DEAS  126: 2021  
ICS 70.100.71  
 
© EAC 2021                                                                                                                              2nd Edition 2021   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Petroleum jelly for cosmetic use — Specification  
   
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS  126: 2021  
ii © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
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Viola tors may be prosecuted . DEAS  126: 2021  
© EAC 2021  – 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 General  requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  2 
4.2 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  2 
4.3 Heavy  metal  contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
4.4 Microbiological limits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  3 
5 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 3 
6 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 4 
7 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 4 
Annex  A normative  Determination of melting point  ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
Annex B (normative)  Determination of saponifiable matter  ................................ ................................ ... 6 
B.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 6 
B.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 6 
Annex C (normative)  Determination of organic acids  ................................ ................................ ............  7 
C.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 7 
C.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 7 
Annex D (normative)  Determination of sulphated ash ................................ ................................ ............  8 
D.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 8 
D.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 8 
D.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 8 
Annex E (normative )  Determination of sulphur and sulphides ................................ ...............................  9 
E.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 9 
E.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 9 
Annex F (normative)  Determination of iodine value  ................................ ................................ .............  10 
F.1 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 10 
F.2 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 10 
F.3 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 11 
F.4 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  11 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  12 
 
 DEAS  126: 2021  
iv © EAC 2021  – 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 African 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 community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stake holders 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 discuss ed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for develop ment 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 responsible for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 71, Cosmetics and related 
products.   
Attention is d rawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition ( EAS 126:1999 ), which has been technically revised.  
. 
 
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS  126:2021  
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  1 
 Petroleum jelly  for cosmetic use  — Specification  
1 Scope   
This Draft East  African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for petroleum jelly for 
cosmetic use . 
This standard does not cover petroleum jelly for indus trial use . 
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 refere nces, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
ASTM D217 -19b, Standard test methods for c one penetration of lubricating g rease  
EAS 123, Distilled water — Specification  
EAS 346, Labelling of cosmetics — General requi rements  
EAS 377  (all parts) , Cosmetics  and cosmetic products  
EAS 846,  Glossary of terms relating to the cosmetic industry  
EAS 847 -16, Cosmetics — Analytical methods — Part 16: Determination of lead, mercury and arsenic  content  
ISO 2137, Petroleum products and lubricants — Determination of cone penetration of lubricating g reases and 
petrolatum  
ISO 21149, Cosmetics — Microbiology — Enumeration and detection of aerobic mesophilic bacteria   
ISO 24153, Random sampling and randomization procedures  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definiti ons given in EAS 846  apply  and the following apply . 
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/o bp 
3.1 
petroleum jelly  
mixture of mineral oils and waxes, which form a semisolid jelly -like substance  
3.2 
pure petroleum jelly  
petroleum jelly without any additives   
2 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 3.3 
perfumed petroleum jelly  
petroleum jelly containing a fragrance  
3.4 
herbal Petroleum jelly  
petroleum jelly containing herbal extracts /powder  
3.5 
foreign matter  
any extraneous matter other than petroleum jelly  comprising of “inorganic matter” which includes m etallic 
pieces, dust, sand, gravel, stones, dirt, pebbles, lumps or earth, clay, mud and animal filth, etc; and “organic 
matte r” consisting of husks, straws  
4 Requirement s 
4.1 General  requirements  
4.1.1  All the ingredients used shall comply with the requirements given in EAS 377 (all parts) . 
4.1.2  Petroleum jelly shall:  
a) be insoluble  in water  and ethanol  (96 %), but soluble  in diethyl  ether,  dichloromethane,  benzene,  
carbon  disulphide,  hexane  and chloroform;  
b) not be of objectionable  odour  at room  temperature when  rubbed  on the  skin;  and 
c) not bleed  under normal  conditions  of storage.  
d) be free from foreign matter.  
4.1.3  Petroleum jelly may contain additives .  .  
4.2 Specific requirements  
Petroleum jelly shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the test 
methods specified therein .  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  3 
 Table 1 — Specific requirements for petroleum jelly  
Characteristic  Requirement  Test  method  
Pure  petroleum jelly Petroleum jelly with additives  
Melting  point,  °C 38 – 60 38 – 60 Annex  A 
Saponifiable  matter  Nil Nil 
  Annex  B 
Organic acids, ml,  max.  1 1 Annex  C 
Sulphated ash, %, by  mass,  max.  0.10 0.2 Annex  D 
Sulphur  and sulphides  To pass  the test To pass  the test Annex  E 
Iodine value (Wijs),  max.  1.5 1.5 Annex  F 
Cone penetration  value  at 25 °C  100 - 275 1/10 mm in  checking for 
consistency  and hardness  of jellies  100 - 275 1/10 mm in  checking for 
consistency  and hardness  of jellies   ISO 2137 or  
ASTM  D217 -19b 
NOTE  Additives may include colour, perfume, herbal extracts, emollients, moisturizers and vitamins.  
 
4.3 Heavy  metal  contaminants  
Petroleum  jelly shall comply  with the limits  for contaminants  given  in Table  2 when  tested  in acco rdance  with 
the test methods specified  therein.  
Table  2 — Limits  for heavy  metal  contaminants  
S/N Heavy metal contaminanta Maximum limit  ,mg/kg  Test method  
i. Lead  10  
EAS 847 -16 ii. Arsenic  2 
iii. Mercury  2 
a The total amount of  heav y  metals as lead , mercury  and arsenic, in combination, in the f inished product shall not exceed 10 mg/kg. 
 
4.4 Microbiological limits  
Petroleum  jelly shall comply  with the microbiological  limits  given  in Table  3 when  tested  in accordance  with 
the test method  specified  therein.  
Table  3 — Microbiological  limits of  petroleum jelly  
Microorganism  Maximum limit  Test  method  
Total  viable  count,  CFU/g  or CFU/ml  100 ISO 21149  
5 Packaging  
Petroleum jelly shall be packaged in suitable well -sealed containers that s hall protect the contents  during 
transportation, handling and storage  and shall not cause any contamination or react with the product.  
  
4 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 6 Labelling  
In addition t o the labelli ng requirements specified in EAS 346, the package shall be legibly and indelibly 
marked with the product name as “Pure  petroleum  jelly”, or “Perfumed  petroleum  jelly” or “Herbal  petroleum  
jelly”,  or “Herbal  perfumed  petroleum  jelly” or Petroleum jell y with “X” where X is the name of the additive (s).  
7 Sampling  
Sampling shall be carried out in accordance with ISO 24153.  
  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex  A 
normative  
 
Determination of melting point  
A.1 Melt a quantity of the sample slowl y while stirring until it reaches a temperature of 90 °C - 92 °C. Remove 
the source of heat and allow the molten sample to cool to a temperature of 8 °C - 10 °C above the expected 
melting point. Chill the bulb of a thermometer (range: 1 °C - 100 °C) to 5 ° C, wipe it dry and while it is still cold, 
dip it into molten sample so that approximately half of the bulb is “submerged". Withdraw it immediately and 
hold it vertically away from heat until the wax surface dulls, then dip it for 5 min into a water bath h aving a 
temperature not higher than 16 °C.  
A.2 Fix the thermometer prepared in A.1 securely in a test tube so that its lowest point is about 15 mm above 
the bottom of the test tube. Suspend the test tube in a water bath adjusted to 16 °C, and raise the t emperature 
of the bath at a rate of 1 °C/min and note the temperature at which the first drop of the melted sample leaves 
the thermometer. Repeat the determination twice on a freshly melted portion of the sample. If the variation in 
three determinations is  less than 1 °C, take the average of three as the melting point. If the variation in the 
three determinations is more than 1 °C, make two additional determinations and take the average of the five   
6 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Annex B 
(normative)  
 
Determination of saponifiable matter  
B.1 Reagents  
B.1.1 Methyl ethyl ketone, analytical grade, stored in amber coloured bottle  
B.1.2 Standard alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution, 0.5 mol/ L standardized before use  
B.1.3 Petroleum ether, boiling range 80 °C - 100 °C  
B.1.4 Standard hydrochloric acid, 0.5 mol/L accurately standardized  
B.1.5 Phenolphthalein indicator solution, 1 % solution in 95 % rectified spirit  
B.2 Procedure  
B.2.1 Accur ately weigh in flask about 5 g of the sample and add 25 ml ± 1 ml of methyl ethyl ketone,  
followed by 25 ml standard alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution from a burette. Connect the flask to a  
condenser and heat for half an hour after refluxing begins. D isconnect the condenser, add 50 ml of petroleum  
ether and titrate the solution while hot (without heating) with standard hydrochloric acid, using three drops of  
phenolphthalein  indicator.  When  the indicator  colour  is discharged  add three  drops  more  of the indicator.  If 
this addition restores the colour, continue the titration. Proceed in this manner until the end point is reached  
when the indicator colour is discarded and does not immediately reappear upon the addition of three more  
drops  of indicator.  
B.2.2 Run a blank under identical  conditions.  
B.2.3 The sample shall be taken to have passed the requirement specified in Table 1 if the blank reading  
does  not differ from the sample  reading  by more  than 0.1 ml.  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex C 
(normative)  
 
Determination of organic  acids  
C.1 Reagents  
C.1.1 Dilute rectified spirit, prepared by diluting one volume of 95 % rectified spirit with two volumes of 
water, and neutralized to phenolphthalein indicator  
C.1.2 Phenolphthalein indicator, same as in B.1.5 
C.1.3 Standard sodium  hydroxide solution, exactly 0.1 mol/L  
C.2 Procedure  
C.2.1 Add 100 ml of dilute rectified spirit to 20 g of the sample, agitate thoroughly, and heat to boiling. Add 1 
ml of phenolphthalein indicator and titrate rapidly with standard sodium hydroxide solu tion with vigorous 
agitation to a sharp pink endpoint in the alcohol water layer.  
C.2.2 The material shall be taken to have passed the test if not more than 1 ml of standard sodium 
hydroxide solution is required for the titration   
8 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Annex D 
(normative)  
 
Determination of sulphated ash  
D.1 Reagents  
Dilute  sulphuric  acid, approximately  2.5 mol/L  
D.2 Procedure  
Heat a platinum dish to redness for 10 min; allow to cool in a desiccator and weigh. Place 1 g of the sample in  
the dish, moisten with sulphuric acid, a nd ignite gently by means of a Bunsen burner. Again, moisten with  
sulphuric acid and ignite at about 800 °C in a muffle furnace. Cool and weigh. Again, ignite for 15 min and  
repeat this  procedure  until two successive weighings  do not differ  by more  than 0.5 mg. 
D.3 Calculation  
Sulphated  ash, expressed  as percent  by mass,  shall be  calculated  using  the formula below:  
 
where  
m1   is the mass,  in grams,  of the  residue;  and 
m2   is the mass,  in grams,  of the  sample  taken  for the test 
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  9 
 Annex E 
(normative)  
 
Determination of sulphur and sulphides  
E.1 Reagents  
Copper strips, 1 cm in width, and freshly polished  
E.2 Procedure  
E.2.1 Melt in a beaker about 100 g of the sample and keep on a water bath at a temperature of 95 °C. Then 
place a  strip of copper in the melted sample so that it is partially immersed in it and allow to remain for 10 min.  
E.2.2 The material shall be taken to have passed the test if the copper strip used in the test shows no 
tarnishing when compared with another fres hly polished copper strip.   
10 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Annex F 
(normative)  
 
Determination of iodine value  
F.1 Apparatus  
Thermometer, an engraved stem thermometer, calibrated between 10 °C and 65 °C in 0.1 -degree 
intervals  and with the 0 °C point marked on the steam is recommended. The thermometer shall 
have an auxiliary  reservoir  at the upper  end, and length  of about  370 mm and diameter of about  6 
mm. 
F.2 Reagents  
F.2.1 Carbon  tetrachloride  or chloroform  
F.2.2 Acetic acid, glacial, 99 %, having a melting point of 14.8 °C and free  from reducing impurities.  
Determine the melting point of the acetic acid in accordance with F.2.2.1 and test it for reducing impurities in  
accordance with  F.2.2.2.  
F.2.2.1  For the melting point determination, take a 15 -cm long test tube and fill it to about two thirds with 
the acetic acid. Insert into the acid a thermometer complying with the requirements specified in F.1 through a 
cork stopper fitting the test tube. The amount of acid should be at least double the quantity required to cover 
the bulb o f the thermometer when the bottom of the latter is 12 mm from the bottom of the test tube. Suspend 
this tube within a larger test tube through a cork. Cool the acid by immersing the assembly in ice water until 
the temperature is 10 °C, then withdraw the as sembly from the ice water and stir the acid rather vigorously for 
a few moments, thus causing the super -cooled liquid to crystallize partially and give a mixture of liquid and 
solid acid. Take thermometer readings every 15 s and consider the temperature at  which the reading remains 
constant for at least 2 min as the true melting point.  
F.2.2.2  For the determination of reducing impurities (potassium permanganate test), dilute 2 ml of acetic 
acid with 10 ml of water and add 0.1 ml of 0.5 mol/L potassium perm anganate solution and maintain at 27 °C  
± 2 °C. The test shall be taken as having been satisfied if the pink colour is not discharged at the end of 2 h.  
F.2.3 Potassium dichromate,  finely  ground  
F.2.4 Starch solution ; mix 5 g of starch and 0.01 g of merc uric iodide with 30 ml of cold water and slowly  
pour it while stirring into 1 L of boiling water. Boil for 3 min. Allow the solution to cool and decant off the  
supernatant  clear  liquid.  
F.2.5 Standard sodium  thiosulfate  solution , 0.2 mol/L  
F.2.6 Chlorin e gas, dry 
F.2.7 Iodine  trichloride  
F.2.8 Wijs iodine monochloride solution ; prepare this solution by one of the following methods, and store  in a 
glass  stoppered  bottle in  a cool place, protected  from light and sealed with paraffin  until taken  for use: 
a) dissolve 3 g of re -sublimed iodine in 1 L of acetic acid, using gentle heat if necessary, and determine  
the length by titration with standard sodium thiosulfate solution. Set aside 50 ml - 100 ml of solution  
and introduce washed and dried chlorine gas into  the remainder until the characteristic colour change  
occurs  and the halogen  content  is nearly  doubled  as ascertained  again  by titration.  If the halogen   
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  11 
 content has been more than doubled, reduce it by adding the requisite quantity of the iodine -acetic 
acid solution. A slightly excess of iodine does not harm, but avoid an excess of chlorine.  
Example, if the titration of 20 ml of original iodine -acetic acid solution requires 22 ml of standard 
sodium thiosulfate solution, then 20 ml of the finished Wijs solut ion should require between 43 ml and 
44 ml (and not more than 44 ml) of the same sodium thiosulfate.  
b) as an alternative method of preparing Wijs solution, dissolve 8 g of iodine trichloride in approximately  450 
ml of acetic acid. Dissolve separately 9 g of iodine in 450 ml, of acetic acid using heat if necessary. Add 
gradually the iodine solution to the iodine trichloride solution until the colour has changed to reddish 
brown. Add 50 ml more of iodine solution and dilute the mixture with acetic acid till 10 ml of the mixture 
are equivalent to 20 ml standard sodium thiosulfate solution when the halogen content is estimated by 
titration in the presence of an excess to potassium iodine and water. Heat the solution at 100 °C for 20 
min and cool. Prevent access  of water vapour in preparing the solution.  
F.3 Procedure  
F.3.1 Melt the material and filter through the filter paper to remove any impurities and the last trace of  
moisture.  Make  sure that the glass  apparatus  used  is absolutely  clean  and dry. Weigh  accu rately  by 
difference, about 10 g of the sample, into a clean, dry 500 -ml glass stoppered bottle to which 25 ml of carbon  
tetrachloride or chloroform have been added, and agitate to dissolve the contents. Add 25 ml of Wijs solution  
(the quantity  of Wijs sol ution  added  is 50 % - 60 % more  than the quantity  required).  
F.3.2 Replace the glass stopper after wetting with potassium iodine solution, swirl for intimate mixing, and 
allow to stand in the dark for 45 min. Carry out a blank test simultaneously under si milar experimental 
conditions. After standing, add 15 ml of potassium iodide solution and 100 ml of water, and titrate the liberated 
iodine with standard sodium thiosulfate solution, swirling the contents of the bottle continuously to avoid any 
local exces s, until the colour of the solution is straw yellow. Add 0.5 ml of starch solution and continue the 
titration until the blue colour disappears.  
F.4 Calculation  
The Iodine value, expressed in Wijs, shall be calculated using the formula below : 
 
where  
V1 is the volume,  in millilitres,  of standard  sodium  thiosulfate,  required  for the blank;  
V2 is the volume,  in millilitres,  of standard  sodium  thiosulfate  solution, required  for the material;  
M is the molarity,  of standard sodium thio sulphate;  and 
m is the mass,  in grams,  of the  material  taken  for the test.  
 
 
12 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] ISO 17516: 2014, Cosmetics — Microbiology — Microbiological limits  
[2] EAS 126:1999, Pure petroleum jelly for cosmetics industry — Specification  
[3] TZS 318: 1999, Petroleum jelly, ( Part 1): Petroleum jelly for cosmetic industry — Specification  
[4] TZS 318: 1999, Petroleum jelly, (Part 2): Marketed petroleum jelly products ready for use as a body 
ointment  
[5] US 191:2021 , Petroleum jelly — Specification  
 DEAS  126: 2021    
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved