KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2980 :2022  
ICS ##.### 
First  Edition  
  
 © KEBS 2023  
 Bamboo toothpicks  and skewers – 
specification   
 
 
 
 
DKS 2980 : 2023 
ii © KEBS yyyy – All rights reserved  
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
Kenya Forestry Research Institute  (KEFRI)  
Softmation Africa Limited  
Kenya Building research center  
Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure Housing, Urban Development and Public Wor ks 
Green pot enterprise  
Alogo enterprise  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions for 
improve ments to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome.  
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2023 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of  the Laws of Ken ya, copyright subsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior  permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.   KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2980 :2023 
ICS ##.###  
First  Edition  
 
© KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  iii 
  Bamboo toothpicks and skewers – 
specification   
 
Kenya Bureau of Standards,  Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722202137, + 254 734600471  
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 @KEBS_ke  
 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
  
DKS 2980 : 2023 
iv © KEBS yyyy – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Bamboo and Rattan Technical  Committee under the guidance of the 
Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Standards  
 KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2980 : 2023 
 
© KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  1 
 Bamboo toothpicks  and skewers – specification   
1 Scope  
This standard specifies the product types, technical requirements, inspection methods, inspection rules, 
identification, packaging, transportation and storage of bamboo toothpicks  and skewers . This standard applies 
to bamboo toothpicks and skewers used for tooth picking , food and bea uty industry . This standard does not 
apply to coated bamboo toothpicks  and skewers  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents 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.  
ISO 13061 -1:2014 Physical and mechanical properties of wood — Test methods for small clear wood 
specimens — Part 1: Determination of moisture content for physical and mechanical tests  
KS ISO 780:2015  Packaging -Distribution packaging -Graphical symbols for handling and storage of packages  
ISO 10725:2000  Acceptance sampling plans and procedures for the inspection of bulk materials   
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard,  the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1  
Bamboo toothpicks  
a short, pointed thin piece of bamboo with either  one or sometimes two pointed en ds used for removing bits of 
food lodged between the teeth  after a meal.  
3.2  
little tip 
the slender tip of the toothpick tip.  
 
3.3  
barbed  tip 
the barb -shaped tip of the toothpick tip.  
3.4  
Split  tip 
stubble at the tip of a toothpick  
3.5  
arris tip  
longitudinal prismatic point at the tip of the toothpick.   
2 © KEBS: 2023: – All rights reserved  
 3.6  
decay  
decomposition of material due to the invasion of decaying bacteria  and/or  fungi  resulting to reduced 
strength and structure  
 
3.7  
split 
Bamboo fibers separated along the grain direction.  
 
3.8  
wane  
cylinder edge defects caused by planing, sanding, bumping, or undersized bamboo stick wool.  
 
3.9  
stains  
local discoloration on the surface caused by microorganisms, metals or chemicals.  
 
3.10  
mildew  
a thin white coating caused by fungal hyphae  growing on a damp wood or surface  
 
3.11  
glitch 
bamboo fib er bundles that may cause splinter  and scratches on the finished bamboo toothpick.  
 
3.12  
tip diameter  
the smallest diameter of the toothpick tip /skewer . 
 
3.13  
Heat treatment  
exposing the material to 56oc temperatures for 30 minutes to sterilize and eliminate pests  
 
 
4 Product Type  
4.1 Classification  
According to the shape, it can be divided into round double -end pointed bamboo toothpicks /skewers  and 
round single -end pointed bamboo toothpi cks/skewers . 
4.2 Round double -ended bamboo toothpicks /skewer  
The round double -ended bamboo toothpicks /skewer  are shown in Figure 1.  
 
 
Figure 1. Round double -ended bamboo toothpicks /skewer  
DKS 2980 : 2023 
© KEBS 2023  – All rights reserved  3 
  
Key: 
l ——length;  
d1——diameter of cylinder;  
d2——the diameter of the tip plane;  
α ——End taper angle.  
4.3 Round single -ended bamboo toothpicks /skewer  
 
Figure 2 shows a round single -ended bamboo toothpick.  
Key: 
L ——length;  
d1——diameter of cylinder;  
d2——the diameter of the tip plane;  
α ——End taper angl e. 
5 Technical requirements  
5.1 Raw material requirements  
The bamboo used should be 3 – 4 years old  raw bamboo.  
5.2 Sensory requirements  
5.2.1 Odor  
The material should be free from odour  
5.2.2 Appearance quality  
Should comply with the provisions of Table 1. 
 
Table 1 Appearance quality requirements  
Defects  Limit  
blunt tip, hook tip, split tip, edge tip  Slightly  
 
4 © KEBS: 2023: – All rights reserved  
 decay, mildew  not allowed  
glitch  Slightly  
stains  not allowed  
Wane  Slightly  
crack  not more than 15% of the length  
NOTE – slightly  means  defects cannot be easily seen if the toothpick is placed 200mm away from the naked 
eye under  natural light,  
 
5.3 Specifications and deviations  for toothpicks  and  skewers  
Toothpicks  should comply with the provisions of Table 2  (a). 
Dimensi on  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 50.0≤L≤70.0  ±1.0 
Cylinder diameter 
(i1)  mm 1.4≤i1≤1.8  ±0.2 
1.8<i1≤2.2  ±0.3 
Tip Plane Diameter 
(i2) mm 0.40 ±0.10  
End taper angle (α)  (°) 11 ±3 
 
Skewers  should comply with the provisions of Table  2 (b). 
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 112.0≤L≤250 .0 ±1.0 
Cylinder diameter 
(d1)  mm 2.5≤d1≤4.0 ±0.5 
Tip Plane Diameter 
(d2) mm 0.60 ±0.10  
End taper angle (α)  (°) 7 ±3 
 
5.4 Moisture content  
The moisture content shall be  8% - 13%.  
5.5 Preservation of raw material  
Only non -chemical preservation  is recommended , however, h eat treatment is preferred   DKS 2980 : 2023 
© KEBS 2023  – All rights reserved  5 
 6 Inspection method  
6.1 Sensory test  
6.1.1 Odour  
Take a group (50) of bamboo toothpicks /skewers , 50mm away from them, and sniff.  
6.1.2 Appearance  
Visual inspection of the samples taken is carried out as required. When using visual inspection, the viewing 
distance should be 100mm to 200mm under natural light or approximate na tural light in the range of 300lx to 
600lx of illumination (such as 40W fluorescent lamp).  
6.2 Size  deviation inspection  
6.2.1 Measuring tools  
6.2.1.1 Vernier caliper  graduated at 1.0mm and precision of 0.02mm.  
6.2.1.2 Steel ruler  graduated at 0.5mm and precision of  0.5mm.  
6.2.1.3 Universal angle ruler with an accuracy of 0.02'.  
6.2.2 Length  
Length (L) inspection is measured with a steel ruler (refer to 6.2.1.2) . 
6.2.3 Diameter  
The diameter of the cylinder (d 1) is checked at one -half of the full length, and the plane diameter of the tip (d 2) 
is checked at the smallest point of the tip, measured with a Vernier  caliper (refer to 6.2.1.1) . 
6.2.4 End taper angle  
The taper  angle (α) inspection shall be measured at t he end with a universal angle ruler (refer 6.2.1.3) . 
6.3 Determination of moisture content  
Take samples with complete packaging and carry out in accordance with the provisions of ISO 13061 -1 
7 Inspection rules  
7.1 Inspection classification  
Product inspecti on is divided into factory inspection and type inspection.  
7.2 Factory inspection  
Each batch of products shall be subject ed to factory inspection. The factory inspection includes the following 
items:  
— sensory testing.  
—Specification size and deviation inspection.  
--- Moisture content test.   
6 © KEBS: 2023: – All rights reserved  
 7.3 Type inspection  
7.3.1 Check all items.  
7.3.2 After one year of normal production, type inspection shall be carried out in any of the following situations:  
• Trial-type identification of new products or products transferred to factories;  
• During formal production, such as when there are major changes in structure, raw materials, and 
processes;  
• When the product has been discontinued for more than six months , when  the production is resumed;  
• When there is a big difference between the factory inspection results and the last type inspection results;  
• When the national quality supervision agency puts forward the requirements for type inspection.  
7.4 Group batching princ iples 
Products with the same variety of raw materials, production conditions, specifications and types are considered 
as one inspection batch.  
7.5 Sampling plan  
Samples with complete packaging from the same inspection lot are randomly selected in the finis hed product 
warehouse. Sampling is in accordance with ISO 10725 normal inspection one -time sampling plan, the inspection 
level is S -4, and the acceptance quality limit (AQL) is 6.5, see Table 3.  
Table 3 Inspection sampling plan  
batch range   Number of sampl es Acceptable number  (Ac) Rejection number (Re)  
≤35000  50 7 8 
35001 - 500000  80 10 11 
≥500001  125 14 15 
 
7.6 Judgment of results  
All indicators meet the corresponding technical requirements, and the batch of products is determined to be 
qualified; if a single indicator is unqualified, the single -item inspection shall be doubled, and if the inspection is 
still unqualified, the batch of products shall be determined to be unqualified products.  
8 Identification, packaging, storage and transpo rtation  
8.1 Identification  
8.1.1 Signs  
The packaging, storage and transportation diagrams are in accordance with the provisions of KS ISO 780:2015 . 
8.1.2 Labels  
The packaging should be marked with the factory name, factory address, product name, specifications, quantity, 
grade, date of manufacture, implementation standard number, expiry period , safety warning and other signs, 
and there should be an inspection cert ificate, which can be stamped with other product signs according to the 
supply and demand contract.  
8.2 Packaging  DKS 2980 : 2023 
© KEBS 2023  – All rights reserved  7 
 8.2.1 The packaging should be firm, clean  and moisture -proof.  
8.2.2 The packaging materials should be dry, clean and free of peculiar smell, w hich will not affect the product quality.  
8.3 Storage and transportation  
During storage and transportation,  the product should  be protected from moisture,  fire and pollution.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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