AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1351 -2023  
First Edition 2023  
 
 
 Reference No. DARS 1351 :2023(E) 
ICS 67.060  
 
 
© ARSO 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Teff Grain - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 1351 :2023  
 
2 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
 
1. Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
2. Normative  references  ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
3. Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  1 
4. Classification  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  2 
5. Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  2 
6. Pesticides  ................................ ...............................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
7. Packing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  3 
8. Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  3 
9. Labelling  ................................ ................................ . Error! Bookmark not defined.  
 
  DARS 1351 :2023  
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  3 
 Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU) in 1977. One of the fundamental mandates of  ARSO is to develop and harmonize 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities. 
The work of preparing A frican Standards is normally carried out through ARSO technical committees. 
Each Member State interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has 
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regio nal Economic 
Communities (RECs), governmental and non -governmental organizations, in liaison with ARSO, also 
take part in the work.  
 
ARSO Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of techni cal committees is to prepare ARSO Standards. Draft ARSO Standards 
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an 
ARSO Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO <Text, insert  the TC Name>  
 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 2023 — All rights reserved1* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
1* © 2023 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS 1351 :2023  
 
4 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior 
permission from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, 
stored or transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from 
ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 2023 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be prosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1351 :2023  
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  5 
  
 
 DARS 1351 :2023  
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  1 
 Teff Grain – Specification   
 
1. Scope  
 
This African  Standard  specifies the  requirements  and methods of sampling and test for  teff grain  
(Eragrosties  teff) for human  consumption.  
 
2. Normative references  
The following  referenced  documents  are indispensable  for the application  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.  
 
ARS 56, Prepackaged foods — Labelling  
 
ISO 711, Cereals  and cereal  products  - Determination  of moisture  content  (Basic  Reference  method).  
ISO 712, Cereals  and cereal  products  - Determination  moisture  content  (Routine  reference  method).  
ISO 24333,  Cereals  and cereal  product  – Sampling . 
ISO 605 , Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety 
— Test methods  
ISO 6639 -1, Cereal  and pulses  – Determination  of hidden  insect  infestation  - Part 1: 
General  principles.  
ISO 6639 -2, Cereal and pulses – Determination of hidden insect infestation - Part 2: 
Sampling.  
ISO 6639 -3, Cereal  and pulses  – Determination  of hidden  insect  infestation  - Part 3: Reference  method.  
ISO 6639 -4, Cereal  and pulses  – Determination  of hidden  insect  infestation  - Part 4: Rapid  method.  
ISO 27085, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, 
potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese , cobalt, molybdenum, arsenic, lead and cadmium by ICP -
AES 
ISO 3367,  Determination  of mercury,  content - flameless  atomic  absorption  method  
ISO 6561 -1, Fruits, vegetables 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 atomic absorption spectrometry . 
 
3. Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose  of this standard  the following  definitions  shall apply. 
 
3.1 
teff grain  
grain obtained from plant Eragrosties teff   
 
3.2  
foreign matter  
any substance  which  is found  in teff grain  such  as weed  seeds,  other  grains,  stone,  soil particles,  
dung,  chaff and sand  
 
3.3 
food grade packaging material  
 
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1351 :2023  
2 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  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  
Teff grain  is classified  as follows : 
4.1. Very white ( Megna ) teff -This class  include >98%  to 100%,  very white  teff grain . 
4.2. White:  (Nech)  teff- This class  include  >95 to  98% or more  of white teff  grains  
4.3. Brown:  (Quey)  teff- This class  include  94 to 100% of brown  teff grains  
4.4. Mixed  (Sergegna ) teff–This class  includes  mixture  of white  and brown  teff grain  in a 
lesser proportion of the above classes.   
 
5 Requirements  
5.1 General  requirements  
5.1.1  Each  class  of teff grain  shall be  graded  in relation  to the degree of impurities  presented  and 
admixtures  of other colo ured classes of teff or other grains.  
5.1.2  Teff shall be free from foreign odo urs, mo ulds, live pests, rat droppings, non -toxic weed 
seeds and other injurious contaminants as determined from sample representative of the lot.  
5.1.3  Each class  of teff grain shall be free from any silt substances and shall not contain more than 
0.05%, by mass of harmful  and /or toxic seeds such  as Crotalaria (Crotalaria  spp. Corn cockle)  
(Agrostemma githago  L.) Jimson  weed ( Datura  spp.) from the given sample weight of teff when 
determined in accordance with the method  of test specified in the ISO 605 .  
5.1.4 Each class of teff shall be free from insect infestation, living insect, and dead insect 
fragments and rodent  contamination w hich are visible to  the naked  eyes when  determined  in 
accordance  with ISO 6639 Parts 1,2,3 and 4.  
Table  1. Grade  requirements  for all classes  of teff 
 
 
 
6 Contaminants  
6.1 Pesticides  
Teff grain shall comply with those maximum pesticide residues established by the Codex Alim entarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
   
  
Characteristics  Maximum Limit of impurities in 
% Methods  of 
test 
Grades  
1 2 3 4  
 Moisture  content  12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 ISO 712 or 
ISO 711 
 Foreign  matter  1.5 2.5 3.5 5.0 ISO 5223  DARS 1351 :2023  
© ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved  3 
 6.2 Heavy metals  
Teff grain shall comply with levels for heavy metals given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with 
the test methods specified therein .  
 
Table  2. Heavy  metals  requirements  
 
Parameters  Requirement  Test method  
Lead,  ppm max.  0.2 ISO 27085  
Cadmium,  ppm max.  0.1 ISO 6561 -1 or 6561 -2 
 
6.3  Aflatoxins  
 
Teff grain shall comply with levels for aflatoxins given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with the 
test methods specified therein .  
 
Table 3 — Mycotoxin limits for teff grain  
 
S/N Aflatoxin  Maximum limit  
(µg/kg)  Test method  
i. Total aflatoxins  
(AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 
+AFG2)  10  
ISO 16050  
ii. Aflatoxin B1  5 
 
7 Pack aging 
Teff grain shall be packed in new, suitable, clean, sound and moisture proof food grade packaging 
material as specified in ARS 56.  
 
8 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements of ARS 56, each container of teff grain shall be marked ( labelled ) with 
the follo wing information:  
a) Name  of the grain  crop . 
b) Name  and address  of producer.  
c) Crop  year . 
d) Class  and grade  of the grain . 
e) Net mass  in kilograms . 
f) Batch  or identification  code;  and 
g) Any other  requirements  required  by the purchaser.  
 
9 Sampling  
Sampling  shall be carried  out in accordance  with ISO 24333 . 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 1351 :2023  
4 © ARSO 2023 — All rights reserved   
Bibliography  
 
ES 671: 2001 Teff – Specification  
 
 
 DARS 1351 :2023  
© ARSO 2021 — All rights reserved