© KEBS 2019  First Edition 2019   
 KENYA STANDARD                               KS 317-3:2019  
ICS 67.120.10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Carca sses and meat cuts — Specification 
 
 
 
Part 3: 
Pork  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT, NOVEMBER 2019  
ii © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 KS 317-3:2019  
 
 
 
TECH NICAL COM MITTEE REPRESEN TATION 
The following organizations were  represented on the Technical Committee: Ministry of Industry, Trade and 
Cooperatives 
 
Ministry of He alth – Food safety unit 
 
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute 
National Public Health Laborator ies Services 
Government Chemist’s Department 
Food Science and Technology Platform Kenya  
Farmer’s Choice (K) Ltd. 
 
University of Nairobi — Department of Food  Science and Technology 
 
South Eastern Kenya University  
  
Meru University   
 
Egerton University 
 
Consu mer Information Network  
 
Kenchic (K) Ltd. 
 
Alpha Fine Foods Ltd. 
 Kenya Meat Commission 
Directorate of Livestock Production 
Directorate of Veterinary Services 
Quality Meat packers 
Choice Meats Ltd. 
 
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat 
 
REVISION OF KENYA  STANDARDS 
 
In order  to keep abreast of progre ss 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 , 2019  
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copy right 
subsists in all Kenya Standard s and except as provided unde r Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produ ced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standard s may be reprodu ced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing 
from the Managing Director.© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved iii  
 KENYA STANDARD                                             DKS  317-
3:2019  
ICS 67.120.10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Carca sses and meat cuts — Specification 
 
 
 
Part 3: 
Pork 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU  OF STANDA RDS (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 V alley Region 
P.O. Box 99376 , Mombas a-80100 P.O. Box 2949 , Kisumu-40100 P.O. Box 2138 , Nakuru-20100 
Tel.: (+254 041) 229563, 230939/40 
Fax: (+254  041) 229448 Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396 
Fax: (+254 057) 21814 Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 21055 5 iv © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 DKS  317-3:2019  
 
Foreword 
 
This Kenya   Standard was  prepared  by the  Meat  and  Meat  Products  Technical Committee under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee and it is in accordance with the procedures of  the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards. 
 
The preparat ion of this standard was found necessary so as to guide the industry and address current 
market of pork in terms of safety and quality of carcasses and cuts; provisions of food additives and 
contaminants,  align the microbiological requirements, heavy metal limits and minimum residue levels for 
pesticides and veterinary drugs residue with the current advances in science. 
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents: 
Codex Alimentarius Commission Standard, Meat and Meat products Volume 10 1994. 
The Food,  Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, Cap 254, Cap 256 of t he Laws of Kenya.  
Meat Control Act Cap 356 of the laws of Kenya. 
 
International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods - Micro-organ isms in Foods, 
Book 8. 
 
UNE CE Standard for Porcine Meat Carcasses and cuts 2006 Edition. 
UNE CE standard Porcine Meat carcasses and cuts 2013 Edition. 
Official Methods of Analysis (AOAC) 20th Edition 2016. 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived  from these sources. 
 KENYA STANDARD                                                               DKS  317-3:2019  
 
 
 
 
 
Carcasses  and meat cuts — Specification 
 
 
Part 3:   P ork 
 
 
1        Scope 
 
 
This Kenya Standard specifies grading of pork, quality requirements, safety requirements, test methods and 
sampling of pork carcasses and cuts meant for human consumption.  
 
2        Normat ive 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 edition cited applies. For  undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
KS 1051, Guide on maximum limits of pesticide residues in foods 
 
KS 2761 , Code of practice for Meat  Hygiene  
 
KS CAC/MRL  2, Maximum residue limits for Veterinary drugs  in food 
 
KS EAS 38, Labeling of prepackaged foods — Specification 
 
KS EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice 
 
KS EAS 151, Hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) 
 
KS ISO 4833-1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms — Colony-count technique at 30 °C 
 
KS ISO 6888-1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase-positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus  and other species) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird-Parker agar medium 
 
KS ISO 10272-1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for detection and 
enumeration of Campylobacter spp. — Part 1: Detection method 
 
KS ISO 16649-2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -— Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of beta-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony-count technique at 44 degrees  C using 5- 
brom o-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-D-glucuronide. 
 
KS ISO 17604, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Carcass sampling for microbiological 
analysis 
 
 
KS ISO 21528-2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal methods for the detection and 
enumeration of Enterobac teriaceae — Part 2: Colony-count method 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved                                                                                                                  126 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 KS ISO 22000, Food safety management systems — Requirements for any organization in the  food chain 
 
CAC/RCP 58, Codex code of hygienic practice for meat 
 
ISO 6579-1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp. 
 
ISO 11290-1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. — Part 1: Detection method 
 
ISO/TS 17728, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — sampling techniques for microbiological 
analysis of foods and feeds 
 
AOAC 971.21, Mercury in food — Flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometric method 
 
AOAC 973.34 Cadmium in food — Atomic absorption spectrophotometric method 
 
AOAC 986.15 Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Selenium, and zinc in human and pet foods — Multi element method 
 
AOAC 999.10, Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, Copper, and iron in foods — Atomic absorption spectrophotometry 
after microwave  digestion 
 
AOAC 999.11, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, and zinc in foods — Atomic absorption spectrophotometry 
after dry ashing 
 
 
3        Definitions  
 
For the purposes of this standard, the following definitions shall apply. 
 
3.1 
pork 
meat derived from p ig (Sus scrofa domesticus) 
 
3.2 
carcass 
the body of any slaughtered animal after bleeding and dressing 
 
3.3 
dressing 
the removal of viscera, genitals, urinary bladder and udder of lactating pigs that have  farrowed  and/or are in 
advanced pregnancy and where  necessary splitting of the carcass 
 
3.4 
 
splitting 
dividing the carcass lengthwise into two sides 
 
3.5 
conformation 
is the  overall thickness of muscle and fat in relation to the size of the animal’s skeleton, i.e. the “shape” of the 
carcass profile and degree of muscularity 
 
3.6 
eating quality 
refers to the organ oleptic factors influencing consumer acceptance and enjoyment of the product.  The main 
eating quality attributes of meat are tenderness, succulence, flavor (taste  and aroma) 
 
3.7 
carcass weight 
is the  weight (kg) of the dressed body of an animal at the end of the slaughter line 
 
3.7.1  26 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 hot dressed weight (HDW)  
is the  weight (kg) of (carcass) at the end of the slaughter line within one hour of slaughter 
 
3.7.2  
cold dressed weight (DKSW) 
is the weight (kg) of the carcass following chilling; also called cold carcass weight 
 
3.8 
primal cuts 
piece of meat initially separated from the carcass of an animal during butchering. These are basic sections 
from which steaks and other subdivisions are cut 
 
3.9 
prime cuts 
cuts that are considered to be high quality 
 
4        General requirements 
 
4.1       Pig  shall  be  slaughtered in  a  hygienically managed slaughter-house.   The  slaughter shall  be 
supervised by a competent authority.  The pig and carcasses thereof shall be subjected to ante mortem  and 
post mortem veterinary inspection as prescribed in the Meat Control Act, Cap. 356 of the Laws of Kenya and 
pig carcasses and cuts thereof  shall be certified as being sound and free from contagious and infectious 
diseases and fit for human consumption. 
 
4.2       The carcass shall be prepared in a licenced premise. 
 
4.3       The meat used for prepar ing pork shall be obtained from food produc ing animals which have been 
slaughtered according Meat Control Act, Cap. 356 of the Laws of Kenya and shall be in compliance with KS 
2299. 
 
4.4      Pork shall be prepared under hygienic conditions as stipulated in KS EAS 39 and CAC/RCP 58. 
 
4.5     The products shall be free from foreign bodies, dirt, sign of spoilage and unacceptable odours. 
 
4.6     When inspected and analyzed using appropr iate methods, pork cuts and carcasses shall be free from 
infectious parasites. 
 
5        Hygiene requirements 
 
5.1       Pork carcasses and cuts shall be prepared, handled and stored in accordance with the appropriate 
sections of the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Ac, Cap. 254, Public Health Act, Cap. 242 Meat 
Control Act, Cap. 356 of the Laws of Kenya, KS EAS 39, KS EAS 151 and KS 2761  
 
 
6        Grading specifications 
 
6.1      Criteria for grading of carcasses 
 
Pork to  be graded shall be of the following characteristics: 
 
6.1.1    Conformation 
 
 
The shoulder and jowl shall be light and the loin full and deep, the back shall appear to be excessively long. 
The ham shall be broad, well-fleshed to  the hock, showing a fine hone and U-shaped in the space between 
the legs. Bone formation shall be light, flat and pinkish in colour. 
 
6.1.2    Finish  
 
 26 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 This refers to the quality of fat laid down. The quantity of internal and external fat shall be such as to require no 
trimming. The cut sternum shall show the predominance of lean over fat. When cut through, the amount of fat 
at the last rib shall not be excessive. The fat shall be white, dry and firm to the touch. 
 
6.1.3    Quality 
 
 
The rind shall be free from wrinkles, scores, stabs, fighting scars and hair. It shall have an attractive colour 
and shall not be unduly dry. The colour of the flesh shall be bright, sappy and attractive pink. 
 
7        Grading categori es 
 
Pigs shall be categorized into the following categories 
 
7.1       Suckling pig — Age: less than 8 wee ks old 
 
7.2       Porkers — Weight: 40-55kg, age: 4-6 months 
7.3       Baconers — Shall be of the following two grades: 
The grading of baconers shall be as given in Table 1. 
 
 
Table 1 — Grading  categories 
 
 Age DKSW Back  fat 
Grade 1 Max 7 months 60 – 75 kg 8 – 10 mm 
Grade 2 Max 7 months 56 – 75 kg All fat levels 
 
7.4       Commercial — All eligible slaughter stock. 
 
8        Quality characteristics of pork  
 
 
Carcasses and cuts shall be 
 
a)         Intact, taking into account the presentation. 
b)         Free from visible blood clots, or bone dust. 
c)         Free from any visible foreign matter (e.g. dirt, wood, plastic, metal particles). 
d)         Free of offensive odours. 
e)         Free of obtrusive bloodstains. 
 
f)          Free of unspecified protruding or broken bones. 
 
g)         Free of contusions having a material impact on the product. 
h)         Free from fre ezer-burns. 
i)          Free from hair. 
 
9        Pork carcasses and cuts 
 
9.1      Pork carcasses shall be properly dressed, washed, butchered, trimmed, weighed, properly packaged 
and labelled and shall be free from bru ises or blemishes of any kind. 
 26 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 9.1.1    Temperature treatment — Pork carcasses and cuts shall be subjected to the following temperature 
treatment. 
 
9.1.1.1 Chilling — Fresh pork carcasses sides or cuts shall be brought to a temperature of between 1 ºC 
and 3 ºC within 24 h.  Car casses and cuts meant for chilling shall be further chilled to temperatures of -2 ºC 
to 4 ºC and should be consumed within a period of 4 weeks. 
 
9.1.1.2 Freezing and storage — The pork carcasses sides or cuts shall be pre-chilled before freezing. Freezing 
shall be at minus (-) 18 ºC and (-) 12 ºC at the highest, within three days. The pork carcasses and cuts shall 
be stored at (-) 12 ºC at the highest. The frozen product shall be consumed within 12 months 
 
9.2          Pork carcass and cuts may be presented according to the following in relation to temperature 
treatment. 
9.2.1    Fresh carcass — The deepest part of the carcass near the bone shall be cooled to the atmospheric 
temperature when delivered and shall show no evidence of deterioration. 
 
9.2.2    Fresh, chilled carcass — The carcass shall be chilled so that the temperature at the deepest portion of 
the flesh near the bone shall be -2 ºC to 4 ºC and shall show no evidence of deterioration. 
 
9.2.3    Fresh, frozen carcass — The pork shall be quick frozen preferably at a temperature of -20 ºC in the 
minimum possible time and shall show no evidence of deterioration, such as dehydration, oxidative rancidity 
and advanced changes in texture. 
 
9.2.4    Pork cuts, fresh — These shall be prepared from carcasses which conform to the requirements 
given in 9.2.1. 
 
9.2.5    Pork cuts, fresh, chilled — These shall be the same as fresh (see 9.2.2) except that they shall be 
prepar ed from carcasses which conform to the requirements given in 9.2.1. 
 
9.2.6    Pork cuts, fresh, frozen — These shall be the same as chilled except that the pork shall be frozen solid 
when delivered and shall show no evidence of thawing and refreezing or deterioration. 
 
10      Microbiologi cal limits 
 
10.1     Samples shall be taken in accordance  to the provisions of KS ISO 17604 and ISO/TS 17728 
 
10.2     Pork cuts shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 2. 
 
 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for pork carcasses and  cuts 
 
S/N Micro-organism  Max. limit Test method 
i) Aerobic colony count 106 cfu/g KS ISO 4833-1 
ii) E. coli, per g 102 KS ISO 16649-2 
iii) Coagulase positive 
Staphylococcus aureus, per g 102 KS ISO 6888-1 
iv) Salmonella spp Absent in 25 g KS ISO 6579 
v) Enterobacteraceae 103 KS ISO 21528-2 
vi) Listeria monocytogenes Absent in 25 g KS ISO 11290-1 
 
 
11      Food Additives    
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply to  CODEX STAN 192  
 26 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
  
12 C ontaminants  
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the requirements of the general standard for 
contaminants and toxins in food and feed Codex Stan 193.  
 
13 Residues  of veterinary drugs and pe sticides 
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits specified in KS CAC/MRL  
2 and KS 1051. When analyzed using the appropriate approved methods, the products shall not contain any 
veterinary drug residue above the approved limit. 
 
 
14      Limits  for heavy metal contaminants 
 
14.1      Pork cuts shall not contain heavy metal contaminants in excess of the limits given in Table 3 when 
tested  in accordance  with the methods prescribed therein. 
 
 
 
Table 3 — Heavy metal contaminant limits for pork cuts 
 
S/No.  Contaminants  Limits,  Max.  
ppm  Test method  
i Arsenic (As)  0.1 AOAC 952.13  
ii Lead (Pb)  0.1 AOAC 972.25  
iii Cadmium (Cd)  0.05 AOAC 973.34  
iv Mercury (Hg)  0.03 AOAC 971.21  
 
15      Packaging and labelling 
 
15.1    Packaging  
 
15.1.1  Fresh, chilled and frozen products shall be wrapped in suitable food grade material permitted by health 
authorities for use in packaging foods.  The products if wrapped may be packed in wax cartons  or other 
approved containers. 
 
15.1.3  Vacuum-packed cuts shall be delivered intact. 
 
15.2    Labelling 
 
15.2.1  The labeling, promotion and presentation of a material or article shall not mislead the consumers. 
 
15.2.2  Labelling of packages of pork carcasses and cuts shall be done in accordance  with the requirements 
stipulated in KS EAS 38 and shall include the following: 
 
a)         Name of the product (as a ppropr iate); 
 
b)         Name, location and address of manufacturer; 
 
c)         Net weight, in g or kg; 
 
d)         Date  of product ion/packaging; 
 
e)         Expiry date; 
 
f)          Batch number; 
 
g)          Storage conditions; 
 26 © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  
 h)         Country of origin; and 
 
i)          Approval veterinary mark