Reference number  
DRS 415: 2019  
© RSB 2019  
 
 
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS  
415 
 
First edition  
2019 -mm-dd 
 
Sesame seeds  — Specification  
 
  DRS 415: 2019  
©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2019  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without 
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reprodu ce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
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Toll Free: 3250  
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Website: www.rsb.gov.rw   
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw   DRS 415: 2019  
iii                ©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
4.2 Grading  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  3 
4.3 Specific requireme nts ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
5 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
5.1 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 4 
5.2 Heavy me tals ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  4 
5.3 Mycotoxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  5 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
8 Weights and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  5 
9 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
 DRS 415: 2019  
©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword   
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by R wanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task of technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards 
adopted by Technical committ ees are ratifie d by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and 
gazettment as Rwanda Standards.  
DRS 415 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 003, Cereals, pulses, legumes and cereal products  
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following standard:  
1) US 1628, Sesame grain — Specification  
The assistance  derived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Cereals, pulses, legum es and 
cereal products (RSB/TC 003) in the  preparation of this standard.  
Adma International Ltd  
Africa Improved Foods (AIF)  
Bakhresa Grain Milling  
FARMFRESH Ltd 
FUCORIRWA  
Hope for Families Ltd  
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)  
MINIMEX Ltd 
National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA)  
Rwanda Grains and Cereals Corporation Ltd (RGCC)  DRS 415: 2019  
v                ©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved  
 SOSOMA Industries Ltd  
World Food Program (WFP)  
Zima Enterprise  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  
  DRS 415 : 2019  
1                ©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved  
 Sesame grains — Specification  
1 Scope   
This Draft Rwanda Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for sesame  seeds  from 
the varieties ( Sesamu m indicum  L.) intended for human consumption . 
This Draft Rwanda S tandard app lies to raw sesame seed s and roasted sesame seeds . 
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 reference d document (including any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 999.10 , Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, Cop per, and Iron in Foods  Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry  after 
Micro wave Digestion  
ISO 542, Oilseeds — Sampling 
ISO 659, Oilseeds — Determination of oil content (Reference method) 
ISO 729, Oilseeds —Determination of acidity of oils  
RS CAC/RCP 1, Code of practice —General principles of food hygiene  
RS CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives  
RS CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in  food and feed  
RS E AS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — General requirements 
RS ISO 16050, Food stuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B1 and the total content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
RS ISO 20483, Cereals and pulses — Determination of the nitrogen content and calculation of the crude 
protein content -- Kjeldahl method  
RS ISO 2171, Cere als, pulses and by-products — Determination of ash yield by incineration 
RS ISO 5985, Animal feeding stuffs -- Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
RS ISO 605, Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety —
Test methods  
©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved                  2 
 RS ISO 6634 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of arsenic content — Silver 
diethyldithiocarbamate spectrophotometric method  
RS ISO 665, Oilseeds — Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purpose of this  standard , the follow ing terms and definitions apply.  
3.1  
sesame    
edible seeds of the sesame plant, which are used whole or have oil extracted  
3.2 
roasted sesame  
sesame seeds which have been subjected to heat  
3.3 
foreign/extraneous matter  
organic or  inorganic materials other than the sesame seeds   
3.4 
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter other than sesame seed  
3.5 
inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
3.6  
filth 
impurities of animal origin, including dead ins ects DRS 415 : 2019  
3                ©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved  
 3.7 
food grade materials  
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 flavor to the product  
3.8 
defective/ damaged seeds  
pest damaged, discoloured , stained, rotten and diseased and broken seeds  
3.9 
shrivelled/immature  sesame seeds  
seeds which  are underdeveloped, thin and papery in appearance  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Sesame seeds  shall:  
a) be practically free from abnormal and undesirable flavours and odours;  
b) be clean;  
c) be wholesome;  
d) have a colour characteristic of the variety ; 
e) be practically free from fungal infestation ; and  
f) be practically free from live insects . 
4.2 Grading  
Raw sesame seeds sh all be classified as grade 1, grade  2 and grade 3 according to table 1 when tested in 
accordance with test metho d specified therein.  
Table 1 - Grading requirements  for raw sesame seeds  
S/N Characteristic  Requirements  Test methods  
Grade 1  Grade 2  Grade 3  
i.  Filth, % m/m, max.  0.1 0.1 0.1   
©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved                  4 
 ii.  Inorganic matter, % m/m, max.  0.1 0.2 0.2  
 
RS ISO 605  
 
 
 
 iii.  Extraneous/foreign matter, % 
m/m, max.  1.0 2.00 2.00 
iv.  Damaged  seeds , % m/m, max.  1.0 2.00 3.0 
v.  Shrivelled and immature , 
percent by weight, max  2.00 4.00 6.00 
4.3 Specific requirements  
Raw and roasted Sesame seeds  shall comply with the specific requirements given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with test methods specified therein  
Table 2 — Specific requiremen ts for raw and roasted sesame seeds   
S/N Characteristic  Requirements  Test method  
i.  Moisture content, % m/m, max. Raw  7.0 RS ISO 665 
Roasted  5.0 
ii.  Crude protein on dry matter basis , % m/m, min 15 RS ISO 20483  
iii.  Acid insoluble ash, % m/m, max.  0.4 RS ISO 5985  
iv.  Total ash% max.  4.0 RS ISO 2171  
v.  Free fatty acids % m/m, max  2.0 ISO 729  
vi.  Oil cont ent (on moisture free  basis), % m/m, min  45 ISO 659  
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Pesticide residues  
Sesame seeds  shall comply with the maximum residue limits for pesticides established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity . 
5.2 Heavy metals  
Sesame seeds  shall not exceed the maximum limits for heavy metals in Table 3 when tested in accordance 
with test methods specified therein.  
Table 3 — Heavy metal contaminants in sesame  seed s 
S/N Heavy metal  Maximum limit (mg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Lead 0.1 AOAC 999.10  
ii.  Arsenic  0.1 RS ISO 6634  DRS 415 : 2019  
5                ©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved  
 5.3 Mycotoxins  
Sesame seeds  shall not exceed aflatoxin limits in Table 4 when tested in accordance with test methods 
specified therein.  
Table 4 — Aflatoxin limits for Sesame seeds  
S/N Type of aflatoxin  Maximum limit (μg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Total aflatoxin  10 RS ISO 16050  
ii.  Aflatoxin B 1 5 
6 Hygiene  
Sesame seeds  shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with RS CAC/RCP 1  
7 Packaging  
7.1 Sesame seeds   shall  be  packaged  in  food  grade  materials  that  will  safeguard hygienic, nutritional, 
technological and organoleptic qualit ies of the product.  
7.2 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed  
8 Weights and measures  
Sesame seeds shall be packaged in accordance with national legislation on the weights and measures.  
NOTE: Rwanda is a signatory  of to the ILO  (International Labour Organization ) for max imum package  weight of 50kg 
where human loading and unloading is involved . 
9 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements of RS EAS 38, the following labelling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly labelled : 
a) product name as ”Sesame seeds  or roasted sesame seeds ”; 
b) grade ;  
c) name and physical address of the producer, packer, importer/distributor;  
d) net weight;  
e) country of origin;  
f) lot/batch/code number;   
©RSB 2019  - All rights reserved                  6 
 g) statement, “Food for Human Consumption’’, shall appear on the package;  
h) storage instructions as “Store in a cool dry place away from contaminants”;  
i) instructions on disposal of used package;  
j) crop year  for sesame seeds ; 
k) packing date  for roasted sesame seeds ; and  
l) Best before date”.  
10 Sampling  
Sampling of sesame seeds  shall be done in accordance with ISO  542. DRS 415: 2019  
ICS 65.020.20  
 
 
©RSB 2019 - All right s reserved