DEAS 1024 : 2019  
ICS 67.06 0 
 
© EAC 2019                                                                                                                               First E dition 2019   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Fortified composite flour — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 1024 : 2019  
ii © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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© East African Community  2019  — All rights reserved  
East African Community   
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Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 1024 : 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
4.1 Raw materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  3 
4.2 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
4.3 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
5 Optional ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
6 Fortification requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  5 
6.1 Levels of micronutrients  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  5 
6.2 Fortification premixe s ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  5 
7 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 5 
8 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
9 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  6 
9.1 Pesticide  residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 6 
9.2 Heavy  metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  6 
9.3 Mycotoxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  6 
10 Weights  and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
11 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
12 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  7 
12.1  General labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 7 
12.2  Nutrition labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 7 
12.3  Nutrition and health claims  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  8 
13 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  8 
 DEAS 1024 : 2019  
iv © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 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 Afr ican 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.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC) mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the commun ity.  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to  stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards. . 
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 .  
The committee re sponsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC /TC 018, Nutrition and foods for 
special dietary uses . 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsibl e for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRI CAN STANDARD  DEAS 1024 : 2019  
 
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  1 
 Fortified composite flour  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for fortified composite 
flour intended for human consumption . 
2 Normativ e 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.  
AOAC 952.13, Arsenic in food. Silver diethyldithiocarbamate  
AOAC 953.17, Thiamine (vitamin B1) in grain products. Fluor  
AOAC 970.65 , Riboflavin(Vitamin B2) in Foods and Vitamin Pr  
AOAC 975.41 , Niacin and Niacinamide in Cereal Products  
AOAC 961.15 , Method modification for liquid chromatographic determination of thiamine, riboflavin, and 
pyridoxine in medical foods.  
AOAC 2004.05 , Total Folates in Cereal  
AOAC 2001.13, Determination of Vitamins A (Reti nol) and E (alpha -Tocopherol) in Foods by Liquid 
Chromatography: Collaborative Study  
CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements   
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing ind ustry — Code of practice  
EAS 744, Cassava and cassava products — Determination of total cyanogens — Enzymatic assay method  
EAS 782, Composite flour —Specification  
EAS 900, Cereals and pulses — Sampling   
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test methods  
EAS 803 , Nutrition labelling — Requirements  
EAS 804 , Claims on food s — Requirements  
EAS 805 , Use of nutrition and health claims — Requirements   
2 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
beta- glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 -
bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feedstuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of yeasts 
and moulds — Part 2: Col ony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0,95  
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique  
ISO 5498,  Agricultural food products — Determination of crude fibre content — General method  
ISO 5506, Soya bean products — Determination of urease activity  
ISO 5985, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
ISO 6561 -1, Fruits, ve getables and derived products — Determination of cadmium content — Part 1: Method 
using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry  
ISO 6561 -2, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of cadmium content — Part 2: Method 
using flame atom ic absorption spectrometry  
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp . 
ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination o f lead content — Flameless atomic 
absorption spectrometric method  
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Tec hnique using 
Baird -Parker agar medium  
ISO 7305, Milled cereal products — Determination of fat acidity  
ISO 9648, Sorghum — Determination of tannin content  
ISO 20634, Infant formula and adult nutritionals — Determination of vitamin B12 by reversed phase high  
performance liquid chromatography (RP -HPLC)  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
composite flour  
product obtained by blending of flour prepared from food plants and/or their products . It may also be obtained 
by blending  grains/seeds before milling  
3.2 
fortified composite flour  
composite flour to which essential micronutrients have been added  
3.3 
diluent  
suitable, inert, edible food -grade carrier for micronutrients   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 3.4 
fortification pr emix  
blend of fortificants and diluents formulated to provide specified and determinable amounts of micronutrients  
3.5 
fortificant  
compound which contains essential micronutrient intended to be added to a food  
3.6 
food fortification  
practice of deliberatel y increasing the content of an essential micronutrient, i.e. vitamins and minerals 
(including trace elements) in a food, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a 
public health benefit with minimal risk to health  
3.7 
wholeso me   
free from disease and physiological deterioration (such as but not limited to decay, breakdown,  freezing 
damage) or adulteration/contamination, that appreciably affects their appearance, edibility, the  keeping  quality  
of the produce  or market  value  
3.8 
practically  free 
without visible defects matter that is consistent with good manufacturing and handling practices employed in 
the production, distribution and the point of use of the fortified composite flour  
3.9 
foreign  matter  
organic and inorganic mater ial other than composite flour  
3.10 
food  grade  packaging material  
material which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, technological, and organoleptic qualities of the product  
3.11 
filth 
impurities of animal origin including dead insects  
4 Requirements  
4.1 Raw materials  
4.1.1  Fortified composite flour shall be prepared from composite flour complying with EAS 782  and 
fortification premix complying with DEAS 1023 . 
4.1.2  The food plants or their products from which the flour is m illed shall be clean, whole some  and 
practically free from foreign matter. The raw materials including animal source of  proteins shall comply with 
relevant East African Standards . 
4.1.3  Legumes used as ingredients for fortified composite flour shall be pre -treated before milling or 
compositing and shall comply with  relevant East African Standards . 
4.2 General requirements  
Fortified composite flour shall  be: 
a) free from foreign matter;   
4 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 b) free fr om off flavours and off -odours;  
c) practically free fr om any living insects and filth;  
d) wholesome an d fit for human consumption ; and  
e) composed of cereals and or legumes with the least contributing at least 10 % . 
4.3 Specific requirements  
4.3.1  Fortified composite flour shall comply with the limits given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the test m ethods specified therein.  
Table 1 — Specific requirements for fortified composite flour  
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
1.  Moisture Content, %, by mass, max.  14 EAS 901  
2.  Crude fibre content, max.%, m/m  5.0 ISO 5498  
3.  Acid insoluble ash  on moi sture free basis, % 
m/m, max.  0.40 ISO 5985  
4.  Fat acidity on moisture free basis, mg 
KOH/100 g, max.  80 ISO 7305  
4.3.2  If cassava is used as a component of the fortified composite flour, the total hydrocyanic acid content 
of fortified composite flour shal l not exceed 10 mg/kg, when tested using EAS 744.  
4.3.3  If soya flour is used as a component of the fortified composite flour, urease activity in the fortified 
composite flour shall not exceed 0.3 mg N/g/min (for trypsin inhibitor activity, 5 mg/g) when te sted in 
accordance with ISO 5506  
4.3.4  If sorghum flour is used as a component of the fortified composite flour, the tannin content of the 
fortified composite flour shall not exceed 0.3  % by mass on a dry matter basis when tested in accordance with 
ISO 964 8. 
5 Optional  ingredients  
The following optional ingredients may also be used in preparation of the product  and shall comply with 
relevant standards:  
a) protein concentrates and other high protein ingredients suitable for consumption by target population;  
b) milk and milk products;  
c) eggs;  
d) meat;  
e) sugars (only nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners);  
f) starchy roots (such as arrow roots, yam or cassava);  and 
g) fish.  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 6 Fortification  requirements  
6.1 Levels of micronutrients  
Fortified composite flour shall comply with the level s of micronutrients provided in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with test methods specified therein . 
Table 2 — Requirements for levels of micronutrients in fortified composite flour  
Nutrient  Fortificant  Limits  
mg/kg  Test method  
Min. Max.  
Vitamin A  Vitamin A (Retinyl) palmitate, spray -
dried or equivalent, 75 000 μg RE/ga 
(7.5 % retinol), min.  0.5 1.4 
AOAC 2001.13  
Vitamin B1  Thiamin Mononitrate, 81 %, min.  3.0 NAb AOAC 953.17  
Vitamin B2  Riboflavin, 100 %, min.  2 NA AOAC 970.65  
Niacina  Niacinamide, 99 %, min.  14.9 NA AOAC 975.41  
Vitamin B6  Pyridoxine hydr ochloride, 82 %, min.  2 NA AOAC 961.15  
Folate  Folic acid, 90.5 %, min.  0.6 1.7  AOAC 2004.05  
Vitamin B12  Vitamin B12 (Water soluble), 0.1 
%,min.   0.007  NA ISO 20634  
Zinc Zinc oxide, 80 %, min.   33  65 AOAC 2011.14  
Total iron  Total iron  21 NA AOAC 944. 02 
NOTE  Any other fortificants listed by either British Pharmacopoeia (BP); Food Chemical Codex (FCC); Merck Index 
(MI); United States National Formulary (NF); European Pharmacopoeia (Ph Eur); United States Pharmacopoeia (USP); or 
FAO WHO Codex Alimentari us Commission may be used.  
a 1μg RE = 3.33 IU, RE = Retinol equivalent  
b  NA-Not Applicable. The maximum limits for these nutrients are not necessary because the upper tolerance limits of these 
nutrients are very high.  
6.2 Fortification premixes  
Fortific ation premixes to be used shall comply with DEAS 1023 . 
7 Food additives  
7.1 Fortified composite flour may contain food additives in accordance with CODEX STAN 192.  
7.2 Azordicarbonamide (ADA) and potassium bromate shall not be used.  
8 Hygiene  
8.1 Fortified  composite flour shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
8.2 Fortified composite flour shall  not exceed  microbiological limits given in Table 3 when tested in 
accordance with the test methods specified therein.   
6 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Table 3 — Microbio logical limits for fortified composite flour  
S/N Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
i Total aerobic count cfu/ g, max.  105 ISO 4833 -1 
ii Escherichia coli  cfu/g, max.  <1x102 ISO 16649 -2 
iii Salmonella  spp per 25 g  Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
iv Yeast and moulds cfu/ g, max.  104 ISO 21527 -2 
v Staphylococcus aureus , cfu/g,  max.  102 ISO 6888 -1 
9 Contaminants  
9.1 Pesticide  residues  
Fortified composite  flour shall comply  with the maximum  pesticide  residue  limits  established  by Codex  
Alimentarius  Commission  for this commo dity.  
9.2 Heavy  metals   
Fortified c omposite  flour shall  comply  with the heavy  metal  limits  given in Table  3 when  tested  in accordance  
with test methods  specified  therein . 
Table  3 — Heavy  meta l limits  for fortified composite  flour  
S/N Heavy metal  Maximum limit 
mg/kg  Test method  
1.  Arsenic (As)  0.1 AOAC 952.13  
2.   Lead (Pb)  0.2 ISO 6633  
3.   Cadmium (Cd) . 0.1 ISO 6561 -1 
ISO 6561 -2 
9.3 Mycotoxin s 
Fortified composite  flour shall comply  with the mycotoxin  limits  given in Table  4 when  tested  in 
accordance  with test methods  specified  therein . 
Table  4 — Mycotoxin  limits  for fortified composite  flour  
S/N Mycotoxin  Maximum limit 
µg/kg Test method  
1.  Total aflatoxins  10  
EAS 901  2.   Aflatoxin B1  5 
3.   Fumunisins  2 000  
10 Weights  and measures  
Fortified composite  flour shall be packaged  in accordance  with the weights  and measures  regulations  of 
the destination  country.   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  7 
 11 Packaging  
Fortified composite  flour shall  be packaged  in food grade  material  to safeguard  the safety,  hygienic,  
nutritional and organoleptic  qualities  of the product.  
12 Labelling  
12.1 General labelling  
12.1.1  In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with the 
following : 
a) common name  of product  as “Fortified composite  flour”; 
b) name  and address  of the manuf acturer/packer/importer;   
c) brand  name and/or registered  trade  mark;   
d) date of manufacture;  
e) list of ingredients;  
f) lot or batch number in code or in clear format;  
g) net weight  in metric units;  
h) the declaration “Human Food’’;  
i) expiry  date; 
j) country  of origin;  
k) instruc tions for use ; 
l) storage  instruction  as “Store  in a cool dry place  away  from any contaminants ”; 
m) instructions  on  disposal  of used  package ; 
n) a statement declaring the recommended age/group ; and  
o) Where the product contains an ingredient known to cause allergy, i t shall have the words, ‘cont ains xx 
which may cause allergy.  
12.1.2  When labelling non -retail packages, information for non -retail packages shall either be given on the 
packages or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot identi fication and the name 
and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the package.  
12.2 Nutrition labelling  
The nutritional composition  in the fortified composite  flour shall be declared on the label in accordance with 
EAS 803.   
8 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 12.3 Nutrition an d health claims  
Where permitted by national legislation , fortified composite flour may have claims on the importance of the 
added nut rients in nutrition and health. Such claims when declared shall be in compliance with  EAS 804 and 
EAS 805.  
13 Sampling  
Sampling  shall  be done  in accordance  with EAS 900. 
 DEAS 1024 : 2019    
 
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved