DEAS 127-1: 2020 
ICS 71.100.70 
© EA C 2020                                                                                                                           Fourth  Edition 2020  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Synthetic detergent powders — Specification — Part 1: Household hand 
use 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  DEAS 127-1: 2020 
ii © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
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 EAC.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed as 
shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the r equester:  
© East African Community  2020 — All rights reserved  
East African Community   
P.O.Box 1096  
Arusha  
Tanzania  
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8  
Fax: 255 27 2504481/2504255  
E-mail: eac@eachq.org  
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Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  Violators 
may be persecuted  DEAS 127-1: 2020 
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Norm ative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  2 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4.2 Specific quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
4.3 Storage properties  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  2 
5 Packaging and marking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  3 
5.1 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3 
5.2 Marking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
6 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 3 
Annex A (informative)  List of suggested builders and additives  ................................ ........................  4 
Annex B (normative)  Determination of non -detergent organic matter  ................................ ...............  5 
B.1 General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  5 
B.2 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 5 
B.3 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 5 
B.4 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 5 
B.5 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 6 
Annex C (normative)  Determination of matter insoluble in water  ................................ .......................  7 
C.1 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 7 
C.2 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 7 
Annex D (normative)  Sampling procedure for powder detergents  ................................ .....................  8 
D.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  8 
D.2 Scale of sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  8 
D.3 Preparation of gross samples, test sample and reference sample  ................................ .........  9 
D.3.1  Gross sample  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  9 
D.3.2  Test sample  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 9 
D.3.3  Reference samples  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  9 
D.4 Number of tests  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  9 
D.5 Criteria for conformity ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  9 
D.5.1  For individual samples ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  9 
D.5.2  For composit e sample  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  10 
 DEAS 127-1: 2020 
iv © EAC 20 20 – 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) and other deliverables. The Com mittee 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 Committee s 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 and other deliverables 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 Committ ee EASC/TC 074, Surface active agents  
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.  
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (EAS 127-1:2013), which has been technically revised.  
EAS 127 consists of the following parts, under the general title Synthetic detergent powders — Specification   
Part 1: Household hand use  
Part 2: Machine wash  DEAS 127-1: 2020 
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  v 
 Introduction  
There are two main groups of detergents, namely, the soaps and synthetic detergents. In order to guide the 
production of synthetic detergents of well -defined quality and also to safeguard consumer interests, it has been 
felt desirable to formulate this standard.  
Synthetic detergents are of three types: anionic, cationic and non -ionic. Anionic synthetic detergents of the alkyl 
aryl type, such as dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, are now produced in fairly Iarge quantities and h ence priority 
has been given for the standardization of this material.  
It has been discovered that equally good cleaning can be achieved at relatively low detergent levels. With the 
advance of technology, other equally effective, environmentally safe and c heaper builders can be used instead 
of Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) which is currently being used. Phosphates have been known to bring 
eutrofication in water bodies and companies world over are doing away with them and encouraging use of 
alternative buil ders such as zeolites and carbonates, and therefore for this reason the requirement for levels of 
STPP are being progressively phased out in the standard with a view of eliminating them in the near future.  
The standard is more composition based than perfo rmance based and for that re ason performance measures 
for cleaning efficiency and detergency tests have been included.  This edition emphasizes on the 
biodegradability of the surfactants used to manufacture detergent powders and a method for determining the  
same has been developed.  
 DRAFT  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 127-1:2020 
 
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  1 
 Synthetic detergent powders — Specification — Part 1: Household hand 
use 
1 Scope  
This Draft  East African Standard specifies the requirements , sampling and test methods for synthetic detergents 
for household use.  
This standard does not cover machine wash and industrial detergent powders.  
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 refe renced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
ISO 672,  Soaps — Determination of moisture and volatile matter content — Oven method  
ISO 673,  Soaps — Determination of content of ethanol -insoluble matter  
ISO 2870,  Surface active agents — Detergents — Determination of anionic -active matter hydrolysable and non -
hydrolysable under acid conditions  
ISO 2871 -1, Surface active agents — Detergents — Determination of cationic -active matter content — Part 1: 
High-molecular -mass cationic -active matter  
ISO 2871 -2, Surface active agents — Detergents — Determination of cationic -active matter content — Part 2: 
Cationic -active matter of low molecular mass (between 200 and 500)  
ISO 4313 , Washing powders — Determination of total phosphorous (v) oxide content — Quinoline 
phosphomolybdate gravimetric method  
ISO 4316, Surface active agents — Determination of pH of aqueous solution — Potentiometric method  
ISO 4317,  Surface -active agents and detergents — Determination of water content — Karl Fischer methods  
ISO 862, Surface act ive agents — Vocabulary  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, terms and definitions given in ISO 862 and the following shall apply.  
3.1 
batch  
material from a single mix or, in the case of a continuous production process, the material from a single day's 
production  
3.2 
defective  
detergent or a container that fails in one or more respects to comply with the relevant requirements of this 
standard  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
2 © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 3.3  
lot 
quantity of a detergent bearing the same batch identification, from one manufacturer, and submitted at any one 
time for inspection and testing  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements   
4.1.1  The active ingredient shall be ionic or non -ionic . The formulation may contain one or more of the 
builders or additives given in Annex A.  The active ingredient used shall be biodegradable . 
4.1.2  The detergent powder shall be homogenous, free flowing  powder , free from visible impurities, abrasives 
and organic solvents and shall be readily soluble in water.  
4.1.3  The detergent powder shall no t be irritating to the normal skin and shall not contain any ingredients in 
a quantity that is toxic to human beings.  
4.1.4  The detergent  powder  shall not give an unpleasant odour and shall give good lather.  
4.1.5  Neither the detergent nor a solution of th e detergent in hot water (at 60 °C ± 2 °C) shall have 
objectionable odour. Perfume may be added, in which case, the perfume shall not change its fragrance nor 
develop an objectionable odour during storage at ambient temperature for six months.  
4.1.6  The detergent  powder  may be coloured provided that the colouring is uniform and does not change 
appreciably during storage.  
4.2 Specific quality  requirements   
The detergent  powder  shall also comply with the  specific quality requirements given in Table 1, when tested by 
the appropria te method prescribed.  
Table 1 — Specific quality r equirements for synthetic detergents for household use  
S/No  Characteristics  Requirements  Method of test  
i.  Moisture and volatile matter content at 105 °C, % by mass, 
max.  13 ISO 672  
ISO 4317  
ii.  Active ingredient, % by mass, min . 12 ISO 2870  
ISO 2871 -1 
ISO 2871 -2 
iii.  Matter insoluble in ethanol , % by mass, max . 80 ISO 673 
iv.  Phosphate (expressed as sodium tripoly -phosphate), % by 
mass of matter insoluble in alcohol, max . 15  ISO 4313  
v.  pH of 1 % solution (m/v), at 25  °C ± 2 °C  9 to 11  ISO 4316  
vi.  Non-detergent organic matter, % by mass, max . 1.0 Annex B 
vii.  Matter insoluble in water*, % by mass, max . 5.0 Annex C 
* For the case of non -phosphate based laundry detergents, MIW shall be 15 % by mass, max.  
4.3 Storage properties   
When stored or transported under normal conditions in the original container, the powder shall not cake into 
lumps.  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  3 
 5 Pack aging and labelling  
5.1 Packaging  
The detergent shall be packed in containers that are strong enou gh to withstand normal handling and 
transportation and that will prevent leakage and contamination of the product.  
5.2  Labelling  
Each package  shall be legibly and indelibly labelled either in English, Kiswahili or French or combination or any 
other language as agreed between the manufacturer and supplier with the following information”  
a) name of the product as “synthetic detergent powder”;  
b)  categ ory as phosphate or non -phosphate based  
c) manufacturer’s name and physical address;  
NOTE  The name, physical address of the distributor/supplier and trade mark may be added as required.  
d) batch or code number ; 
e) net content;  
f) country of origin ; 
g) instructions for use ( which shall be in either English, Kiswahili or French  or in combination as agreed 
between the manufacturer and supplier”) ; 
h) date of manufacture  and best before date . 
6 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with Annex D.  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
4 © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 Annex A  
(informative)  
 
List of suggested builders and additives  
The following is a list of suggested builders and additives:   
a) trisodium phosphate ; 
b) sodium carbonate ; 
c) sodium su lfate; 
d) tetrasodium pyrophosphate ; 
e) sodium tripolyphosphate ; 
f) sodium hexametaphosphate ; 
g) sodium carboxy methy l cellulose ; 
h) sodium silicate ; 
i) optical brighteners ; 
j) lather boosters ; 
k) hydrotopes ; 
l) perfumes ; 
m) preservatives ; 
n) chelating agents (sequestering agents) ; 
o) colours ; 
p) perborates ; 
q) enzymes ; 
r) bactericides ; 
s) zeolites ; 
t) common salt ;  
u) urea; 
v) magnesium sulphate ;  
w) polymers ; and  
x) any other internationally accepted builder cleared by the national standards body in the respective 
country . DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex B  
(normative)  
 
Determination of non -detergent organic matter  
B.1 General  
The term non -detergent organic matter includes hydrocarbons, fatty a lcohols and perfumes. Using petroleum 
ether and under the conditions prescribed, non -detergent organic matter only is extracted leaving any 
alkylolamide present in the material.  
B.2 Apparatus  
B.2.1 Evaporating basin  
B.2.2 Separating funnels, 1 000 -mL capac ity 
B.2.3 Wide mouthed flat -bottomed flask, 200-mL capacity  
B.2.4 Buchner flask, 500-mL-capacity  fitted with a sintered glass filter funnel (porosity 4)  
B.3 Reagents  
B.3.1 Ethyl alcohol, 50 %, 70 %. 90 % and 96% (by volume)  
B.3.2 Petroleum ether,  boiling range 40 °C to 60 °C non -volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001%  
B.3.3 Acetone,  non-volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001 %  
B.4 Procedure  
B.4.1 Weigh accurately about 5 g of the material in a 150 -mL squat beaker. Extract with 50 m L of hot 90 
% ethanol by heating on the steam bath for about 2 min stirring and breaking up any hard lumps with a glass 
rod flattened at the end.  
Allow the solid matter to settle and decant the hot aIcoholic solution through a sintered glass filter funnel 
(porosity 4) fitted to a 500 -mL Buchner flask to which suction is applied. Repeat the extraction in a similar 
manner with five further consecutive 30 -mL quantities of boiling 90 % ethanol. Pass each extract in turn through 
the filter into the flask.  
B.4.2 Transfer quan titatively all the combined filtrate from the Buchner flask to a 1 -L separating funnel 
and rinse the flask four times with 40 -mL quantities of distilled water, transferring each wash in turn to the 
separating funnel. Add 100 m L of petroleum ether, swirl ge ntly to ensure adequate mixing and allow the two 
phases to separate. Run off the aqueous alcoholic layer into a second separating funnel, and extract with 75 
mL of petroleum ether. Repeat the extraction of the aqueous alcoholic phase in the third separatin g funnel with 
a further 75 m L of petroleum ether. Combine the three ether extracts in the first separating funnel. Rinse each 
of the two empty funnels with a few millilitres petroleum ether and add the rinsing to the combined ether extracts.  
B.4.3 Wash the  combined ethe r extracts and rinsing (see B. 4.2) with four successive 50 -mL portions of 
70 % ethyl alcohol, shaking and removing the alcoholic phase each time. Transfer the ether layer in stages to 
a tared flask and evaporate off the solvent. Add 10 m L of acetone and evaporate off the solvent. Rotate the 
flask on a steam bath during the operation. Cool the flask to about 60 °C to 65 °C, gently blow out the last traces 
of solvent with a current of dry air, cool in a desiccator and weigh.  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
6 © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 B.5 Calculation  
The non- detergent organic matter  is expressed as follows:  
Non- detergent organic matter, %, by mass
mm1100  
where  
m1 is the mass , in grams,  of the non -detergent organic matter in the flask; and  
m is the mass , in grams,  of the material taken for the test.  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex C 
(normative)  
 
Determination of matter insoluble in water  
C.1 Procedure  
C.1.1  Starting with a fresh portion of the material, weigh accurately about 5 g of the material into a beaker, 
and digest with 50 ml of ethyl alcohol by heating on a steam bath for about 2  min. Stir and break up any hard 
lump with a glass rod flattened at one end. Allow the solid matter to settle and decant the hot alcoholic solution 
through a sintered glass filter funnel fitted to a Buchner flask, to which suction is applied. Repeat the al coholic 
digestion in a similar manner with five further consecutive 30 -ml portions of boiling ethyl alcohol. Filter each 
extract in turn through the same sintered glass  funnel and, finally, wash the residue several times with hot ethyl 
alcohol to remove al l the alcohol solubles. Dry the sintered glass funnel with the residue in an air -oven at a 
temperature of 105 °C ± 2 °C until a constant mass is obtained.  
 
C.1.2 Even after digestion with five 30 -ml portions of boiling ethyl alcohol, the alcohol insoluble portion may 
sometimes be found to be sticky. In that case, treat it further with more boiling ethyl alcohol until it is free from 
active matter and the alcohol insoluble portion is no longer sticky.  Do not dry or weigh the matter insoluble in 
alcohol. Afte r filtering and washing the residue thoroughly with hot ethyl alcohol, change the receiver, extract 
the residue with successive portions of distilled water at about 60 °C, and wash the residue several times to 
remove all the water solubles. Dry the sintere d glass funnel with the residue in an air -oven at a temperature of 
105 °C ± 2 °C until a constant mass is obtained . 
C.2 Calculation  
The m atter insoluble in water  is expressed as follows:  
Matter insoluble in water, % by mass = 
mm1100  
where  
m1 is the mass , in grams , of matter insoluble in water; and  
m is mass , in grams,  of material taken for the test.  
 
 DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
8 © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 Annex D 
(normative)  
 
Sampling procedure for powder detergents  
D.1 General requirements  
D.1.1 In drawing preparing, storing and handling samples, the precautions in D.1.2 – D.1.7 shall be observed.  
D.1.2 Samples shall not be taken from place s exposed to damp air, dust or soot.  
D.1.3 The sampling instruments shall be clean and dry when used.  
D.1.4 The samples, the material being sampled, the sampling instruments and  the containers for samples 
shall be protected from adventitious contamination.  
D.1.5 The samples shall be placed in clean and dry glass containers. The sample containers shall be of such 
a size that they are almost completely filled by the sample.  
D.1.6 Each container shall be sealed airtight after filling, and marked with full details of sampling  which 
include , date of sampling, batch or code number, name of manufacturer, and other important particulars of the 
consignment.  
D.1.7 The samples shall be store d in such a manner that the temperature of the material does not vary unduly 
from the normal temperature, and that they are protected from light.  
D.2 Scale of sampling  
D.2.1 In a single consignment, all the packages containing non -soapy detergents of the s ame type and form, 
and drawn from the same batch of manufacture, shall constitute a lot. If the consignment consists of packages 
containing non -soapy detergents of different types and forms, then the packages containing non -soapy 
detergents of the same typ e form and batch of manufacture shall be grouped together, and such group shall 
constitute a separate lot.  
D.2.2 For ascertaining the conformity of the lot to the requirements prescribed in this standard, tests shall be 
carried out on each lot separately. The number (n) of packages to be selected for drawing the samples shall 
depend upon the size (N) of the lot and sha ll be in accordance with Table D.1.  
Table D.1  — Scale of sampling  
No. of packages in the lot  
(N) No. of packages to be selected  
(n) 
4 to 15  3 
16 to 40  4 
41 to 65  5 
66 to 110  7 
111 and above  10 
NOTE  When the size of  the lot is 3 packages or less, the number of containers to be selected and the 
criteria for judging the conformity of the lot to the specifications should be as agreed on between the 
purchaser /inspector  and the supplier.  
BU  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
© EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  9 
 D.2.3 The packages shall be selected at random and to ensure randomness of selection, a random number 
table shall be used. In case such tables are not available, the procedure given below  may be adopte d. 
Starting from any package, count all the packages in one order as 1, 2, 3,…, up to r and so on, where r is the 
integral part of N/n, (N being the lot size and n the number of packages to be selected). Every rth package thus 
counted shall be withdrawn to  give a sample for the purposes of test.  
D.3 Preparation of gross samples, test sample and reference sample  
D.3.1 Gross sample  
From each one of the packages selected as in D.2, draw at random one or more containers. The material in the 
containers so chosen shall be nearly thrice the quantity required for purpose of test as indicated in D.4. 
The powder  from the containers selected shall be disintegrated, if aggregated , and mix ed thoroughly to give the 
gross sample for the package.  
D.3.2 Test sample  
D.3.2.1  Segregate carefully the gross samples of powders. From the gross representing each form of 
synthetic detergent take a small but equal quantity of material and mix thoroughly into a composite sample 
which should be of a size sufficient to carry out triplicate testing for all the characteristics specified under D.4. 
The composite samples representing each form and type of synthetic detergent shall be divided into three equal 
parts, one for the purchaser /inspector , another for the supplier, and the third for the referee.  
D.3.2.2  The remaining portion of the material i n each of the gross samples shall be divided into three equal 
pans, each forming an individual sample. One set of individual samples, representing the n selected packages 
shall be for the purchaser /inspector , another for the supplier, and the third for ref erence. 
D.3.2.3  All the composite and individual samples shall be transferred to separate containers. These 
containers shall then be sealed airtight with stoppers, and labelled with full particulars of identification given in 
D.1.6. 
D.3.3 Refere nce samples  
D.3.3.1  The refere nce samples shall consist of a composite sample and a set of individual samples. All the 
containers shall bear the seals of both the purchaser /inspector  and the supplier, and shall be kept at a place 
agreed to between the two parties.  
D.3.3.2  Refere nce samples shall be used in case of any dispute between the purchaser /inspector  and the 
supplier.  
D.4 Number of tests  
D.4.1 Tests for the determination of active ingredient shall be performed on each of the individual samples.  
D.4.2 Tests for the determination of other requirements  specified in Table 1 shall be conducted on the 
composite sample.  
D.5 Criteria for conformity  
D.5.1 For individual samples  
D.5.1.1 For the characteristic, which has been determined on the individual sample, the mean (X) and the 
range (R) of test results shall be calculated as follows:  DEAS 127 -1: 2020  
10 © EAC 20 20 – All rights reserved  
 

resultstestof Numberresultstestof SumMean X 
Range ( R) is the difference between the maximum and the minimum value of test results.  
D.5.1.2 If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a mini mum, the value of the expression (
X
- KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also D.5.1.5). If the value so obtained is greater 
than or equal to the minimum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the 
chara cteristic.  
D.5.1.3 If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a maximum, the value of the expression (
X
+ KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also D.5.1.5). If the value so obtained is less 
than or equal to the max imum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the 
characteristic.  
D.5.1.4 If the characteristic has two -sided specification limits, then the values of the expression (
X  ± KR) 
shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also D.5.1.5). If the value so obtained lies between the 
two specification limits, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
D.5.1.5 The value of the factor K referred to in D.5.1.2 - D.5.1.4 shall be c hosen in accordance with Table 
D.2, depending upon the acceptable quality level, that is, the percentage, of non -conforming packages that may 
be tolerated reasonably.  
Table D.2  — Value of 'K' for achieving different acceptable quality levels  
Acceptable quality level  Value of 'K'  
Not more than 3.0 % defectives  0.4 
Not more than 1.5 % defectives  0.5 
Not more than 0.5 % defectives  0.6 
 
D.5.2 For composite sample  
For declaring the conformity of the lot to the requirements of all the remaining characteristics determined on the 
composite sample, the test results for each one of the characteristics shall satisfy the relevant requirement given 
in Table 1 of this standard . 
 EAS 127-1:2013    
 
© EAC 2013  – All rights reserved