KENYA STANDARD                          DKS 2087: 2020  
                           ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya pishori milled rice  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 2020           Second  Edition 2020  
 
 
 
 DKS 2087: 20 20                                                                                                           
 
ii                    © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the T echnical Committee:  
 
Agriculture and Food Authority — Food Crop Directorate  
Eastern African grain council  
National Public and Health Laboratories  
Ministry of Health – Department of public health  
Government Chemist  
Ministry of Agriculture, livestock and F isheries  
National Cereals and produce board  
Capwell industries  
Unga ltd  
Mombasa Maize Millers  
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  
University of Nairobi  
Kenya Bureau of Standards  — Secretariat . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularl y reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 20 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyri ght Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bure au of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any fo rm or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD                                         DKS 2087: 2020  
 © KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved            iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya pishori milled rice  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814         
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2087: 20 20                                                                                                           
 
iv                    © KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved   
 
Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard has been prepared by the Cereals a nd Pulses Technical Committee under the 
guidance of the Standards Project Committee and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards.  
 
This second  edition cancels and replaces the first edition ( KS 2087:2009 ), which has been technically 
revised.  
Kenya p ishori is valued for its distinct aroma, taste and fine cooking qualities as a non -glutinous rice variety. 
Thus Kenya p ishori has also been used for blending to improve quality of other rice varieties offered for sale 
to the consumers.  
 
However, there has emerged a malpractice of blending rice of inferior quality wi th certain proportion of  Kenya 
pishori and se lling the blends as pure Kenya p ishori. The revision  of this standard is therefore gea red 
towards identifying “Kenya p ishori”  as a national heritage, eliminating the associated marketing malpractices 
and safeguarding the interests of t he stakeholders as well as guaranteeing the enhanced safety of the 
consumers.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following  documents : 
 
 MS 225:1974  Specification for milled rice.  
 
 Standard for milled rice (Federal Grain I nspection service USDA) – USA, 1983 . 
 
 Pakistan Standard: Specif ication for Rice – PS 3342:1993 . 
 
 Codex Stand ard for Rice, Codex Stan 198 , 1995 . 
 
 Forum for Agricultural Research for Africa in Accra, Ghana (FARA) , 2004 . 
 
 University of Arkansas Rice Proce ssing Program (UARPP) , 2004 . 
 
 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Phillipines (IRRI) , 2005 . 
 
 West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) , 2005 . 
              
            East African Standard 123 - Milled rice - specification  
 
 
Acknowledgement is hereb y made for the assistance derived from these sources . 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD              DKS 2087: 2020  
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved                      1  
 
Kenya pishori milled rice — Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard specifies requirements, classification, grading and prescribes methods of tests for 
Kenya pishori milled rice (Oryza sati va)  intended for human consumption.  
 
 
2 Normative  References  
 
CODEX STAN 193,  General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Requirements  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing indust ry — Code of practice    
EAS 764, Rough (paddy) rice — Specification  
EAS 765, Brown rice — Specification  
EAS 900 , Cereals  and pulse s — Sampling   
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test methods  
 
3 Definition s 
 
For the purpose s of this standard, the following def initions shall apply:  
 
3.1 
Kenya pishori rice  
shall be paddy or milled rice of varieties “NIBAM 10 ” and “ NIBAM 11 ” as designate in research circles, and 
any other variety duly approved and released by  Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization , 
as a “Kenya Pishori ” variety for commercial production   and exclusively grown  in Kenya.  
 
 
3.2 
paddy  
 
whole or broken unhulled kernels of rice ( Oryza spp)  
 
3.3 
hull/husk  
outer cover of the paddy  grain  
 
3.4 
de-husking  
the process of removing husk from the paddy  
 
3.5 
polishing  
the process of intentionally removing bran layers from de -husked paddy  
 
3.6 
milling  
the process of de -husking and/ or polishing  
 
3.7 
brown rice  DKS 2087: 20 20 
            
                              © KEBS 20 20— All rights reserved  2 rice from which only the outermost layer (husk) of a grain has been removed  
 
3.8 
milled rice  
whole or broken kernels of rice ( Oryza spp) from which the germ, embryo or at least the outer bran layer 
have been intentionally removed  
 
3.9 
polished rice   
brown rice from whic h most of the bran layer h as been   intentionally removed  
 
3.10 
kernel  
the ed ible portion of the paddy grain  
 
3.11 
whole kernel  
a processed  rice grain which is not broken  
 
 
3.12 
glutinous rice  
a rice variety having amylose content below 2  % and characteriz ed by a white and opaque appearance and 
a tendency of sticking together on cooking  
 
3.13 
non-glutinous rice  
a variety of rice having amylose content above 2  % characterized by a hard translucent appearance which 
breaks with a clean vitreous fracture, and d oes not have the tendency of sticking together after cooking  
 
3.14 
chalky kernels  
kernels, whole or broken, except for glutinous rice, of which at least 75  % of the surface h as an opaque, 
floury appearance  
 
3.15 
immature grain  
unripe and/or undeveloped who le or broken kernel  
 
3.16 
red kernel   
head rice or broken kernel having a red bran covering more than 25 % of its surface  
 
3.17  
red streaked kernels  
head rice or broken kernel with red bran streaks of length greater than or equal to 50 % of that whole ker nel, 
but where the surface covered by these red streaks is less than 25 % of the total surface  
 
 
3.18 
head rice  
whole ker nel or part of the kernel with a length greater than or equal to 75 % of the average length of the test 
sample kernels  
 
3.19 
broken rice  
pieces of rice that are less than three -quarters of a whole kernel and includes grains o f rice in which part of 
the endosperm is exposed or rice without a germ. If the piece is more than three -quarters of a kernel it is 
considered as head rice.  
 
3.20                          KS 2087: 2 020 
 
 
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     3 
 large broken kernel  
part of kernel with a length less than three -quarters but greater than o ne half of the average length of the test 
sample kernels  
 
3.21 
medium broken kernel  
part of kernel with a length less than or equal to one half but greater than one quarter of the average length 
of the test sample kernels (see Figure 1)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key  
 
a Not  passing through a round perforation of 1.4 mm in diameter  
 
L is the average length  
 
Figure 1 — Size of kernels, broken kernels and chips  
 
 
 
3.22 
finely broken rice/chips  
broken kernels of milled rice, of less than 25 % of the average length of the whole  kernel  
 
3.23 
damaged ker nels 
kernels, whole or broken which are distinctly damaged by insects, water, fungi or any other causative agents 
other than those caused by the milling process.  They  include stained, spotted and yellow grains  
 
 
 
3.24 
parboiled rice  
paddy which has been s teeped in water, steamed and dried before husks are removed and subsequently 
polished with a view to enhancing its nutrition value  
 
3.25 
bran 
a product from the milling of rice, consisting of the outer (peric arp) layers of the kernel and part of the g erm DKS 2087: 20 20 
            
                              © KEBS 20 20— All rights reserved  4  
3.26 
immature kernels  
unripe and/or undeveloped whole or broken kernel which may be green in colour  
 
 
3.27  
foreign matter  
all organic and inorganic material  
 
3.28 
inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
 
3.29  
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds) other than rice, damaged rice, other grains, inorganic 
extraneous matter and harmful/toxic seeds  
 
3.30  
filth  
impurities of animal origin  
 
3.31 
objectionable rice   
rice which is mouldy, musty or chemically contaminated and unfit for human con sumption  
 
3.32 
other rice varieties   
whole or broken kernels of rice with different grain characteristics in size, shape  and aroma from “Kenya 
pishori ” 
 
3.33 
food grade packaging 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 product  
 
 
4 Classification  
 
4.1 Kenya pishori m illed rice shall be classified based on length, shape and mass as indicated, when 
tested according to EAS 901 . 
 
4.2 Kenya  pishori Milled rice shall be of the following grain types based on the length of the kernel:  
 
4.2.1 Extra long grain  
 
Having an average kernel length of 7.00 mm and above.  
 
4.2.2 Long grain  
 
Grain with average kernel length of 6.00 mm and 6.99  mm. 
 
4.2.3 Medium g rain  
 
Grain with an average kernel length of 5.0 mm to 5.99 mm.  
 
4.2.4 Short g rain  
 
Grain with average kernel length of less than 5.00 mm.                           KS 2087: 2 020 
 
 
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved          
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4.3 Milled rice shall be of the following types based on the shape of the kernel:  
 
4.3.1 Slender  
 
Milled rice having a kernel lengt h over three times its breadth.  Also known as long grain rice.  
 
4.3.2  Medium   
 
Milled rice having a kernel length/width ratio between 2.1 and 2.9 . 
 
4.3.3  Bold  
 
Milled rice having a kernel length/width ratio between 1.1 and 2.0 . 
 
4.3.4 Round  
 
Milled rice having  a kernel length/width ratio le ss than 1.1 . 
 
4.4 Milled rice shall be of the following type based on the mass of the kernel:  
 
4.4.1 Extra h eavy  
 
1 000 whole milled kernels with 14 % moisture content weighing over 25 g.  
 
4.4.2 Heavy   
 
1 000 whole milled ker nels with 14 % moisture content weighing 20 g to 25 g.  
 
4.4.3 Light  
 
1 000 whole milled kernels with 14 % moisture content weighing under 20 g.  
 
 
5.1 Quality requirements  
 
5.1 General requirements  
 
Kenya pishori  shall have the following characteristics : 
 
5.1.1 Shall be milled rice obtained only from such paddy  or  brown rice that complies with EAS 764 and EAS 
765   
 
5.1.2 Shall be obtained from paddy of moisture content not more than 14  %. 
 
5.1.3 Shall fall under the classification “long grain ” as defined  in 3.2.2. 
 
5.1.4 Shall fall under the classification “slender grain ” as defined in 3. 3.1. 
 
5.1.5 Shall fall under the classification “light grain ” as defined in 3. 4.3. 
 
5.1.6 Shall be non -glutinous as defined in 2.13 . 
 
5.1.7 Shall have a minimum amylose content of 10  % when test ed according to Annex A.  
 
5.1.8 Shall not contain any foreign varieties beyond the limits stated in Table 1 . 
 
5.1.9 Shall be of uniform colour, and desirable appearance.  DKS 2087: 20 20 
            
                              © KEBS 20 20— All rights reserved  6  
5.1.10 Shall have a typical flavour  and be free from rancid taste.  
 
5.1.11 Shall have a typical aroma  when test ed according to Annex B . Addition of artificial aroma is 
prohibited . 
 
5.1.12 Shall be free from  unpleasant or repulsive odours.  
 
 
 
5.1. 13 The use of Kenya p ishori milled rice for the purposes of blending shall be limite d only to the  guide -
lines stipulated in the KS 2086 , Varieties b lend milled rice — Specification.  
 
5.1.14 Kenya pishori milled rice shall be free from all contaminants and adulterants  such as but not limited to 
insects, rodents and their derivatives.  
 
 
5.2 Specific  quality requirements/limits  
 
“Kenya p ishori milled rice “ shall comply with the specifications on Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Specific  quality  requirements/ limits  for Kenya pishori milled rice 
 
 
SL No.  
Grading f actor  
 
 
 Grade r equiremen t/limits  
  
Test 
method  
 EAS 901  Premium  Grade  
1 Grade  
2 Grade  
3 
 
i)  
Moisture content, % m/m , max.   
14 
  
Clause 5  
      Clause 4  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
iii)  
Broken, % m/m , max.   
5 15  
25  
35 
 
iv)  
Chalky/green immature grains  
, % m/m , max.   
1  
 3  
 5   
10 
 
v)  
Red or red streaked , 
 % m/m , max.   
Nil 
  
Nil 
  
0.25  
0.5 
 
vi)  
Foreign varieties  
 %, m/m max.   
Nil  
Nil  
1  
2 
 
vii)  
Foreign and extraneous matter,  
 % m/m max.   
Nil 
  
0.2 
  
0.3  
 
0.6 
 Inorganic matter  0.1 
 filth 
 
viii) Paddy , (grains per 1 000)  
 by count  (or % m/m), max.  
3 
(0.03)   
 
30 
(0.3) 
 
ix)  
Damaged grains ,  
 % m/m max .  
Nil  
1  
2  
3 
 
 
 
 
                          KS 2087: 2 020 
 
 
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6.0 contaminants  
 
6.1 Pesticide residues  
 Pishori Milled rice shall comply with pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commissio n  for this commodity.  
 
6.2 Other contaminants  
 
6.2.1 Pishori Milled rice shall compl y with limits for heavy metals specified in CODEX STAN 193 established 
by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
6.2.2 Pishori Milled rice shall comply with limits for mycotoxins given in Table 2 when tested in accordance 
with the test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 2 — Mycotoxin limits for  pishori milled rice  
 
 
S/NO   Mycotoxin  Maximum limit  Test method  
EAS 901  
 
i.  
  
 Total aflatoxins (AFB 1+AFB 2+AFG 1 +AFG 2)), μg/kg  10  Clause 9 or 10  
 
ii.  
  
Aflatoxin B 1, μg/kg   
5  
 
 
 
 
 
7 Hygiene  
 
Pishori Milled rice shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
. 
 
 8  Weights and measure s  
Pishori Milled rice shall be packaged in accordance with the weights and measures regulations of the 
destination country.  
NOTE Kenya is a signatory to the International Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package weight of 50 kg where 
human loading and offloading is involved.  
 
9 Packaging  
9.1  Pishori Milled rice shall be packed in food grade packaging materials which will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional, and organoleptic qualities of the products.  
 
9.2 Each package shall be securely closed an d sealed.  
 
 
 
10 Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirem ents in EAS 38 , Labelling of pre -packag ed foods, each package  shall be legibly 
and indelibly marked with the following:  
 
i) product name as “Kenya p ishori  milled rice’’ ; 
 
ii) grain type (long, medium or bold) ; 
 DKS 2087: 20 20 
            
                              © KEBS 20 20— All rights reserved  8 ii) variety ; 
 
iv) grade;  
 
v) name, addr ess and physical location of the miller/ packer/importer ; 
 
vi) lot/batch/code number ; 
 
vii) net weight in kg;  
 
viii) the declaration “food for human consumption ’’; 
 
ix) storage instruction as “store in a cool dry pla ce away from any contaminants’’;  
 
x) production date ; 
 
xi) expiry date ; 
  
xiii) instructions on disposal of used package ; 
 
xv) a declaration on genetic modification status . 
 
10.1.1 A declaration of other  varieties and blends as K enya p ishori is prohibited and shall be punishable by 
law under the Stan dards Act , Cap. 496 of the Laws of Kenya.  
 
10.1.2 Introduction of artificial aroma is prohibited and does not qualify a variety to be “Kenya Pishori Rice’’. 
 
 
 
 
10.2 Labelling of non -retail bulk containers   
Information in 9.1 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 provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.   
 
 
11. cooking quality  / sensory evaluation  
 
When cooked, Kenya  Pishori rice shall retain the characteristic natural  aroma   
 
When cooked Kenya Pishori rice shall expand  and be fluffy  
 
10 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with  EAS 900.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                          KS 2087: 2 020 
 
 
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved          
     9 
  
 
 
 
 
Annex   A 
(normative)  
 
Determination for amylose  
 
A.1 Method of test for amylose  
 
Reaction of iodine with the amylose fraction of starch gives a blue -coloured inclus ion type product. The 
formation of this complex is employed in the determination of the amylose cont ent of various food materials. 
Blue values of fo od samples are compared with those of pure amylose standards on a calibration curve.  
 
A.2 Standard curve  
 
A standard curve will be prepared by making standard amylose solutions to cover 0 -10.0 ppm m/v.  
 
A.2.1 Stock s olution  
 
Accurately weigh 1 g of amylase  and dissolve it in 1 L of distilled water.  This soluti on contains 100 ppm of 
amylose.  Take 10 m L of the stork solution into 100 -mL volumetric flask and make to  the mark with distilled 
water.  This solution contains 100 ppm amylose.  
 
A.2.2  Prepare standard solutions of 2  ppm, 4 ppm, 6 ppm, 8 ppm and 10 ppm for determination by 
pipetting 2  m/s, 4 m/s, 6 m/s, 8 m/s and 10 m/s from the solution prepared above.  Make to  the mark with 
water in a 100 -mL volumetric flask.  
 
A.2.3  Read absorbance at 610 nm on an ultr a-violet visible spectrophotometer.  Prepare a calibration 
curve of absorbance against concentration.  
 
A.3 Method  
 
A.3.1  0.5 g of finely ground material is weighed accurately in a small beaker.  The power is dampened with 
2 mL ethyl alcohol and 20  mL water  added. 4 mL  of 10 % NaOH solution are added and the mixture is 
filtered through No.1 Whatman filter paper and the filtrate made to 100 m L with distilled water.  
 
A.3.2  5 mL of the solution are pipetted in a 250 -mL volumetric flask, 100 m L water added and 5  drops of 
6N HCl added to make the solution acidic.  The solution is mixed thoroughly with 15 m L of the iodine solution 
(see Clause A.4) and made to 250 m L with distilled water.  
 
A.3.3  Read absorbance of the blue colour developed on a ultra -violet visible spectrophotometer at 610 nm 
and determine concentration from the prepared calibration curve.  
 
A.3.4  Calculate and report the amylose content in the original sample taking into consideration the 
dilutions made.  
 
A.4 Preparation of Iodine solution  
 
10 mg of iodine and 1 g KI are dissolved in a little water and made to 50 m L with distilled water.  
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2087: 20 20 
            
                              © KEBS 20 20— All rights reserved  10  
 
 
ANNEX B  
Determination of aroma in rice  
 
 
 
A. DNA TEST USING MOLECULAR MARKER  
 
1. Collect rice grains from the sample to be tested and  a known check variety e.g . Basmati 370.  
2. Extract DNA from the grains.  
3. Genotype using the molecular marker for aroma BADH2 for aroma.  
4. Score the genotype for each sample and compare to the Basmati 370 genotype.  
Rice lines /varieties that carry similar allele/genotype to Basm ati 370 are aromatic.  
 
 
 
B. AROMA  TEST USING  POTASIUM HYDROXIDE ( KOH )   
 
Measured at ripening, when the caryopsis is hard. The main component of aroma in rice is the 2 -
acetyl -1pirroline(AcPy).  
 
1. 10ml of 1.7% solution of KOH should be added to 2 g of decorticated grains.  
2. The aroma, which is similar to that in popcorn, is released within 10 min.  
3. The level of expression is determined by comparison with other varieties being evaluated.  
Scale: 1) absent or very weak, 2) weak, 3) strong  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                          KS 2087: 2 020 
 
 
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