DEAS  337: 2023 
ICS 71.100.70  
 
© EAC 2023                                                                                                                             Third  Edition 2020   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Henna powder — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS  337: 2023 
ii © EAC 2023 – 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 prosecuted . DEAS  337: 2023 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  1 
41 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4.2 Specific quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  2 
5 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  4 
6 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  4 
7 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  4 
Annex A  (normative)  Determination of moisture and volatile matter  ................................ ..........................  5 
A.1 Procedur e ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
A.2 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  5 
Annex B (normative)  Determination of cold water extract  ................................ ................................ ............  6 
B.1 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
B.2 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  6 
Annex C (normative)  Determination of crude fibre  ................................ ................................ ........................  7 
C.1 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  7 
C.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
C.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  7 
Annex D (normative)  Determination of mineral matter  ................................ ................................ ..................  9 
D.1 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  9 
D.2 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  9 
Annex E (normative)  Determination of acid insoluble ash  ................................ ................................ .........  10 
E.1 Reagent  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  10 
E.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  10 
E.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  10 
Annex F (normative)  Determination of extraneous sand  ................................ ................................ ............  11 
F.1 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  11 
F.2 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  11 
Annex G (normative)  Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) test for detection of extraneous dyes  ............  12 
Annex  B (informative)  Which styles correspond to which element  — Quick reference guide  ...............  13 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  14 
 DEAS  337: 2023 
iv © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
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 that a re 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 of re presentatives 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 representativ e 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 receiv ed 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. Users o f 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 071, Cosmetics and related 
products . 
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.  
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition ( EAS 337:2013 ), which has been technically 
revised.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD   DEAS 337:2023 
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  1 
 Henna powder — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standa rd specifies the requirements,  sampling  and test  methods for pure henna 
powder.  
2 Normative 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 an y amendments) applies.  
EAS 346, Labelling of cosmetics — General requirements  
EAS 377 (all parts) , Cosmetics and cosmetic products  
EAS 846, Glossary of terms relating to cosmetic industry  
EAS 847 -16, Cosmetics — Analytical methods — Part 16: Determination o f lead, mercury and arsenic content  
ISO 16212, Cosmetics - Microbiology - Enumeration of yeast and mould  
US ISO 18416 , Cosmetics — Microbiology — Detection of Candida albicans  
ISO 21149 , Cosmetics — Microbiology — Enumeration and detection of aerobic mesop hilic bacteri a 
ISO 22717 , Cosmetics — Microbiology —Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa  
ISO 22718 , Cosmetics — Microbiology — Detection of Staphylococcus aureus  
ISO 24153 , Random sampling and randomization procedures  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purpose s of this standard, the terms and definitions given in EAS 846 shall apply.   
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:   
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  The material shall be in the form of fine, dried powder obtained from fresh leaves of henna plant.   
2 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 4.1.2  The henna shall be free from extraneous adulterants. These include stems , small fruits, husk of 
paddy, leaves and twigs of other shrubs.   
4.2 Specific requirements  
Henna powder shall also comply with the specific requirements g iven in Table 1 when tested in accordance 
with the test methods specifi ed therein.  
 
Table 1 — Specific r equirements for henna powder  
S/N  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Moisture and volatile matter, % by mass, max.  10 Annex A  
ii.  Cold water extract, % by mass  25 - 32 Annex B  
iii.  Crude fibre, %t by mass  10 - 15 Annex C  
iv.  Mineral matter, % by mass  8 - 12 Annex D  
v.  Acid insoluble ash, % by mass  3 - 6 Annex E  
vi.  Extraneous sand, % by mass, max.  5 Annex F  
vii.  Presence of extraneous dyes  To pass the test  Annex G  
viii.  Lawsone pigment, % by mass, min.  1.0 Annex H  
ix.  Residue o n 250 micron sieve, % by mass, max.  5.0 Annex I  
 
5 Heavy metal contaminants  
Henna powder shall comply with the heavy metal contaminant  limits given in Table 2 when tested in accordance  
with the test methods specified therein.  
Table 2 — Heavy metal conta minant limit s for henna powder  
 
Heavy metal  Maximum limit 
a ,mg/kg  Test method  
Lead (as Pb)  10 EAS 847 -16 
Arsenic (as 
As) 2 
Mercury (as 
Hg) 2 
a The total amount of heavy m etals as lead, 
mercury and arsenic, in combination, in the finished 
product shall not exceed 10 mg/kg.   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  3 
 6 Microbiological  limits   
Henna powder shall comply with the microbiological  limits given in Table 3 when tested in accordance with the  
test methods sp ecified therein.   
4 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Table 3 — Microbiological  limits for henna powder  
 
S/N Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total viable count 
for aerobic 
mesophilic micro -
organisms CFU/g, 
max.  100 ISO 2 1149  
ii.  Pseudomonas 
aeruginosa  Not detectable 
in 0.5 g of 
cosmetic 
product  ISO 22717  
iii.  Staphylococcus 
aureus  ISO 22718  
iv.  Candida albicans  ISO 18416  
v.  Yeast and moulds, 
CFU/g, max.  100 ISO 16212  
 
5 Packaging  
The product shall be packaged in suitabl e well -sealed containers that shall protect the contents and shall not 
cause any contamination or react with the product.  
6 Labelling  
6.1 In addition to the labelling requirements given in EAS 346, each package shall be legibly and indelibly  
labelled with  product name as “Henna powder”.  
6.2 In addition, the labelling shall include the instructions for use with a clear statement that only water shall 
be used as a solvent.  
7 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with ISO 24153   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Determination of moisture and volatile matter   
A.1 Procedure  
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the prepared sample material in a moisture dish, about 6 cm to 8 cm in 
diameter and about 2 cm to 4cm in depth. Dry in an air oven at a temperature of 105 °C ± 2 °C t o constant 
mass (within ± 5 mg).  
A.2 Calculation  
The moisture and volatile matter content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;  
 
where  
M1  is the loss in mass, in grams, on drying, and  
M2  is the mass, in grams, of the material taken f or test.   
6 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex B  
(normative)  
 
Determination of cold water extract  
B.1 Procedure  
B.1.1  Weigh to the nearest 0.001 g, about 2 g of the prepared sample. Transfer the material quantitatively 
with water to a 100 -mL volumetric flask and fill to the mark with col d water. Stopper the flask and shake at 
approximately 30 min intervals for 8 h and allow to settle for another 16 h without shaking.  
B.1.2  Filter the extract through a dry filter paper. Reject first few millilitres, then evaporate a 25 - mL aliquot 
to dryn ess in a tared dish on the water -bath and heat in the oven at 100 °C ± 2 °C to constant mass. Record 
the final mass.  
B.2 Calculation  
The cold water soluble extract content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;  
 
where  
M1 is the mass, in gr ams, of the text sample, and  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the residue obtained.   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex C  
(normative)  
 
Determination of crude fibre  
C.1 Reagents  
C.1.1  Petroleum ether , low boiling range of 40 °C - 60 °C  
C.1.2  Dilute sulphuric acid , 1.25 % (v/v), accurately prepared  
C.1.3  Sodium hydroxide solution , 1.25 % (m/v), accurately prepared  
C.1.4  Ethyl alcohol , 95 % (v/v)  
C.2 Procedure  
C.2.1  Weigh accurately about 2.5 g of the prepared sample. Transfer the material into a one -litre flask. Take 
200 mL of the dilute sulphuric acid in a beaker and bring to boil.  
C.2.2  Transfer the whole of the boiling acid to the flask containing material and immediately connect the 
flask with a water -cooled reflux condenser and heat, so that the contents of the flask begin to boil wi thin 1 min.  
C.2.3  Rotate the flask frequently, taking care to keep the material from remaining on the sides of the flask 
and out of contact with the acid. Continue boiling for exactly 30 min.  
C.2.4  Remove the flask and filter through fine linen about 18 t hreads to the centimetre or through a coarse 
acid-washed, hardened filter paper, held in a funnel, and wash with boiling water until the washings are no 
longer acid to litmus. Bring some quantity of sodium hydroxide solution to boil under a reflux condense r.  
C.2.5  Wash the residue on the filter into the flask with 200 mL of boiling sodium hydroxide solution. 
Immediately connect the flask with the reflux condenser. Immediately connect the flask with the reflux 
condenser and boil for exactly 30 min. Remove t he flask and immediately filter through the linen or through 
filter paper.  
C.2.6  Thoroughly wash the residue with boiling water and transfer to a Gooch crucible prepared with a thin 
but compact layer of ignited asbestos. Wash the residue thoroughly first with hot water and then with about 
15ml of ethyl alcohol and with three successive washings of 15 mL of petroleum ether each.  
C.2.7  Dry the Gooch crucible and contents at 105 °C ± 1 °C in an air - oven for 3 h, cool and weigh. Repeat 
the process of drying f or 30 min, cooling and weighing until the difference between two consecutive weighings 
is less than 1 mg.  
C.2.8  Incinerate the contents of the Gooch crucible in the muffle furnace at 550 °C ± 20 °C until all the 
carbonaceous matter is burnt. Cool the Gooc h crucible containing the ash in a desiccator and weigh.  
C.3 Calculation  
The crude fibre content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;    
8 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 
 
where  
M1 is the mass, in grams, of Gooch crucible and contents before ashing;  
M2 is the mass, in g rams, of Gooch crucible and contents after ashing; and  
M is the mass of the material taken for the test.   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  9 
 Annex D  
(normative)  
 
Determination of mineral matter  
D.1 Procedure  
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the prepared sample in a silica dish. Heat the dish a t first on a low flame and 
then in a muffle furnace maintained at about 600 °C. Cool in a desiccator and weigh. Repeat the process of 
heating, cooling and weighing until constant mass is obtained. Preserve the ash for test under Annex E.  
D.2 Calculation  
The mineral matter content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;   
 
where  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the ash, and  
M1 is the mass in grams, of the material taken for the test.   
10 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex E  
(normative)  
 
Determination of acid insoluble ash  
E.1 Reagent  
Dilute hydrochloric acid, approximately 5 N.  
E.2 Procedure  
E.2.1  To the ash preserved in D.1 add 25 mL of dilute hydrochloric acid (5 N), heat on water -bath for 10 
min, allow to cool and filter the contents of the dish through Whatman filter paper  No. 42, wash the filter with 
distilled water till the washing is free from acid.  
E.2.2  Return the filter and residues to the dish. Keep it in oven to dry and ignite to free from carbon (in 
muffle furnace to 600 °C). Cool the dish in desiccator and weigh. Repeat the process of igniting, cooling and 
weighing, until the difference between two successive weighings is less than one milligram. Note the lowest 
mass.  
E.3 Calculation  
The acid insoluble ash content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as foll ows;  
 
where  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the residue, and  
M1 is the mass, in grams, of the material taken for test in D.1.   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  11 
 Annex F  
(normative)  
 
Determination of extraneous sand  
F.1 Procedure  
F.1.1  Weigh 5 g of prepared sample and transfer to a beaker. Add about 100 mL of carbon tetrachloride 
and mix the contents intimately and allow to settle.  
F1.2 The supernatant liquid is decanted and the residue again stirred with another 100 -mL portion of 
carbon tetrachloride. This process is repeated till it is fr eed of all vegetable matter.  
F.1.3  Transfer the residue to a tared silica dish, ignite and weigh to constant mass.  
NOTE -That the residue has been freed from vegetable matter can be judged by the absence of formation of light leafy 
scum on inside of the bea ker when carbon tetrachloride evaporates partially.  
F.2 Calculation  
The extraneous sand content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;  
 
where  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the sand, and  
M1 is the mass, in grams, of the material taken for te st  
12 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex G  
(normative)  
 
Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) test for detection of extraneous dyes  
G.1 Preparation of plates  
Mix 10 g of the silica gel (of TLC grade, partic le size 10 μm to 40 μm) with 20 mL of distilled water to make a 
slurry and spread over glass plates to a depth of 250 microns. Activate the plates for 30 min, by keeping in an 
oven maintained at 105 °C.  
G.2 Preparation of sample  
Extract about 0.1 g of the prepared sample with 5 mL of chloroform and apply one drop of the extract on the 
base line of the plate.  
G.3 Development of chromatogram  
Keep the prepared plates in a jar containing a mixture of chloroform: methyl ethyl ketone: glacial acetic acid 
(5:4:1).  Allow the solvent front to run up to 15 cm (the time taken is about 3 h) at room temperature (25 °C to 
30 °C). Observe the spots obtained  under ultra violet light  at 254 nm or 366 nm . 
G.4 Results  
G.4.1  The principal ingredients of genuine henna powder, namely Lawsone and chlorophyll will give spots 
on the chromatogram as given below: Lawsone Redd ish spot with Rf value approximately 0.4 Chlorophyll 
Greenish spot coincident with the liquid front.  
G.4.2  Any other spots on the chromatogram indicate extraneous dyes.  
G.4.3  For comparison, use a reference sample prepared from standard henna powder.   
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  13 
 Annex  H 
(normative)  
 
Determina tion of Lawsone pigment content  
H.1 Outline of method  
The pigment is extracted and the Lawsone content is determined by comparing the observed optical density  
(measured colorimetric ally) with a calibration curve, relating optical density to various concentrations of 2 - 
hydroxy -1,4-naphthoquinone.  
H.2 Apparatus  
Spectrophotometer or photoelectric colorimeter, with a filter of 490 nm  
H.3 Reagents  
H.3.1  Sodium bicarbonate solution, 5 % ( m/v) 
H.3.2  2-Hydroxy -1,4-naphthoquinone  
H.4 Procedure for preparation of Standard Calibration Curve  
H.4.1  Construct a calibration curve by dissolving known amounts of 2 -hydroxy -1,4-naphthoquinone  
(C10H6O3) varying in concentration from 0 % to 2 % under the  same condition as described in H.4.2 below.  
H.4.2  Weigh 2.0 g of the prepared sample. Transfer it to a 100 -mL volumetric flask. Add 5 % (m/v) solution  
of sodium bicarbonate and make up the volume to mark. Shake the contents of the flask every half an hour  or 
so for about 8 h. Allow to settle overnight, there -after filter the solution through a filter paper and reject the first  
few millilitre. Take 10 mL of the filtrate in a 25  mL volumetric flask and dilute with distilled water up to the  
mark. Measure the optical density of this solution with a spectrophotometer at 490 nm.  
H.5 Calculation  
Refer to the calibration curve and determine the percent lawsone content of the sample from the curve.   
14 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex I  
(normative)  
 
Determination of fineness  
I.1 Reagent  
Denatured  spirit, filtered  
I.2 Procedure  
Place about 10 g of the sample, accurately weighed, in the specified sieve and wash by means of a low  
stream of running tap water and finally with fine stream from a wash bottle until, as much material as would  
pass through the sieve has passed. In case the material is not easily wetted by water, the washing could be  
started with a slow stream of filtered denatured spirit. Let the water drain from the sieve and then dry the sieve  
containing the residue on a steam bath. Transf er the residue onto a tared watch glass carefully and dry it to  
constant mass at 105 °C ± 2 °C.  
I.3 Calculation  
The material retained on the specified sieves content , expressed as percent, shall be calculated as follows;  
 
where  
M1 is the mass, in grams, of the residue retained on the specified sieve and  
M2 is the mass, in grams, of the sample taken for test.  
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  15 
 Bibliography  
EAS 337: 2013 , Henna powder — Specification  
 DEAS  337: 2020    
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved