu/g  Required limit  Method of test  
Total plate count, max.  50,000  US ISO 4833 -1 
Escherichia coli , max.  <1  US ISO 7251  
Yeast and moulds, max.  1 000  US ISO 21527 -2  
 
9 Packaging  
Dried tomatoes shall be packaged in clean food grade containers, made of a material which does not affect 
the products and which protects it from moisture, and from loss of volatile matter.  
The container shall protect the product from any form of contamination.  
10 Weights and measures  
Containers shall be as full as practicable without impairment of quality and shall be consistent with a proper 
declaration of contents for the product.  
11 Labelling  
Dried tomatoes shall be labelled in accordance with the requirements of US EAS 38  In addition the following 
specific provisions shall apply:  
a) The name of the product as declared on the label shall be "Dried tomatoes”.  
b) The presentation “Whole”, “Halves”, Julienne strips”, “Double diced”, “Triple diced”, “Finely diced”, 
“Ultra finely diced” , or other cuts  and powder  shall appear on the label as part of the name or in close 
proximity to the name  
c) The class and the moisture category shall be declared on the label  
Nutritional labelling, nutrition and health claims may be made in accordance with  US EAS 803  or  US EAS 
805.  
12 Sampling  
Representative samples of the material shall be drawn and tested for conformity to this specification as 
prescribed in Annex B.   
6 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Determination of the moisture content for dried tomatoes  
NOTE This method is the same as that prescribed by the AOAC: Official Methods of Analysis, XIIIth edition, 1980, 22.013 
- Moisture in Dried fruits and vegetables , Official Final Action.  
A.1 Definition  
The moisture content of dried tomatoes is defined as being the loss of mass determined under the 
experimental conditions described in this annex.  
A.2 Principle  
The principle of the method is the heating and drying of a sample of dried fruit at a temperature of 70 ºC + 1 
ºC at a pressure not exceeding 100 mm Hg.  
A.3 Apparatus  
Usual laboratory apparatus is used together with the following items:  
a) Electrically heated constant -temperature oven , capable of being controlled at 70 ºC + 1 ºC at a 
pressure of 100 mm Hg  
b) Dishes with lids , of corrosion -resistant metal of about 8.5 cm in diameter  
c) Mincer , either hand or mechanically operated  
d) Desiccator , containing an effective desiccant  
e) Precision balance  
A.4 Procedure  
A.4.1 Preparation of the sample  
Take approximately 50 g of dried fruit from the laboratory sample, and mince it twice with the mincer.  
A.4.2 Test portion  
Place 2 g of finely divided asbestos into the dish, tare the dish with its lid and the asbestos, dried beforehand. 
Weigh, to the nearest 0.01 g about 5 g of prepared sample.  
NOTE Dried sand which has previously been washed in hydrochloric acid and then rinsed thoroughly with water may be 
used in the place of the asbestos. Analysts using this technique should note that it is a deviation from the AOAC 
procedure, and should mention this in their report.  DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  7 
 A.4.3 Determination  
Moisten the sample and the asbestos thoroughly with a few millilitres of hot water. Mix the sample and the 
asbestos together with a spatula. Wash the spatula with hot water to remove the sample residues from it, 
letting the residues and the water fall into the dish.  
Heat the open dish on a boiling -water bath (Bain -marie) to evaporate the water to dryness. Then place the 
dish, with the lid alongside it, in the oven and continue drying for six hours at 70 ºC under a pressure not 
exceeding 100 mm Hg, during which time the oven should not be opened. During drying admit a slow current 
of air (about two bubbles per second) to the oven, the air having been dried by passing through H 2SO4. The 
metal dish must be placed in direct contact with the metal shelf of the oven. After drying, remove the dish, 
cover it immediately with its lid and place it in the desiccator. After cooling to ambient temperature, weigh the 
covered dish to the nearest 0.01 g.  
A.5 Calculation and expression of results  
The moisture content of the sample, as percentage by mass is calculated as follows:  
Moisture content = 100 x ( M1-M2/M1 -Mo) 
where  
M0 is the mass, in grams, of the empty dish with its lid and containing the asbestos,  
Ml is the mass, in grams, of the dish with its lid, asbestos and test portion before drying, and  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the dish with its lid after drying.  
The results are expressed to one decimal place.  
Duplicate determinations should agree to 0.2 % moisture.  
  
8 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex B  
(informative)  
 
Sampling of tomatoes  
B.1 Definitions  
B.1.1  
package  
individually packaged part of a lot, including contents so as to facilitate handling and transport of a number of 
sales units or of products loose or arranged, in order to prevent damage by physical handling and transport. 
Road, rail, ship and air containers are not considered as packages.  
B.1.2  
sales package  
individually packaged part of a lot, including contents, which is so as to constitute a sales unit to the final user 
or consumer at the point of purchase  
B.1.3  
pre-packages  
sales packages such as the packaging encloses the foodstuff completely or only partially, but in such a way 
that the contents cannot be altered without opening or changing the packaging. Protective films covering 
single product are not considered as a pre -package.  
B.1.4  
consignment  
quantity of product to be sold by a given trader found at the time of inspection and defined by a document. A 
consignment may consist of one or several types of product; it may contain one or several lots of dried fruit.  
B.1.5  
lot  
quantity of product which, at the time of inspection at one place, has similar characteristics with regard to:  
a) packer and/or dispatcher;  
b) country of origin;  
c) nature of product;  
d) class of product;  
e) size (if the product is graded according to size);  
f) variety or commercial type (according to the relevant provisions of the standard); and  
g) type of packaging and presentation.  
 
If it is difficult to distinguish between different lots and/or presentation of individual lots, all lots of a specific 
consignment may be treated as one lot if they are similar in regard to type of product, dispatcher, country of 
origin, class and variety or commercial type, if this is provided for in the relevant marketing standard.  DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  9 
 B.1.6  
sampling  
collective samples taken temporarily from a lot during conformity check  
B.1.6.1  
primary sample  
package taken at random from the lot, in case of packed product or, in case of bulk product (direct loading into 
a transport vehicle or compartment thereof), a quantity taken at random from a point in the lot.  
B.1.6.2  
bulk sample  
several primary samples supposed to be representative for the lot so that the total quantity is sufficient to 
allow the assessment of the lot with regard to all criteria  
B.1.6.3  
secondary sample  
equal quantity of product taken at random from the primary sample  
The secondary sample shall comprise 30 units, in case the net weight of the package is 25 kg or less and the 
package does not contain any sales packages. In certain cases this means that the whole content of the 
package has to be checked, if the primary sample contains not more than 30 units.  
B.1.6.4  
composite sample  
mix, weighing at least 3 kg, of all the secondary samples taken from the bulk sample. Product in the 
composite sample shall be evenly mixed.  
B.1.6.5  
reduced sample  
quantity of product taken at random from the bulk or composite sample whose size is restricted to the 
minimum quantity necessary but sufficient to allow the assessment of certain individual criteria.  
If the inspection method would destroy the product, the size of the reduced sample shall not exceed 10 % of 
the bulk sample. In the case of small dry or dried products (that is, 100 g include more than 100 units) the 
reduced sample shall not exceed 300 g.  
Several reduced samples may be taken from a bulk or composite sample in order to check the conformity of 
the lot against different criteria.  
B.2 Sampling method  
B.2.1  Identification of lots and/or getting a general impression of the consignment  
The identification of lots shall be carried out on the basis of their marking or other criteria. In the case of 
consignments which are made up of several lots it is necessary for the inspector to get a general impression 
of the consignment with the aid of accompanying documents or declarations concerning the consignments. 
The inspector shall then determine how far the lots presented comply with the information in these documents.  
If the product is to be or has been loaded onto a means of transport, the registration number of the latter shall 
be used for identification of the consignment.   
10 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 B.2.2  Presentation of product  
The inspector shall decide which packages are to be checked. The presentation shall be made by the 
operator and shall include the presentation of the bulk sample as well as the supply of all information 
necessary for the identification of the consignment or lot.  
If reduced or secondary samples are required, these shall be identified by the inspector from the bulk sample.  
The inspector shall determine the size of the bulk sample in such way as to be able to assess the lot. The 
inspector selects at random the packages to be inspected or in the case of bulk product the points of the lot 
from which individual samples shall be taken.  
Care shall be taken to ensure that the removal of samples does not adversely affect the quality of the product.  
Damaged packages shall not be used as part of the bulk sample. They shall be set aside and may, if 
necessary, be subject to a separate examination and report.  
The bulk sample shall comprise the following minimum quantities whenever a lot is declared unsatisfactory or 
the risk of a product not conforming to the standard has to be examined:  
 
Number of packages in the lot  Number of packages to be taken 
(primary samples)  
Packaged products  
Up to 100  5  
From 101 to 300  7  
From 301 to 500  9  
From 501 to 1 000  10  
More than 1 000  15 (minimum)  
Product in bulk  
Quantity of lot in kg or number of bundles in the lot  Quantity of primary samples in kg or 
number of bundles  
Up to 200  10  
From 201 to 500  20  
From 501 to 1 000  30  
From 1 001 to 5 000  60  
More than 5 000  100 (minimum)  
 
In the case of bulky dried fruit and vegetables (over 2 kg per unit), the primary samples shall be made up of at 
least five units. In the case of lots comprising fewer than five packages or weighing less than 10 kg, the check 
shall cover the entire lot.  
If the inspector discovers, after an inspection, that a decision cannot be reached, another physical check shall 
be undertaken and the overall result reported as an average of the two checks.  
B.2.3 Control of product  
In case of packed product, the primary samples shall be used to check the general appearance of the product, 
the presentation, the cleanliness of the packages and the labelling. In all other cases, these checks shall be 
done on basis of the lot or transport vehicle.  DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  11 
 The product shall be removed entirely from its packaging for the conformity check. The inspector may only 
dispense with this where the sampling is based on composite samples.  
The inspection of uniformity, minimum requirements, quality classes and size shall be carried out on the basis 
of the bulk sample, or on the basis of the composite sample.  
When defects are detected, the inspector shall ascertain the respective percentage of the product not in 
conformity with the standard by number or weight.  
External defects shall be checked on the basis of the bulk or composite sample. Certain criteria on the degree 
of development and/or ripeness or on the presence or absence of internal defects may be checked on the 
basis of reduced samples. The check based on the reduced sample applies in particular to checks which 
destroy the trade value of the product.  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 890: 2023  
 
© UNBS 2023  – All rights reserved  1 
 Bibliography  
[1] US 890 : 2011 , Dried tomatoes — Specification  
. DUS 890: 2023  
© UNBS 2023  – All rights reserved  3 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 DUS 890: 2023    
 
ICS 67.080.20  
Price based on nn pages  
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved