DEAS 1023 : 2019  
ICS 67.020 
 
© EAC 2019                                                                                                                               First Edition 2019   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Food fortifica tion premix  and fortificants — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY   
DEAS  1023 : 2019  
ii © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
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DEAS 1023 : 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4. Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
5 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  6 
5.1 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  6 
6 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 6 
7 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  6 
8 Weights and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
10 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  7 
  
DEAS  1023 : 2019  
iv © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Developm ent 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 enco untered 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 represent atives 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  
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 d iscussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East Afri can Standards . 
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the Eas t 
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 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 responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
In elaborating this standard, inputs received from manu facturers, suppliers, World Health Organization 
guidelines on flour fortification, National and International Publications  and Nigerian Standard NIS 475: 2015 
are hereby acknowledged.   
DEAS 1023 : 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  v 
 Introduction  
Micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries are wid espread, particularly deficiencies of Iron, Vitamin A, 
Iodine, Folic acid and Zinc.  
Food fortification is an excellent option for delivering specific nutrient to people where one or more centrally 
controlled and regulated foods are eaten on a regular basis  and in sufficient amounts by a large number of 
people.  
To be successful, however, all food fortification programmes require a system to be in place to ensure that the 
food being fortified contains the des ired amounts of micronutrients.  
  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  1 
 Food  fortifica tion premix  and fortificants  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test method s for food fortification 
premix and fortif icants intended for use in whea t flour, maize flour, composite  flour, blended f lour, sugar, salt, 
fat spreads and edible fats and oils.  
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 ed ition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
CODEX STAN 192,  General standard for food additives  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged f oods  — General requirements  
EAS 39 , Hygien e in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
ISO 20633 , Infant formula and adult nutritionals — Determination of vitamin E and vitamin A by normal phase 
high performance liquid chromatography  
AOAC 2015.002 , Standard Method Performance RequirementsSM (SMPRs) for Total Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) in 
Infant and Adult/ Pediatric Nutritional Formula  
AOAC 2015.003 , Standard Method Performance RequirementsSM (SMPRs) for Total Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 
in Infant and Adult/ Pediatric Nutritional Formula  
AOAC 2015.004 , Standard Method Performance RequirementsSM (SMPRs) for Total Vitamin B3 (Niacin) in 
Infant and Adult/Pediatric Nutritional Formula  
AOAC 961.15 , Method modification for liquid chromatographic determination of thiamine, riboflavin, and 
pyridox ine in medical foods.  
AOAC 2004.05 , AOAC Official Method 2004.05 Total Folates in Cereal  
AOAC 952.20 , Cobalamin (Vitamin B12 Activity) in vitamin preparations ― Microbiological methods  
ISO 6869 , Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of the contents of calc ium, copper, iron, magnesium, 
manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc — Method using atomic absorption spectrometry  
AOAC 960.45 , Vitamin A in margarine. Spectrophotometric met  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms an d definitions apply.   
2 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 3.1  
fortification  
practice of deliberately adding micronutrient(s), 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  
3.2  
fortification premix  
blend of fortificants and diluents formulated to provide specified and determinable amounts of micronutrients  
3.3  
fortificant  
compound which contains essential micronutrient intended to be added to a food  
3.4  
food v ehicle  
food products to which micronutrients are added such as  wheat flour, maize flour, composite flour, blended 
flour, sugar, salt, fat s preads and edible fats and oils  
3.5 
indicator  
measurable value used to verify that a process is working acc ording to specifications. For example, feed rate 
can be used as an indicator to verify the correct functio ning of a fortification process  
3.6 
micronutrient  
natural or synthesized vitamin, mineral or a trace element that is essential for normal growth, deve lopment 
and maintenance of life and of which a deficiency will be detrimental to health  
3.7 
diluent  
suitable, inert, edible food grade carrier for micronutrients  
3.8 
overage  
refers to the additional amount of fortificant added to the premix/ food to compen sate for losses that do occur 
during processing, distribution and storage,  which will ensure the fortified food delivers the targeted level of 
nutrien ts at the time the food is used  
4. Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  The addition rate for the p remix or the fortificants to the final products shall be declared on the 
package . 
4.1.2  The Minimum nutrient level in the premix or fortificant shall be the active form of the nutrient added as 
declared in the specification Tables 1,  2, 3 and 4 of this sta ndard . 
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1  The food fortification premix and food fortificants is formulated at an addition rate of 500 g/MT so to 
comply with Table 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the respective food vehicle.  
NOTE Where a premix in presented at declared add ition rate other than 500 g/MT, the minimum limits on nutrients in 
the premix shall be calculated as shown in each of the table .  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2.2  The results of analysis shall be the nutrient content of the premix or fortificant as specified in the 
micronutrient colu mn of each  table.  
Table 1 — Premix for milled maize products, blended flours and composite flour  
Micronutrient  Fortificant compound  g/Kg of premix1,2 Test method  
Vitamin  A as Retinol  Vitamin  A  (Retinyl)  palmitate, spray -dried  or 
equivalent, 7.5 % retin ol, min 1 ISO 20633  
Vitamin B 1 Thiamin Mononitrate, activity level, 81 %, min  7 AOAC 2015.002  
Vitamin B 2 Riboflavin, activity level, 90.5 %, min.  5 AOAC 2015.003  
Vitamin B 3 Niacinamide, activity level, 99 %, min  36 AOAC 2015.004  
Vitamin B 6 Pyridoxine, activity level,  82 %, min.  5 AOAC 961.15  
Folates  Folic acid, activity level, 100 %, min.  1 AOAC 2004.05  
Vitamin B12  Vitamin  B12  (Water  soluble),  activity  level,  0.1  %, 
min. 0.02 AOAC 952.20  
Iron NaFeEDTA, activity level, 12.5 % Fe, min.  45 ISO 6 869 
Ferrous fumarate  activity level, 32 %, min  
Zinc Zinc oxide, activity level, 80 %, min.  76 ISO 6869  
1 Refer to clause 4.2.2  
2 in premix of different declared addition rate as per clause 4.1.1, Nutrient content in g/kg of premix shall be     calcu lated as shown below for each of the 
micronutrient:  
  
  
                    where  
  a is 500g/MT , 
  b is the declared addition rate in g/MT of premix , 
  c is g/kg of nutrient of premix specified in this table (column 3) .  
4 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Table 2 — Premix for wheat flour  
Micronutrient  Fortificant compound  g/Kg of premix1  Test Method  
Vitamin A as 
Retinol  Vitamin A (Retiny l)  palmitate, spray -dried  or equivalent, 7.5 % 
retinol,  min  1 ISO 20633  
Vitamin B1  Thiamin Mononitrate, activity level, 81 %, min.  11 AOAC 2015.002  
Vitamin B2  Riboflavin, activity level, 90.5 %, min.  8 AOAC 2015.003  
Vitamin B3  Niacinamide, activity level, 99 %, min  60 AOAC 2015.004  
Vitamin B6  Pyridoxine, activity level,  82 %, min.  7 AOAC 961.15  
Folates  Folic acid, activity level, 100 %, min. 3 AOAC 2004.05  
Vitamin B12  Vitamin  B12  (Water  soluble),  activity  level,  0.1  %, min.  0.02 AOAC 952.20  
Iron NaFeEDTA, activity level, 12.5 % Fe, min.  
45 ISO 6869  
Ferrous fumarate  activity level, 32 %, min  
Zinc Zinc oxide, activity level, 80 %, min.  92 ISO 6869  
1Refer to clause 4.2.2  
2  in premix of different declared addition rate as per clause 4.1.1, Nutrient content in g/kg of premix shall be     calcula ted as shown below for each of the 
micronutrient:  
  
  
                    where  
 a is 500g/MT , 
  b is the declared addition rate in g/MT of premix , and  
  c is g/kg of nutrient of premix specified in this table (column 3) . 
  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 Table 3 — Vitamin A fortificant for sugar  
Micronutrient  Fortificant  Compound  g/kg of premix1,2  Method  of test  
Vitamin A as 
Retinol  
  Retinyl Palmitate (1.7 M IU/g oil or 1 M IU/g)  12 AOAC 960.45  
1Refer to clause 4.2.2  
2  in fortificant of different declared addition rate as per clause 4.1.1, Nutrient content in g/kg of premix shall be     ca lculated as shown below for each of the 
micronutrient:  
  
  
                  where  
  a is 500g/MT  
  b is the declared addition rate in g/MT of premix  
  c is g/kg of nutrient of premix specified in this table (column 3) 
Table 4 — Vitamin A fortificant for edible oils, fats and fat spreads  
Micronutrient  Fortificant  Compound  g/kg of premix1,2 Method of test  
Vitamin A as 
Retinol  
  Retinyl Palmitate (1.7 M IU/g oil or 1 M IU/g)  48 AOAC 960.45  
1Refer to clause 4.2.2  
2  in fortificant of different declared add ition rate as per clause 4.1.1, Nutrient content in g/kg of premix shall be     calculated as shown below for each of the 
micronutrient:  
  
  
                    where,  
  a is 500g/MT , 
  b is the declared addition rate in g/MT of premix , and  
  c is g/kg of nutrient of premix specified in this table (column 3) . 
 
 
Table 5  — Potassium iodate  fortificant for s alt 
Micronutrient  Fortificant Compound  g/kg of premix1,2 Method of test  
Iodine  Potassium iodate  69 AOAC 960.45   
6 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
  
1Refer to clause 4.2.2  
2  in  fortificant of different declared addition rate as per clause 4.1.1, Nutrient content in g/kg of premix shall be     calculat ed as shown below for each of the 
micronutrient:  
  
  
                   where 
  a is 500g/MT , 
  b is the declared addi tion rate in g/MT of premix , and  
  c is g/kg of nutrient of premix specified in this table (column 3) . 
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Heavy metals  
The premix shall be free from heavy metals in amounts, which may represent a hazard to human health . 
6 Food additive s 
When used, f ood additive s shall be in accordance with CODEX STAN 192. 
7 Hygiene  
Food f ortification premix and fortificants shall be manufactured, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 
39. 
8 Weights and measures  
Food fortification  premix and fortificant s shall comply with the Weights and Measures Regulations of the 
respective Partner States . 
9 Packaging  
9.1 Food f ortification p remix and fortificants shall be packaged in containers, which will safeguard the 
hygienic, nutritional, technological, and organo leptic qualities of the product.  
9.2 The packaging materials shall be made of substances, which are safe and suitable for their intended 
use. They shall not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product.  
9.3 The product package must be clean, sturdy and strongly sewn or sealed.   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  7 
 10 Labelling  
In addition to the provisions of EAS 38, the following information shall be legibly and indelibly included on the 
label of the container or package:  
a) name of the product : for flour premixes , it shall be “ wheat flour premix ” or “maize/composite flour 
premix ”. For sugar and fats/oils it shall be label led as “Vitamin A fortificant for xx”, where xx may either 
be sugar  or oils , for salt it shall be as potassium iodate fortificant ; 
b) nutrient compound used;  
c) addition rate shall be declared;  
d)  Instructions/direction for use ; 
e) name and location address of the manufacturer ; 
f) batch/lot number and identification code ; 
g) net weight (in metric system) ; 
h) date of manufacture and Best before date ; 
i) premix Composition ; and 
j) storage condition . 
 DEAS 1023 : 2019    
 
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