KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2974 :2023 
ICS ##.### 
First  Edition  
  
 © KEBS 2023  
 Disposable Bamboo  Tableware  — 
Specification    
 
 
 
 
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 Works  
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 
improvements 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 Kenya, 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 mea ns without prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.   KS 2974:202 3  
 
 
 
Disposable Bamboo  Tableware — 
Specification     
 
Kenya Bureau of Standards,  Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722202137, + 2 54 734600471  
 info@kebs.org  
 @KEBS_ke  
 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
  
 
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  
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document (s):  
SASO 2888/2020  Disposable Bamboo tableware  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2974 : 2022    
 
© KEBS 2023– All rights reserved   
 Disposable Bamboo  Tableware — Specification   
1 Scope  
This standard specification is concerned with the specification and methods of testing applied to " Disposable 
Bamboo tableware " made from bamboo such as plates, cups, spoons, forks, cutlery, etc. which are used only 
once.  
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 am endments) applies.  
ISO 4481:1977 "Cutlery and flatware - Nomenclature"  
ISO 22000 Food safety management  
BS EN 14233:2002 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs - Plastics - Determination of temperature of 
plastics materials and articles at the p lastics/food interface during microwave and conventional oven heating in 
order to select the appropriate temperature for migration testing.  
KS 2455:2013 General standard - Food safety  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following  terms and definitions apply.  
3.1  
Disposable tableware  
Apparatus used to contain ready -prepared food or for other similar uses, including disposable tableware such 
as food boxes, plates, dishes, knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, bowls, cups, pots, jars and straws etc. 
Disposable tableware with an outer holder is also included, but food packaging used for non -prepared food 
purposes or other similar uses such as fresh food trays, yoghurt cups and jelly cups etc., are not included.  
3.2  
bamboo disposable ta bleware  
Disposable tableware made of bamboo and bamboo paper made by the process of cutting, laminating, 
moulding and sanding of bamboo  
 
 
 
 
 
  
4 Classification  
Classification is done based on materials used for production of products. These include processed bamboo 
such as paper, molded bamboo and laminated bamboo. It also includes raw bamboo wood and sheath  
5 Requirements   
Technical requirements  
5.1 Materials  
Materials such as resin shall be food -grade.  
5.2 Additives  
Additives and their dosage shall meet the provisions set out in ISO 22000  
5.3 Sensory  
5.3.1 Odour  
There must be no odour.  
5.3.2 Appearance  
The appearance of the tableware shall meet the following requirements:  
a) The colour shall be normal.  
b) There must be no cracks or packaging defects.  
c) There shall be no grease, dirt, dust, mould or other foreign bodies on the surface.  
d) The surface shall be smooth and clean with uniform texture, no  scratches, no puckering, no peeling, no 
ruptures and no perforations.  
e) There must be no clear discolouration, uneven colours (unless required for decoration purposes)  
or stains, etc., on the coloured tableware.  
f) If there is any painting on the surface of the tableware, the painted surface shall have no sagging, peeling, 
breaching or blistering, etc.  
g) There must be no clear foreign bodies, blistering, model defects, burrs, expansion or other defects.  
5.3.3 Structures  
a) The edges of the tablewa re shall be smooth, tidy and neat.  
b) For products fitted with a lid, the lid fitting shall be convenient and level, the container and the lid shall match 
each other.  
c) For products fitted with a hinged lid, the lid shall be able to be fastened.  
d) For di sposable tableware that functions as a vessel, the tableware shall be able to be placed steadily.  
5.4 Service performance  
5.4.1 Volume deviation  
For tableware such as disposable food boxes, bowls, cups, jars and pots etc. which function as a vessel, the 
volume deviation thereof shall not be greater than 5%.  
The volume deviation only applies to disposable tableware which functions as a vessel; it is not a requirement 
for disposable tableware such as knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, plates and dishes, etc.  
5.4.2 Load -bearing performance  
For any disposable tableware such as food boxes, bowls and cups, changes to the height thereof before and 
after bearing a load shall not exceed 5%.  
Load -bearing tests only apply to disposable tableware such as food boxes, bo wls and cups which can 
be held in the hands or may be stacked while containing food; it is not a requirement for disposable  
tableware such as knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, dishes, plates or any disposable tableware 
having an outer holder.  
5.4.3 Drop p erformance  
During the drop test of disposable tableware, there must be no cracks or splits to any of the three 
samples.  
5.4.4 Folding lid fitting performance  
For disposable tableware where the container part and its lid are hinged together, there must be n o 
cracks or damage after the folding lid fitting test on all three samples.  
The folding lid fitting test only applies to disposable tableware where the container part and its lid are 
hinged together. For disposable tableware where the container and its lid are separated in two parts 
or disposable tableware with no lid, such as food boxes, bowls, cups, plates, dishes, knives, forks, 
spoons or chopsticks etc., the lid -body folding test is not a requirement.  
5.4.5 Limits of heavy metals and organic contamin ants 
Paper and board food contact packaging material shall comply with the limits of heavy metal and 
organic contaminants specified in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the test methods specified 
therein.  
Table 1 — Limits of heavy metal and organic contaminants for bamboo food contact packaging 
material  
 
 
 
5.4.6 Moisture content  
The moisture content is 8% to 13%.  
5.4.7  Preservation of raw material  
Only non -chemical preservation is recommended. Heat treatment is preferred   
5.4.8  Physical, c hemical and hygienic indexes  
The use of any additive for disposable tableware shall meet the provisions set out in KS 2455:2013  
Disposable tableware made of other materials shall meet the provisions set out in the hygienic 
standards for products of the cor responding material. Disposable tableware made of multilayer 
materials with composite processing shall meet the provisions set out in the hygienic standards of 
products of food contact layer material.  
Table 2 Hygienic, physical and chemical indexes for dis posable tableware made of bamboo  
 
 
 
  
 
 
Fig 1 Typical s hapes  of disposable tableware  
 
Table 1 (a) Typical sizes of disposable forks  
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 170 ±1.0 
Width  (w)  mm 27 ±0.2 
Thickness  (t)  mm 2 ±0.10  
 
Table 1 (b) Typical sizes of disposable spoon    
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 170 ±1.0 
Width  (w)  mm 34 ±0.2 
Thickness  (t)  mm 2 ±0.10  
 
Table 1 (c) Typical sizes of disposable knife     
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 170 ±1.0 
Width  (w)  mm 18 ±0.2 
Thickness  (t)  mm 2 ±0.10  
Serration  20% minimum and 50% maximum  
 
Table 1 (d)Typical sizes of disposable stirrers    
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 110 ,140 ,180  ±1.0 
Width  (w)  mm 6 - 6.35 - 
Thickness  (t)  mm 1 – 1.5 - 
 
 
 
Table 1 (e )Typical sizes of adult tongue depressors  
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 152.4  ±0.25  
Width  (w)  mm 19.05  ±0.25 
Thickness  (t)  mm 3 ±0.12 
 
Table 1 (f )Typical sizes of junior  tongue depressors  
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 139.7  ±0.25 
Width  (w)  mm 15.875  ±0.25 
Thickness  (t)  mm 3 ±0.12 
 
Table 1 (g )Typical sizes of infant  tongue depressors  
Dimension  unit Standard sizes  allowable deviation  
length (L)  mm 114.3  ±0.25 
Width  (w)  mm 9.53 ±0.25 
Thickness  (t)  mm 3 ±0.12 
6 Suitability for use  
The products must be food grade and suitable for the purpose of their manufacture, functional requirements and 
design, and samples shall be free from bulges and air pockets and fre e from manufacturing defects such as (color 
mismatch, irregular thickness of walls and edges, acceptable hardness, leakage).  
7 Temperature Impact  
The sample should have no distortion or change in the shape or sizes   at  the appropriate temperature of the product. 
When tested as follows:  
The sample is attached through a hole on the top and put in the cup with suitable size for sample containing 
distilled water, At 83 to 86 ° C for 15 minutes. The sample must be completel y immersed in the distilled water, 
and no part of the sample touches the cup .  After the 15 minutes, it is removed from the water .  Any change or  
deformation in the sample shape is considered a failure of the test.  
8    Printing Inks and Coloring Materials  
The inks used for printing or plastics coloring materials shall be from the allowed nutritionally homogeneous and 
identical for their standard specifications.  
9    Odour and taste  
The sample shall be free from any unacceptable odor and taste during carryi ng out the test as follows:  
Submerge the sample, in distilled water at 83 to 86 ° C for 15 minutes. After the end of that time, they must be 
removed and tested for the odor. Re -immerse in distilled water at 27 to 32 ° C for 15 minutes. After the end of 
that time, as appropriate, it should be removed and tasted for evaluation by placing it in the mouth in a simulation 
of the actual eating process. The presence of any unacceptable odor or taste is considered a test failure.  
10    Stack ability   
Samples should be capable of stacking on top of one another and can be easily removed by simple hand -
pulling.  
11     Bottom level (only for dishes and cups)  
The bottom of the cup or dish should be flat and not crooked so that they can easily be placed on the table 
during  carrying out the test on them as follows:  
The sample shall be placed in its normal position when used on a flat surface and shall be fixed with a slight 
pressure on the middle of the bottom by one of  the hand fingers. It is noted that it is not possible t o put a 0.4 
mm thickness probe at any point between the sample base and the flat surface it is put on.  
12   Test for Serration (for knife only)  
serrated knife must be minimum 20% of length  and a maximum of 50%  
13   Contact in a microwave oven  
Bamboo table ware is not microwave friendly the packaging, this should be stated in the packaging   
14   Leakage Test  
The surface of the sample must be solid without any pores that allow the leakage of the inside, when tested  as 
follows:  
The product shall be filled with an ink solution at a temperature of 80° C with a color contrasting to that color of 
the product and be left for 8 hours. Any presence of the ink color on the outside surface of the product is 
considered a failu re of the sample  
15   Test methods:  
The tests shall be carried out in accordance with the Kenyan Standards specifications mentioned in Clause 2.  
16.2 Temperature Impact  
16.3 Odor and taste  
16.4 Stack ability  
16.5 Bottom level (only for dishes and cups)  
16.6 Serration (for knife only)  
16.8 Leakage  
17 Packing , transportation and storage  
The following shall be met during transportation, storage and handling of packages:  
17.1 They shall remain tightly closed to avoid exposure to any contamination till they are used.  
17.2 They shall be transported in suitable means of transportation so as to protect them from mechanical 
damage and contamination.  
17.3 They shall be stored in suitable places so as to protect them from mechanical damage and contamination.  
18   MARKING  
Each piece must be written on (in a readable and indelible manner, with the following information English and 
in case of the small pieces, writing shall be on the container.   
• The type of the bamboo  material and product name  
• The manufacturer's name or  brand.  
• The country of origin.  
• Production date and validity period  
• Number of units or pieces inside container and nominal capacity of cups.  
• storage conditions.  
• Determine the temperature suitable for use on the product.