DEAS 973 - 1: 2023  
ICS 65.120  
 
© EAC 2023                                                                                                                               First Edition 2023   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Compounded fish feed — Specification  – Part 1: Tilapia and catfish  feeds  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 973 - 1: 2023  
ii © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
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Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 973 - 1: 2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normati ve references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
4.1 General quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
4.2 Specific requirements for compounded fish feed  ................................ ................................ .............  3 
5 Feed additives and provisions related to th eir use  ................................ ................................ ...........  5 
6 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  5 
6.1 Aflatoxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
6.2 Pesticide residu es ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 6 
6.3 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  6 
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
8 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  6 
9 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  7 
Annex  A (informative)  Description of common feedstuffs  ................................ ................................ ...........  8 
Annex  B (informative)  Nutrient composition of common feed ingredients  ................................ ..............  11 
Annex  C (informative)  Micronutrients requirements for fish  ................................ ................................ ...... 13 
C.1 Micronutrients requirements for tilapia  ................................ ................................ ............................  13 
C.2 Micronutrients requirements for catfish  ................................ ................................ ...........................  14 
Annex  D (normative)  Recommend ed additives used in fish feed  ................................ ..............................  15 
D.1 Requirements for antioxidants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  15 
D.2 Requirements for emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners  and gelling agents  ................................ .... 15 
D.2.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  15 
D.2.2  Name or description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  15 
D.2.3  Sucrose esters or fatty acids  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  16 
D.3 Requirements for binders, anti -caking agents and coagulants  ................................ .....................  16 
D.3.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  16 
D.3.2  Name or description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  17 
D.4 Requirements for aromatic and appetising substances  ................................ ................................ . 17 
 
 DEAS 973 - 1: 2023  
iv © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Forewo rd 
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 th at 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) . The Committee is composed o f 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 Committees that are represent ative 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 re ceived are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. User s 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 Committee EASC/TC 001, Animal feeding, feeds 
and fe eding stuffs . 
This first  edition cancels and replaces the first edition EAS 973 :2019, which has been technically revised.  
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.  
 DEAS 973 - 1: 2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  v 
 Introduction  
Fish feeds are essential for s emi-intensive and intensive aquaculture farming systems. Fish nutrition has 
therefore become one of the most important subjects in aquaculture. Aquaculture nutrition and feeding is 
concerned with the supply of dietary nutrients to fish either directly in t he form of an exogenous ‘artificial’ diet 
or indirectly through the increased production of natural live food organisms within the water body in which the 
fish are cultured. Natural food organisms, play a crucial role in the nutrition of fish within extens ive and 
semiintensive pond culture systems. In the intensive culture systems, with high stocking density natural food 
organisms play little or no role in the nutrition of the farmed species. The nutrition and feeding of fish within 
each culture system must  be considered as being unique and evaluated on its own merits.  
Additionally, the nutrient requirements for fish feeds will inevitably vary between omnivorous and carnivorous 
fish. Omnivorous fish will eat almost anything from vegetable and plant matter, insects, crustaceans and meat 
proteins while carnivorous fish eat meat only.  
Feeds may be produced by mixing various feeding stuffs or ingredients which may themselves vary in 
composition. The choice of raw material mixtures will depend on locality, seaso n and availability, economics 
and the quality of the product. The chemical composition of feedstuffs plays an important role in the 
formulation of balanced and economical rations for various classes of animals. This is only possible when 
exact knowledge of  the chemical composition of feedstuffs is available. Studies on the nutritive value of feed 
stuffs available in the East African region show differences between analytical values.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 973 - 1:2023  
 
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  1 
 Compounded fish feed — Specification  – Part 1: Tilapia and catfish  feeds   
1 Scope   
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, method of sampling and test for compounded fish 
feed for tilapia and catfish  feeds .  
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or al l 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.  
ISO 5983 -1, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of nitrogen content and calculation of crude protein 
content — Part 1: Kjeldahl method   
ISO 6490 -1, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of calcium content — Part 1: Titrimetric method  
ISO 6491, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of ph osphorus content — Spectrometric method   
ISO 6492, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of fat content  
ISO 6496, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of moisture and other volatile matter content  
ISO 6497, Animal feeding stuffs — Sampling  
ISO 6865, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of crude fibre content — Method with intermediate 
filtration  
ISO 9831, Animal feeding stuffs, animal products, and faeces or urine — Determination of gross calorific 
value — Bomb calorimeter method  
ISO 13903, Animal fe eding stuffs — Determination of amino acids content   
ISO 14718, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1 content of mixed feeding stuffs — Method 
using high -performance liquid chromatography  
ISO 17375, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of  aflatoxin B 1 
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1   
fish meal  
commercial product made from fish, bones, and offal from processed fish   
2 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 3.2   
fry  
stage of fish growth from yolk sac up to 1 g to 2 g  
3.3   
fingerling  
stage of fish growth from 2 g to 10 g  
3.4   
juvenile  
stage of fish growth from the time the fish morphologically resembles the adult (10 to 25 grams)   
3.5  
adult   
stage of fish growth from 25 g to market weight  
3.6  
starter feed  
feed designed to provide nutritional requirements for fry and fingerlings fish   
3.7  
grower feed  
feed designed to provide nutritional requirements for juvenile fish   
3.8  
finisher feed  
feed designed to provide nutritional requirements for a dult fish   
3.9  
brood stock feed  
feed designed to provide nutritional requirements for fish meant for reproduction  
3.10 
compounded feed  
mixture of at least two feed materials, whether or not containing feed additives, for oral animal feeding in the 
form of a complementary feed or a complete feed  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General quality requirements  
4.1.1  All ingredients and raw materials shall not be decomposed or deteriorated and shall comply with 
the relevant East African standards. The common feed stuffs  described in Annex A and their nutrient 
composition provided in Annex B may be used for purposes of formulating compounded fish feeds.  
4.1.2  Ingredients of animal origin shall be sterilised before use.   
4.1.3  Where soy bean meal is used it shall have be en subjected to adequate heat treatment to reduce the  
activity of trypsin inhibitor   
4.1.4  Vitamin preparations added to feed shall be in stabilised form.  
4.1.5    
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  3 
 Urea or any other  non protein  nitrogen substances shall not be added to or included in any f ish feed except  
such true protein and amino acids as required in this standard  
4.1.6  Fish feed shall be either in the form of a meal, flakes, crumbs or pellets.   
4.1.7  If the feed is in the form of pellet, the pellets shall be of the following size and fl oating time as given 
in Table 1.  
Table 1 — Pellets size and floating time for fish feed  
S/N Parameter  Starter feed  Grower 
feed  Finisher feed  Brood stock feed  
 Tilapia  
i. Pellet size(mm) 
max.  2 5  6 5 
 Catfish  
ii. Pellet size(mm) , 
max 2.5 5  6 5 
 Duration of pellet floating in water  
iii. Floating time   
(minutes -
minimum)  2 2  2 2 
4.1.8   Compounded fish feeds shall:  
a) be free from harmful levels of substances such as metallic objects, and adulterants.  
b) be free from fungi, pathogenic microorganism s or insect infestation.  
c) not be musty, rancid and shall not have any objectionable odours.   
4.2 Specific requirements for compounded fish feed  
4.2.1  The level of free fatty acids in feeds should not exceed 15 % of the crude fat content at the time of 
manufacture.  
4.2.2  Compounded fish feed shall meet the requirements of the nutrients and digestible energy in Table 2 
and Table 3. Compounded fish feed may contain additional micronutrients and when added shall comply with 
the limits provided in Annex C.   
4 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Table 2 — Specific  nutritional requirements for compounded tilapia feed  
S/N  Parameter  Starter 
feed  Grower 
feed  Finisher 
feed  Brood stock 
feed  Test method    
i.  Moisture content of pellets, %, 
max.  10  10  10  10  ISO 6496  
ii.  Crude protein, %, m in.  35  30  25  35  ISO 5983 -1  
iii.  Energy (DE) Kcal/Kg, min.  2 500  2 750  2 900  2 800  ISO 9831  
iv.  Lysine, %, min.  2.1  1.7  1.7  1.7    
ISO 13903  
v.  Methionine, %, min.  0.9  0.8  0.8  0.8  
vi.  Methionine + cysteine, %, min.  1.4  1.1  1.1  1.1  
vii.  Crude fibre, %, max.  5  10  10  10  ISO 6865  
viii . Crude fat, %   5 - 8  5 - 12  5 - 12 5 - 12 ISO 6492  
ix.  Calcium, %,   1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  ISO 6490 -1  
x.  Phosphorus, %  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  ISO 6491  
xi.  Sodium chloride, %   0.25 - 0.4  0.25 - 0.4  0.25 - 0.4  0.25 - 0.4  ISO 6495  
 
Table 3 — Specific  nutritional requirements for compounded catfish feeds  
S/N  Parameter  Starter feed  Grower feed  Finisher 
feed  Brood 
stock feed   Test method  
i.  Moisture content of pellets, %, 
max.   10  10  10  10  ISO 6496  
ii.  Crude protein, %, min.  45  35  30  35  ISO 5983 -1  
iii.  Energy (DE) Kcal/Kg, min.  3 000  3 000  3 000  3 000  ISO 9831  
iv.  Lysine, %, min.  2.1  1.7  1.7  1.7    
ISO 13903  
v.  Methionine, %, min.  0.9  0.8  0.8  0.8  
vi.  Methionine+cysteine, %, min.  1.4  1.1  1.1  1.1  
vii.  Crude fibre, %, max.  5  10  10  10  ISO 6865  
viii.  Crude fat, %   5 -12  5 - 15  5 -15  5 - 15  ISO 6492  
ix.  Calcium, %  1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  1.0 - 2.5  ISO 6490 -1  
x.  Phosphorus, %  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  0.6 - 2.0  ISO 6491   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  5 
  
5 Feed additives and provisions related to their use  
5.1 Additives in the following categories may be used in fish feeds and if used, they shall comply with the 
requirements given in Annex D.   
a) antioxidants;  
b) colourants;   
c) emulsifiers;   
d) stabilisers;   
e) thickeners and gelling agents;   
f) binders;   
g) anti-caking agents and coagulants;   
h) aromatic and appetising substances;  
i) enzymes; a nd   
j) preservatives.  
NOTE  Materials intended for mixing with animal feed as additives for use as feeding stuffs should specify the kind of 
and, if appropriate the age group of the animal for which the feed is intended. In addition the quantity in grams per  
kilogram (or percent by weight) of the complete feed which conform to the provisions of this standard should be stated in 
the label.  
5.2 No antibiotic, hormone substance, drug or mineral shall be added to or included in a feed other than 
such ingredients  required to satisfy this standard and approved by World organization for animal health (OIE).  
6 Contaminants  
6.1 Aflatoxins    
Fish feeds shall comply with the maximum aflatoxin requirements stated in the Table 4 when tested in 
accordance with the metho ds specified therein.  
Table 4 — Maximum tolerable limits for aflatoxin  
S/N  Aflatoxin  Type of fish feed  Maximum limit, 
µg/kg  Test method  
i.  Total aflatoxin   Starter feed, grower feed, 
finisher feed, brood stock feed  20  ISO 16050  
ii.  Aflatoxin  B1  Starter feed, grower feed, 
finisher feed, brood stock feed  10  ISO 14718  
ISO 17375   
6 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 6.2 Pesticide residues  
Fish feeds shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for the ingredient used  in fish feed.  
6.3 Heavy metals  
Fish feeds shall comply with the limits of heavy metals as specified in the Table 5 when tested in accordance 
with the methods specified therein.  
Table 5 — Heavy metal limits for fish feeds  
S/N  Heavy metal  Maximum limi t, 
mg/kg  Test method  
i.  Arsenic   2.0    
ISO 27085  
  ii.  Lead   5.0  
iii.  Cadmium   1.0  
iv.  Mercury   0.1  
7 Packaging  
Fish feeds for sale shall be packaged in suitable containers that are of sufficient strength, and sufficiently 
sealed so  as to withstand reasonable handling without tearing, bursting or falling open. The containers shall 
be clean and not previously used.  
8 Labelling  
Each package of compounded fish feed shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with the following:  
a) name of t he feed for example “tilapia grower feed” or “catfish finisher feed”;  
b) name and physical address  of the manufacturer;  
c) declared proportions of crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat, phosphorus, calcium, ,lysine, and 
methionine;  
d) additives if included shal l be declared;  
e) net weight in metric units;  
f) directions for use;  
g) information about the species or category of animals for which the feed is intended;  
h) floating pellets feeds shall be labelled as “floating feeds”;  
i) batch number/ lot identification;  
j) manufa cturing date;  
k) storage instructions; and   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  7 
 l) expiry date.  
9 Sampling  
Representative samples shall be drawn in accordance with ISO 6497.   
8 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(informative)  
 
Description of common feedstuffs  
Product   Description  Main nutritional constituent  
1. Alfalfa meal   Alfalfa as grown, dried and processed, and to which no 
other matter has been added  Crude protein, crude fibre  
2. Barley meal   The meal obtained by grinding barley, as grown, which 
shall be the whole grain together only with such other 
substances  as may reasonably be expected to have 
become associated with the grain in the field.  Crude protein, crude fibre  
3. Bean meal   The meal obtained by grinding commercially pure 
leguminous beans (other than soya bean).  Crude protein, crude fibre  
4. Blo od meal   The meal has been dried out to which no other matter has 
been added  Crude protein  
5. Bone meal   Commercially pure steamed bone, raw or degreased, 
which has been ground or crushed and which contains 
phosphorus not less than 4.5% phosphorus.  Crude protein, phosphorus, calcium  
6.  Brewery  and  
grains  distillery  The product obtained by drying the residue from 
distillery mash -tube, and to which no other matter has 
been added  Crude fibre, crude protein  
7. Cassava, dried   The dried root of the species Manihot esculenta   starch     
8. Clover meal   Clover as grown, dried and processed and to which no 
other matter has been added  Crude protein, crude fibre  
9. Coconut cake   The residue resulting after part removal of oil and of 
cortex from commercially pure coconut kernels  Crude protein crude fibre  
10. Cotton seed cake   The residue resulting after part removal of oil and of 
cortex from commercially pure cotton seed  Crude protein, crude fibre  
11. Sorghum meal   The meal obtained by gri nding sorghum as grown which 
shall be the whole grain together only with such 
substances as may reasonably be expected to have 
become associated with the grain in the field.  Crude protein, crude fibre, starch   
12. Fish meal   A product, which may contai n an added antioxidant but 
to which no other matter has been added, obtained by 
drying and grinding or otherwise treating fish or fish 
waste.  Crude protein, oil, total ash   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  9 
 13. Grass, meal   Any product which,  
(i) is obtained by artificially drying any of t he following: grass, 
clover, lucerne, green cereal, or any mixture consisting 
of any of them, and  
(ii) is otherwise as grown (that is to say including any 
growths harvested there with but with no other 
substance added thereto), and contains not less than 13 
% crude protein calculated on the assumption that it 
contain 10 % moisture.  Crude protein, crude fibre  
14. Groundnut cake   The residue resulting after part removal of oil and part of 
non-removal of cortex from commercially pure 
groundnuts  Crude protein,   
Oil, crude fibre  
 
Product  Description  Main nutritional constituent  
15. Maize  Maize kernel or crushed maize kernel as grown for 
commercial purposes  Crude protein, starch   
16. Maize germ meal  Consisting mainly of embryo of kernel not less than 1 0  
% oil, and not more than 5 % ash  Crude protein, starch   
17. Maize and cob meal  Ground maize on the cob  Crude protein, oil, crude fibre  
18. Maize meal  Milled whole maize  Crude protein, oil, starch   
19. Maize gluten meal  A by-product resulting  from removal of a bran starch and 
germ from maize  Crude protein,  oil,   
20. Meat and bone meal  A product, which may contain an added antioxidant but 
to which no other matter has been added, containing not 
less than 65 % protein, obtained by drying and  grinding 
animal carcasses of portions thereof but excluding hair, 
have been preliminarily treated for the removal of fat  Crude protein,  oil,   
21. Milk powder / milk replacer  Dried milk from which a substantial amount of fat has 
been removed and to whic h no other substance is 
added  Crude protein  
22. Millet  Finger millet of the species Eleusine coracana   Crude protein, orude fibre, starch  
23. Mineral mixture  
Mixture of substances used whether in the form powder 
or licks and purporting to be essenti al for livestock  Percent of the mineral and trace elements  
24. Molasses  A concentrated syrup product obtained in the 
manufacture of sugar from sugar cane to which no other 
matter has been added  Sugar as sucrose  
25. Oats, ground  The product obtained  by grinding commercially pure oats  Crude protein, crude fibre  
26. Pea meal  The meal obtained by grinding or crushing commercially 
pure peas including pods  Crude protein, crude fibre  
27. Rice bran  The outside husk or rice kernel to which no other m atter 
has been added  Crude protein, crude fibre, oil, starch   
10 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 28. Rice meal  The product obtained by grinding commercially pure rice 
after the removal of hulls and to which no other 
substance is added  Crude fibre,  crude protein, oil, starch  
29. Rice polishings  The product obtained when polishing kernels after the 
removal of hulls and bran  Crude protein, oil, crude fibre, starch  
30. Sesame cake  The residue resulting after the part removal of oil from 
commercially pure simsim kernels  Crude protein , oil,  crude fibre  
31. Soya bean meal  The residue resulting after the part removal of oil from 
commercially pure soya bean seeds  Crude protein, oil,  crude fibre  
32. Sweet potatoes  The dried tubers of the species Ipomea batatas   Crude protein, crud e fibre, starch  
33. Wheat meal  The meal obtained by grinding commercially pure wheat 
as grown and to which no other substance has been 
added  Crude protein, crude fibre, starch  
34. wheat bran  Outside husk of what kernel to which no other matter was 
added  Crude protein, crude fibre, starch  
35. Wheat pollard  A by -product of wheat separated during production of 
flour not mentioned otherwise in this schedule 
containing not more than 4 % of other than wheat 
vegetable substances  Crude protein, crude fi bre, starch  
36. Yeast dried  The product obtained by drying of yeast or yeast  
residues, and to which no other matter has been added.  Crude protein  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  11 
 Annex  B 
(informative)  
 
Nutrient composition of commo n feed ingredients  
Ingredients  DM%  CP%  CF%  Ca%  P%  ME  
Kcal/kg  Lysine 
%  Methionin 
e %  
Maize  88  8  12  0.17  0.55  3000  0.53  0.29  
Maize bran  88  9.4  13  0.04  1.03  2200  0.18  0.21  
Maize/cob meal  88  7  8  -  0.30  -  -  -  
Rice bran  88  13.5  6.5  0.06  1.43  3000  0.5  0.22  
Cassava meal  88  2.8  4.0  0.3  0.05  3000  -  -  
Molasses  75  3.0  -  0.75  0.08  2330  -  -  
Millet  88  10.5  2.0  0.05  0.40  1392  0.2  0.27  
Sorghum  88  9.0  2.1  0.03  0.28  3250  0.2  0.12  
Fish m eal  88  60.0  1.0  4.37  2.53  2310  4.08  1.70  
Blood meal  92  72.9  1.7  0.28  0.22  1177  7.0  0.9  
Cotton seed cake  88  40.0  14  0.20  1.20  968  1.6  0.52  
Soya bean meal  88  43.0  6  0.53  0.64  2800  2.84  0.65  
Limestone  98  -  -  38.0  -  -  -  -  
Oyster shells  98  -  -  35.0  -  -  -  -  
Wheat pollard  98  15.0  -  -  -  -  0.60  0.35  
Wheat bran  91.4  15.0  12.5  -  1.20  -  0.60  0.35  
Sunflower cake  92  35.0  26.7  -  -  -  1.80  1.20  
Groundnut cake  93  40.0  7.3  -  -  -  2.00  1.80  
Rice polishings  92.5  12.0  4.2  -  -  -  4.0  0.40  
Bone meal  94  24  1.5            
Dicalcium 
phosphate  -  -  -  24  18  -  -  -  
Tricalcium 
phosphate  -  -  -  38  19  -  -  -   
12 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Meat meal  -  60.0  -  -  -  -  0.50  1.0  
Alfalfa hay  87.5  18.9  33.1  -  -  -  -  -  
Sugarcane 
bagasse  90.5  1.7  50.3  -  -  -  -  -  
Sesame cake  93  36.1  6.7  -  -  -  -  -  
Sugarcane tops  33.5  6.2  29.5  -  -  -  -  -  
Whey  90  13.0  1.3  0.97  0.76  3100  -  0.2  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  13 
 Annex  C 
(informative)  
 
Micronutrients requirements for fish  
C.1 Micronutrients requirements for tilapia  
S/N  Parameter  Starter 
feed  Grower 
feed  Finisher 
feed  Brooder 
feed  
i)  Vitamin A IU/Kg  3000  1500  3000  3000  
ii)  Thiamine mg/Kg  18  9  18  18  
iii)  Copper mg/Kg  6  3  6  6  
iv)  Zinc mg/Kg  100  50  100  100  
v)  Manganese mg/Kg  50  25  50  50  
vi)  Iodine mg/Kg  6  3  6  6  
vii)  Iron mg/Kg  60  30  60  60  
viii)  Vitamin B 12  mg/Kg  0.015  0.0075  0.015  0.015  
ix)  Vitamin A IU/Kg  3000  1500  3000  3000  
x)  Vitamin D IU/Kg  1500  750  1500  1500  
xi)  Choline mg/Kg  1200  600  1200  1200  
xii)  Vitamin E mg/Kg  120  60  120  120  
xiii)  Riboflavin mg/Kg  24  12  24  24  
xiv)  Pyridoxine mg/Kg  18  9  18  18  
xv)  Pantothenic mg/Kg  48  24  48  48  
xvi)  Biotin mg/Kg  0.2  0.1  0.2  0.2  
xvii) Ascorbic acid mg/Kg   300  150  300  300  
xviii ) Institol mg/Kg  150  75  150  150  
xix)  Thiamine mg/Kg  18  9  18  18   
14 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 C.2 Micronutrients requirements fo r catfish  
S/N  Parameter  Starter 
feed  Grower 
feed  Finisher feed  Brooder feed  
i)  Vitamin A IU/Kg, min  900  900  900  900  
ii)  Ascorbic acid mg/Kg, min  60  60  60  60  
iii)  Copper mg/Kg  4.8  4.8  4.8  4.8  
iv)  Zinc mg/Kg  20  20  20  20  
v)  Manganese mg/Kg  2.4  2.4  2.4  2.4  
vi)  Iron mg/Kg  20  20  20  20  
vii)  Vitamin A IU/Kg  900  900  900  900  
viii)  Vitamin D IU/Kg  220  220  220  220  
ix)  Choline mg/Kg  400  400  400  400  
x)  Vitamin E mg/Kg  23  23  23  23  
xi)  Niacin mg /kg  14  14  14  14  
xii)  Riboflavin mg/Kg  9  9  9  9  
xiii)  Pyridoxine mg/Kg  3  3  3  3  
xiv)  Pantothenic mg/Kg  15  15  15  15  
xv)  Ascorbic acid mg/Kg   60  60  60  60  
xvi)  Thiamine mg/Kg  1  1  1  1  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  15 
 Annex  D 
(normative)  
 
Recommended additives used in fish feed  
D.1 Requirements for antioxidants  
No feeds shall contain any added antioxidant other than an antioxidant of a name or description specified in 
the first column of the table below or  any other antioxidant as shall be approved by OIE. Where an antioxidant 
is added should not exceed the maximum content, if any, specified in the second column of the Table D.1.  
Table D.1 — Requirements for antioxidants  
Name or description  Maximum conte nt in complete feed stuff,  
mg/kg  
L-Ascorbic acid  
Sodium L -ascorbate  
Calcium di (L -ascorbate)  
5,6-Diacetyl -L-ascorbic acid  
6-Palmitoyl -L-ascorbic acid  
Tocopherol -rich extracts of a natural origin  
Synthetic alpha -tocopherol  
Synthetic gamma -tocopher ol  
Synthetic delta -tocopherol  GMP  
Propyl gallate  
Octyl gallate  
Dodecyl gallate  100, singly or in combination  
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)  150  
D.2 Requirements for emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners and gelling agents  
D.2.1  General  
Fish fe eds shall contain no added emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener or gelling agent other than an emulsifier, 
stabiliser, thickener or gelling agent of a name or description, specified in D.2.2 and D.2.3 or any other 
emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener or gelling agent as shall be approved by OIE.   
D.2.2  Name or description  
Lecithins; Alginic acid; Sodium alginate; Potassium alginate; Ammonium alginate Calcium alginate;  
Prophylene glycol alginate (propane - 1,1-diol alginate) Agar; Carrageenan; Furcellaran; Locus t bean gum 
(carob gum); Tamarind seed flour Gurar gum (gua flour); Tragacanth; Acacia (gum Arabic); Zanthan gum; 
Dglucitol (sorbitol); mannitol; Glycerol; Pectins; microcrystalline cellulose; Methylcellulose; Ethylcellulose;  
16 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Hydroxylpropyl cellulose;Hydorx yprophylmethylcellulose; Ethylmethlcellulose; Carboxymethylcellulose;sodium 
salt; Sodium, potassium and calcium salts or edible fatty acids alone or in mixtures, derived from edible fat or  
distilled fatty acids Monoacyl and diacylglycerols esterified with the following acids: (a) acetic (b) lactic (c) citric 
(d) tartaric (e) monoacetylatartaric and (f) diacetyltartaric.  
The additives listed shall conform to the requirement in Table D.2.  
Table D.2 — Requirements for emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners and  gelling agents  
Name or description  Maximum content in complete feed,  
mg/kg  
Poly (ethylene glycol) (M.W 6 000)  300  
Polyoxypropylene polyoxyethelene polymers (M.W 6 800 - 9 000)  50  
  
D.2.3  Sucrose esters or fatty acids  
The following sucrose este rs fatty acids may be added to fish feeds:  
a) mixture of sucrose esters of monocyl and diacylglycerols (sucroglycerides, polyglycerides);  
b) polyglycerol esters of non -polymerised edible fatty acids;  
c) propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (propane -1,2-diol es ters of fatty acids);  
d) stearoyl -2-lactylic acid; sodium stearoyl -1,2-lacylate; calcium stearoyl -1,2-lactylate;  
e) stearoyl -1-tartrate; glycerol poly (ethylene glycol) ricinolcate; dextrans; sorbitan monostearate;  
f) sorbitan tristearte; sorbitan monolaurate; s orbitan mono -eleate; sorbitan monopalmitate;  
g) partial polyglycerol esters of polycondensed fatty acids of castor oil (polyglycerol polyricinoleate) 
polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate;  
h) polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene (20 ) sorbitan monostearate;  
i) polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan tristearate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monocleate;  
j) polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan tricleate, polyoxyethylene (8) sorbitan stearate; and  
k) polyoxyethylene (40) stearate.  
D.3 Requirements for binder s, anti -caking agents and coagulants  
D.3.1  General  
Fish feeds shall contain no added binder, anti -caking agent or coagulant other than a binder, anti -
caking agent or coagulant of a name or description specified in D.3.2.   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  17 
 D.3.2  Name or description  
Ligno sulphonates; Colloidal silica; Silicic acid, precipitate and dried; Sodium aluminosilicate, Sodium, 
potassium and calcium stearate; Kaolin and Kaslinitic clays free of asbestos natural accruing mixtures of 
minerals containing at least 65 % complex hydrated  aluminium silicates whose main constituent in Kasolinite;  
Bentonite and other montmerillonitee clays; Vermiculite  -hydrated silicate of magnesium, aluminium and iron;  
Citric acid; Kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth, purified); Calcium silicate (synthetic); Natural mixtures of steatite 
and chlorite free of asbestos.  
D.4 Requirements for aromatic and appetising substances  
Fish feeds shall contain no added aromatic or appetising substance other than an aromatic or 
appetising substance of a name or description  specified in Table D.3 and taking account of any such 
substance which is naturally present, without exceeding the maximum content specified.   
Table D.3 — Requirements for aromatic and appetising substances  
Name or description  Maximum content in complet e feed,  
mg/kg  
Saccharin  
All natural products and corresponding 
synthetic products    
GMP  
 
. DEAS 973: 2023    
 
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved