KENYA STANDARD                                    DKS 2086: 202 3 
                           ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Varie ties blend  milled rice  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 2023           Fourth Edition 2023  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2086: 202 3                                                                                                           
 
ii                      ©KEBS 2020 — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the T echnical Committee:  
 
Agriculture and Food Authority — Food Crop Directorate  
Eastern African grain council  
National Public and Health Laboratories  
Ministry of Health  
Government Chemist  
Ministry of Agriculture, livestock and Fisheries  
National Cereals and produce board  
Capwell industries  
Unga ltd  
Mombasa Maize Millers  
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  
University of Nairobi  
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 improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2020  
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyr ight 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Ken ya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards 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 2086: 2023  
 ©KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved            iii             ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Varieties blend  milled rice  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+ 254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814         
 DKS 2086: 202 3                                                                                                           
 
iv                      ©KEBS 2020 — All rights reserved  Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard for varieties blend milled rice was prepared by the Cereals and Pulses Technical 
Committee under the guidance of the Standards Project s Committee , and it is in accordance with t he 
procedures of the Kenya Bureau  of Standards . 
 
This third edition cancels and replaces the third edition (KS 2086:2020 ), which has been technically revised.  
 
The need to revise  this standard has arisen from the evident abuse of blending as a concept prim arily aimed 
at enhancing cooking qualities of relatively inferior varieties by mixing with predetermined proportion(s) of 
superior and closely related varieties.  
 
The revision  of this standard is therefore geared towards preserving the integrity of blendin g as a concept 
whose time is here, regulating the practice and retaining it within its noble context. Customer satisfaction and 
complete transparency have become increasingly critical and as such, consumers need to be truthfully 
informed of the nature of p roduct they are purchasing.  
 
The standard is also designed to ensure enhanced safety of the consumers and guarantee the interests of 
the stakeholders in the rice sub -sector.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following docu ments : 
 
 MS 225:1974  Specification for milled rice.  
 
 USA: 1983  Standard for milled rice (Federal Grain Inspection S ervice USDA) . 
 
 Pakistan  Standard:  Specif ication for r ice 1993,  PS 3342 . 
 
 Codex Standard for r ice 1995 , “Codex Stan 198” . 
 
 Forum for Agri cultural Research for Africa in Accra, Ghana  (FARA) — 2004 . 
 
 University of Arkansas Rice Proc essing Program (UARPP) — 2004 . 
 
 International Rice Institute Research (IRRI) in Phillipines (IRRI) — 2005 . 
 
 West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) — 2005. 
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  
 
 
 KEN YA STANDARD           DKS 2086: 202 3 
©KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved                      1  
 
Varieties blend milled rice — Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard specifies requirements, classification, grading and prescribes methods of tests for 
variet ies blend milled rice  (Oryza Spp) for human consumption.  
 
 
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.  
CODEX STAN 193,  General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Requirements  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice    
EAS 764, Rough (paddy) rice — Specification  
EAS 765, Brown rice — Specification  
EAS 900 , Cereals  and pulse s — Sampling   
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test meth ods 
 
 
 
3 Terms and Definition s 
 
For the purpose s of this standard, the following definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 
varieties  blend  
milled rice composed of two or more declared, pure rice varieties with similar grain characteristics, 
intentionally and uniformly  mixed, and where each of the declared pure variety that constitute it, is not less 
than 25 % of the entire sample by weight  
 
3.2 
paddy  
whole or broken unhulled kernels of rice ( Oryza spp)  
3.3 
hull/husk  
outer cover of the paddy  grain  
 
3.4 
de-husking  
the p rocess of removing husk from the paddy  
 
3.5 
polishing  
the process of intentionally removing bran layers from de -husked paddy  
 
3.6 
milling  DKS 2086: 2023  
            
                              ©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved  2 the process of  de-husking and/ or polishing  paddy  
 
3.7 
brown rice/cargo rice  
rice from which only the outermost layer ( husk) of a grain has been removed  
 
3.8 
milled rice  
whole or broken kernels of rice ( Oryza spp) from which the germ, embryo or at least the outer bran layer 
have been intentionally removed  
 
3.9 
polished rice   
brown rice from which most of the bran layer h as been   intentionally removed  
 
3.10 
kernel  
the ed ible portion of the paddy grain  
 
3.11 
whole kernel  
a processed  rice grain which is not broken  
3.12 
glutinous rice  
a rice variety having amylose content below 2  % and characterized by a white and opaque appe arance and 
a tendency of sticking together on cooking  
 
3.13 
non-glutinous rice  
a variety of rice having amylose content above 2  % characterized by a hard translucent appearance which 
breaks with a clean vitreous fracture, and does not have the tendency of sticking together after cooking  
 
3.14 
chalky kernels  
head rice or broken kernel, except wax rice, whose whole surface has an opaque and floury appearance  
 
3.15 
immature grain  
unripe and/or undeveloped whole or broken kernel  
 
3.16 
Red kernel   
head rice or broken kernel having a red bran covering more than 25 % of its surface  
 
3.17  
 red streaked kernels  
head rice or broken kernel with red bran streaks of length greater than or equal to 50 % of that whole kernel, 
but where the surface covered by these red st reaks is less than 25 % of the total surface  
 
3.17 
head rice  
whole kernel or part of the kernel with a length greater than or equal to 75 % of the average length of the test 
sample kernels  
3.18 
broken rice  
pieces of rice that are less than three -quarte rs of a whole kernel and includes grains of rice in which part of 
the endosperm is exposed or rice without a germ. If the piece is more than three -quarters of a kernel it is 
considered as head rice . 
                        DKS 2086: 2023  
 
 
©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved          
     3 
 3.19 
large broken kernel  
part of kernel with a length l ess than three -quarters but greater than one half of the average length of the test 
sample kernels  
 
3.20 
medium broken kernel  
part of kernel with a length less than or equal to one half but greater than one quarter of the average length 
of the test sample  kernels (see Figure 1)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key  
 
a Not passing through a round perforation of 1.4 mm in diameter  
 
L is the average length  
 
Figure 1 — Size of kernels, broken kernels and chips  
 
 
 
3.21 
finely broken rice/chips  
broken kernels of milled rice, of less th an 25 % of the average length of the whole kernel  
 
 
3.22 
damaged kernels   
kernels, whole or broken , which are distinctly damaged by insects, water, fungi or any other causative agents 
other than those c aused by the milling process.  T hey include sta ined, s potted and yellow grains  
 
 
 
 
3.23 
parboiled rice  
paddy which has been steeped in water, steamed and dried before husks are removed and subsequently 
polished with a view to enhancing its nutrition value  DKS 2086: 2023  
            
                              ©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved  4  
3.24 
bran  
 
by-product from milling of rice consisting  of the outer (pericarp) layers of the kernel with part of the germ  
 
 
3.25 
 fortified rice  
milled rice to whose nutritional value has been enhanced.  
 
3.26 
immature  
unripe and/or undeveloped whole or broken kernel which may be green in colour  
 
3.27  
foreig n matter  
all organic and inorganic material  
 
3.28 
inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
 
3.29  
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds) other than rice, damaged rice, other grains, inorgan ic 
extraneous matter and harmful/toxic seeds  
 
3.30  
filth  
impurities of animal origin  
 
3.31 
foreign  rice varieties  
any whole or broken kernels of rice with either similar or different grain characteristics in size, shape and 
aroma from the declared vari eties, and is either, with less than 25  % of the varietal weights; is not a declared 
variety in the blend; or both  
 
3.32 
food grade packaging material  
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  
 
 
Rice shall be classified as long grain, medium grain or short grain. The classification shall be done in 
accordance with one of the following specifications:   
 
a) Option 1 (kernel length/width ratio):  
i) long grain rice: milled rice with a length/width ratio of 3.0 or more;  
ii) medium grain rice: milled rice with a length/width ratio of 2.0 – 2.9; and  
iii) short grain rice: milled rice with a length/width r atio of 1.9 or less;  
 
b) Option 2 (kernel length):  
i) long grain rice with a kernel length of 6.6 mm or more;                         DKS 2086: 2023  
 
 
©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved          
     5 
 ii) medium grain rice with a kernel length of 6.2 mm or more but less than 6.6 mm; and  
iii) short grain rice with a kernel length of less than  6.2 mm;  
 
c) Option 3 (combination of the kernel length and the length/width ratio):  
i) long grain rice with either:  
• kernel length of more than 6.0 mm and with a length/width ratio of more than 2 but less than 3; or  
• kernel length of more than 6.0 m m and with a length/width ratio of 3 or more;  
ii) medium grain rice with a kernel length of more than 5.2 mm but not more than 6.0 mm and a length/width 
ratio of less than 3; and  
iii) short grain rice with a kernel length of 5.2 mm or less and a length/w idth ratio of less than 2.  
 
3.2 Milled rice shall be of the following types based on the shape of the kernel:  
 
3.2.1  Slender   
 
Milled rice having a kernel length over three times its breadth.  Also known as long grain rice.  
 
3.2.2  Medium   
 
Milled rice having a kernel length/width ratio between 2 :1 and 2 :9. 
 
3.2.3  Bold  
 
Milled rice having a kernel length/width ra tio between 1:1 and 2: 0. 
 
3.2.4  Round  
 
Milled rice having a kernel le ngth/width ratio of less than 1: 1. 
 
3.3 Milled rice shall be of the following type based o n the mass of the kernel:  
 
3.3.1  Extra h eavy   
 
1 000 whole milled rice kernels with 14 % moisture content weighing over 25 g.  
 
3.3.2  Heavy  
 
1 000 whole milled kernels with 14 % moisture content weighing 20 g to 25 g.  
 
3.3.3  Light  
 
1 000 whole milled kernel s with 14 % moisture content weighing under 20 g.  
 
 
5 Quality R equirements  
 
5.1 General requirements  
 
 
5.1.1 Varieties blend milled rice shall be  obtained only from such paddy or brown rice that complies with 
EAS 764 and EAS 765  
 
5.1.2  Varieties blend  shall be milled rice  shall be  constituted as described in  3.1 from  which definition a 
maximum of four  declared pure varieties apply.  DKS 2086: 2023  
            
                              ©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved  6  
5.1.3 Blending proportions of declared pure varieties shall be  declared. The minimum pure variety for 
blending shall be 25%.  Any fraction falling below 25  % shall be treated as a foreign variety and must 
therefore not be declared:  
 
5.1.4   All the constituents of varieties blend s shall be of similar grain characteristics (Documented profiles for 
each constituent to support clai m of grain similarities shall be readily accessible).  
 
5.1.5  Each of the constituents of v arieties blend  shall independently or collectively be obtained from the 
milling of paddy or from milled rice of moisture content not exceeding 14  %. 
 
5.1.6   Varieti es blend  shall not contain other undeclared foreign varieties beyond the limits stated in Table 1.  
 
5.1.7   Varieties blend  shall be of uniform colour  and shall be of desirable texture and appearance.  
 
5.1.8    Varieties blend  shall be free from rancid tas te. 
 
5.1.9     Varieties blend  shall be free from unpleasant or repulsive odours.  
 
5.1.10  Varieties  blend  shall be  free from foreign/ extraneous matter  such as but not limited to insects, 
rodents and their derivatives.  
 
5.1.11   Varieties blend  shall be cl early and conspicuously labe lled as such.  
 
5.1.12 Varieties blend  milled rice shall be free from all contaminants and adulterants such as but not limited 
to insects, rodents and their derivatives.  
 
 5.1.13 Varieties b lend shall be safe and suitable for hum an consumption  
 
5.2 Specific requirements  
 
Varieties blend  shall comply with the  specific requirements  stipulated in Table 1.  
 
Table  1 — Specific requirements for varieties blend 
 
 
SL No. 
 
 
  
Grading f actor  
 
 
  
Grade requirement/l imits  
  
Test method  
 EAS 9 01 
Premium  Grade  
1 Grade  
2 Grade  
3 
i) Moisture content %, m/m , max.  
 14 
 Clause 5  
iii) Broken %, m/m , max.  
  
5 15  
25  
35 Clause 4  
iv) Chalky/green immature grains 
%, m/m , max.  
  
1  
 3  
 5   
10 Clause 4  
v) Red or red streaked %, m/m , 
max.  
 2 
 2 
 6 
 12 
 Clause 4  
vii) Foreign and extraneous matter, 
%, m/m , max.  
 Nil 
 0.2 0.3 0.6 Clause4  
viii) Inorganic matter % m/m  0.1 
  
Clause 4  
ix) Filth%m/m  0.1                        DKS 2086: 2023  
 
 
©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved          
     7 
 x) Paddy (grains per 1 000), by 
count,  (or % m/m),  max.  3 (0.03 ) 30 (0.3) 
 Clause 4  
 
xi) Damaged gr ains %, m/m , max. 
  
1 
  
1.5  
2  
3 Clause4  
 
 
 
6 Contaminants  
 
6.1 Pesticide residues  
Varieties blend Milled rice shall comply with pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
 
6.2 Other contaminants  
 
6.2.1 Varieties blend  Milled rice shall comply with limits for heavy metals specified in CODEX STAN 193 
established by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
6.2.2  Varieties blend  Milled rice shall comply with limits for mycotoxins given in Table 2 when tested in  
accordance with the test methods specified therein.  
 
sno mycotoxin  maximum  Test method  
 EAS 901 
1 Total aflatoxins (AFB 1+AFB 2+AFG 1 +AFG 2)), μg/kg  
 10 Clause 9 or 10  
2 Aflatoxin B1, μg/kg  5  
 
7 Hygiene  
 
7.1 Variety blend  rice shall be produced,  prepared  and handled  in accordance with  EAS 39. 
 
7.2 Variety blend  rice shall  comply  with the limits  given in Table  3 when tested in accordance  with the te st 
methods  specified  therein.  
 
                      Table 3 ― Micro -organisms limits for varieties blend  rice 
 
 
S/N Micro -organism  Limit  Test method  
i. Escherichia  coli, in cfu/g,  max.  102 ISO 16649 -2 
ii. Salmonella  spp. per 25 g Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
iii. Yeast  and moulds,  per g, max.  104 ISO 21527 -2 
iv. Staphylococcus  aureus  cfu/g , max.  103 ISO 6888 -1 
 
 
 
 
8 Weights and measures  
 
Varieties blend milled rice shall be packaged in accordance with the weights and measures regulations of the 
destination count ry. DKS 2086: 2023  
            
                              ©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved  8  
NOTE : Kenya is a signatory to the International Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package weight of 
50 kg where human loading and offloading is involved.  
 
9 Packaging  
 
9.1 Varieties blend milled rice shall be packed in food grade packaging mater ials which will safeguard the 
hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic qualities of the products  
. 
9.2 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.  
 
 
10 Labelling  
10..1 Labelling of retail containers  
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each pack age shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with the 
following:  
a) pro duct name as “ Varieties blend m illed rice”;  
b) grade: premium, grade 1,2,3  
b) classes:  
i) long grain milled rice;  
ii) medium grain milled rice; and  
iii) short grain milled rice;  
c) name , address and physical location of the manufacturer/packer/importer;  
d) lot/batch/code number;  
e) net weight, in kilograms;  
f) the declaration “Food for human consumption’’;  
g) storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
h) crop year;  
i) expiry date;  
j) instructions on disposal of used package;  
k) country of origin; and  
l) a declaration on whether the milled rice was genetically modified or not.  
 
 
8.2 The varieties blend  information shall be declared as in Table 4.  
 
Table 4 — Information on varieties blend  
 
Blended varieties  Variety 1  Variety 2  Variety 3  Variety 4  
 
Variety name (official)      
Grain type (long/medium/short)      
Country of origin      
Crop year      
Blending ratio in %      
 
8.3 A declaration of varieties ble nd as pure variety is prohibited and shall be an offence punishable by 
law under the Standards Act , Cap. 496 of the  Laws of Kenya.  
 
8.4 Varieties blends shall not be declared as being aromatic.  
 
8.5 It shall be an offence to introduce any artificial aroma to the varieties blend  milled rice.  
 
 
9.2 Labelling of non -retail containers  
 
Information in 9.1 shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except that the                        DKS 2086: 2023  
 
 
©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved          
     9 
 name of the product, lot identification, and the name and address of the processor  or packer as well as 
storage instructions, shall appear on the container.  
 
However, lot identification, and the name and address of the processor or packer may be replaced by an 
identification mark provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with th e accompanying documents.  
 
10 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with EAS 900.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2086: 2023  
            
                              ©KEBS 2023  — All rights reserved  10