DEAS 298 : 2022 
ICS 67.200.10  
 
© EA C 2022                                                                                                                         Second  Edition 202 2  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Edible cottonseed oil — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 298: 2022   
ii © EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be pr osecuted . DEAS 298: 2022  
© EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
5 Fortification requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  3 
6 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 3 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
8 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  4 
10 Label ling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  4 
11 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  4 
 DEAS 298: 2022   
iv © EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standard has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of prod ucts and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers which are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
In order to meet the above objectives , the EAC Partner States have enacted an East African Standardization, 
Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make provisions for ensuring 
standardization, quality assurance, metrology and testing of products produced or  originating in a third country 
and traded in the Community in order to facilitate industrial development and trade as well as helping to 
protect the health and safety of society and the environment in the Community.  
East African Standards are formulated i n accordance with the procedures established by the East African 
Standards Committee. The East African Standards Committee is established under the provisions of Article 4 
of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006. The Committee is composed of representatives of the Natio nal Standards 
Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer 
organizations. Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards 
Bodies in the Partner States. The comm ents received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of 
standards, in accordance with the procedures of the Community  
Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 provides that “Within six months of the declaration of an East African 
Standard, the P artner States shall adopt, without deviation from the approved text of the standard, the East 
African Standard as a national standard and withdraw any existing national standard with similar scope and 
purpose”.  
East African Standards 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.  
EAS 298 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/ TC/015, Edib le Oil Seeds, Fats and Oils.  
This Second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, which has been technically revised.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 298: 2022    
 
© EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
  
 Edible cottonseed oil — Specification  
1 Scope  
This East African standard specify the requirements, sampling and test method s for virgin and refined edible 
cottonseed oil derived from the seeds of various cultivated species of Gossypium spp. intended for human 
consumption  
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all o f 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.  
EAS 38, General standard for labellin g of pre -packaged foods  
EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene for food and drink industries EAS 101, Food stuffs 
  Methods of 
determining of arsenic content  
EAS 769, Fortified edible oils and fats — Specification  
CXS  192, General Standards for Food Additives  
ISO 5555, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Sampling  
ISO 661: Animal  and vegetable fats and oils — Preparation of test sample  
ISO 3960, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of peroxide value — Iodometric (visual) 
endpoint determination  
ISO 660, Animal  and vege table fats and oils — Determination of acid value and acidity  
ISO 3596, Animal  and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of unsaponifiable matter — method 
using diethyl ether extraction  
ISO 3961, Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of iod ine value  
ISO 6320, Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of refractive index.  
ISO 662, Animal and Vegetable fats and oils -Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
ISO 663 Animal and vegetable fats and oils -Determination of insolu ble impurities content  
ISO 3657, Animal and vegetable fats and Oils - Determination of saponification value  
ISO 12193, Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy.   
2 © EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
 ISO 8294, Animal and  vegetable fats and oils - determination of copper, iron and nickel contents - 
graphite furnace atomic absorption method  
ISO 6883, Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of conventional mass per volume (litre 
weight in air).  
ISO 15305, Animal and  vegetable fats and oils - Determination of lovibond colour.  
ISO 10539, Animal  and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of alkalinity  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
3.1 
Edible cottonseed oil  
Oil derived from the seeds of various cultivated species of Gossypium spp which is fit for human consumption.  
3.2  
Edible oil  
oil obtained without altering the nature of oil by mechanical procedures for example expelling or pressing, and 
the application of heat only. It may have been purified by washing with water, settling, filtering and centrifuging 
only 
3.3 
Virgin vegetable oil  
oil obtained, without altering the nature of the oil, by mechanical procedures, for example, expelling or 
pressin g, and the application of heat only. It may have been purified by washing with water, settling, filtering 
and centrifuging only  
3.4 
Non–virgin (refined) vegetable oil  
oil obtained by mechanical procedures and/or solvent extraction and subjected to refining  processes  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General  
Edible cottonseed oil shall  
a) be expressed from cotton seeds which are fit for the purpose;  
b) be clear and free from adulterants, , and any other foreign matter;  
c) be free from foreign and rancid odour and taste. T he colour of the product shall be characteristic of 
the designated product; and  
d) have acceptable taste and odour.  
4.2 Specific quality requirements  
Edible cottonseed oil shall conform to the specific quality requirements provided in Table 1.   
© EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  3 
  
Table 1 — Specific quality requirements for Edible cottonseed oil  
S.No  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
 
i.  Moisture  and matter  volatile  at 105 oC, % m/m (  0.2 ISO 662  
ii.  Insoluble  impurities,  % m/m 0.05 ISO 662  
iii.  Soap  content,  % m/m 0.005  ISO 10539  
iv.  Relative  density (20 oC/water  at 20 oC) 0.918  – 0.926  ISO 6883  
v.  Refracti ve index, at  40 o C  1.458  – 1.466  ISO 6320  
vi.  Saponification  value  (mg KOH/g  oil) 189 – 198 ISO 3657  
vii.  Iodine  value  (Wij’s),  g/100  100– 123 ISO 3961  
viii.  Colour,  in a 0.635 cm cell in  Lovibond un it, 
expressed as (Y+5R) not deeper than  10  ISO 15305  
ix.  Unsaponifiable  matter,  g/kg,  max.  15 ISO 3596  
x.  Halphen  test Positive  Annex  B 
xi.  Acid value,  mg KOH/g,  max.  Virgin  4.0 
Non-virgin  0.6 ISO 660  
xii.  Peroxide  value,  meq.  peroxide  oxygen/kg,  max.  10 ISO 3960  
xiii.  Copper,  mg/kg  Virgin  0.4 
Non virgin  0.1 ISO 8294  
xiv.  Iron, mg/kg  Virgin  5 
Non virgin  1.5 ISO 8294  
 
5 Fortification requirements  
Edible cottonseed oil may be fortified in accordance to EAS 769.  
6 Food additives  
Only food additives permitted in CXS 192 for  use in Cottonseed oil may be used.  
7 Contaminants  
Edible cottonseed oil shall conform the limits  provided in table  2 and any other contaminant  established in 
CXS 193. 
Table  2 — Limits  for contaminants  in edible  cottonseed  oil 
S. No  Contaminants  Maximum  
level Test method  
i.  Lead,  mg/kg  0.08 ISO 12193  
ii.  Arsenic,  mg/kg  0.1 AOAC 963.21, 942.17  
 
7.2 Pesticide residues  
Edible cottonseed oil shall conform to those maximum residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this product.  
NOTE Where  the use of certain pesticides is prohibited by some Partner States, then it should be notified to all Partner 
States accordingly.   
4 © EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
 8 Hygiene  
Edible cottonseed oil shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
9 Packaging  
Edible cottons eed oil shall be packaged in food grade, non -absorbent materials which do not have adverse 
influence upon effects on the composition of the product including its nutritional value, properties and 
appearance.  
10 Labelling  
10.1 General  
In addition to the req uirements of EAS 38  and EAS 803 , the following specific provisions shall apply:  
a) the name of the product shall be "Cottonseed oil;"  
b) The words ‘Virgin’, ‘non virgin’ or ‘refined’ shall be declared on the label to indicate the type of oil;  
10.3 Nutrition and health claims  
Nutrition and health claims may be used in compliance with EAS 804 and EAS 805 . 
11 Sampling  
Sampling shall be carried in accordance with ISO 5555 and samples prepared for testing according to with 
ISO 661 Samples shall be taken in a protected place not exposed to damp air, dust or soot.   
© EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  5 
 Annex  A 
(informative)  
 
GLC fatty acid composition  
  
Carbon configuration   
Fatty acid composition(%)  Test Methods  
 
 
C6:0  ND  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ISO 5508  C8:0  ND 
C10:0  ND 
C12:0  ND-0.2 
C14:0  0.6-1.0 
C16:0  21.4-26.4 
C16:1  ND-1.2 
C17:0  ND-0.1 
C17:1  ND-0.1 
C18:0  2.1-3.3 
C18.1  14.7-21.7 
C18:2  46.7-58.2 
C18:3  ND-0.4 
C 20:0  0.2-0.5 
C 20:1  ND-0.1 
C20:2  ND-0.1 
C22:0  ND-0.6 
C22:1  ND-0.3 
C22:2  ND-0.1 
C24:0  ND-0.1 
C24:1  ND 
NOTE - Free fatty acid co mposition is expressed as % of total fatty acids  
ND-None D etectable,  defined as ≤0.05   
6 © EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Cottonseed oil (H alphen) test  
B.1 Scope  
This annex describes a method for the detection of cottonseed oil in vegetable oils.  
B.2 Principle  
The fat is reacted with a s olution of sulphur in carbon disulphide in the presence of amyl alcohol. The 
presence of cottonseed oil is detected by visual examination of the colour developed.  
B.3 Reagents  
The following reagents are required. All reagents and water shall be of recogniz ed analytical quality  
B.3.1  Amyl alcohol  
B.3.2  Precipitated sulphur solution  
Dissolve 1 g of precipitated sulphur in 100 ml of carbon disulphide.  
Warning! Extreme care should be taken in handling carbon disulphide owing to its high flammability and low 
ignition temperature.  
B.4 Apparatus  
The following item of apparatus is required.  
B.4.1  Glass tube  
15 mL minimum capacity, heavy gauge, closed at one end and provided with a secure seal. Alternatively a 
screw top bottle of similar capacity may be used.  
B.5 Sam pling and preparation of the sample for analysis  
See clause 7   
© EAC 20 22– All rights reserved  7 
 B.6 Procedure  
Mix in the glass tube (B. 4.1) 2.5 mL of the fat with 2.5 mL of a mixture of equal volumes of the amyl alcohol 
(B.3.1) and the precipitated sulphur solution (B.3.2).  
Close the tube  securely and immerse it to one third of its depth in boiling water. A reddish colour will develop 
in 30 min if cottonseed oil is present.  
NOTE Kapok oil will give a similar reddish colour, and other oils containing cyclopropene acids and fats from 
animals  fed on cottonseed products may also give a similar colour. Heat -treated or hydrogenated cottonseed 
oils will give either a diminished colour, or no colour. The depth of the colour developed cannot therefore be 
taken as a measure of the percentage of cotto nseed oil in a mixture.  
B.7 Test Report  
The test report shall specify the method in accordance with which sampling was carried out, if known, the 
method used, the result obtained, indicating clearly the method of expression used and, if the repeatability h as 
been checked, the final quoted result obtained.  
It shall also mention any operating conditions not specified in this Standard, or regarded as optional, as well 
as any incidents that may have influenced the result.  
The test report shall include all the information necessary for the complete identification of the sample