SZNS 049:2014 
 
ICS 67.080.20                              Edition 1              
 
 
 
 
 
 
ESWATINI  NATIONAL STANDARD  
 
 
 
Maize grains - Specification    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Published by: Eswatini  Standards Authority  
Marble Construction Building, Plot 247, 11th Street King Mswati III Avenue West  
P. O. Box 1399, Matsapha, Kingdom of Eswatini   
Telephone: +268 2518 4633, Facsimile: +268 2518 4526  
Website: www.swasa.co.sz  
E-mail: info@swasa.co .sz  
©Eswatini  Standards Authority  2014  
 
 
SZNS  049:2014 
Edition 1  
ii         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 COPYRIGHT NOTICE  
 
This Eswatini  Standards Authority (SWASA) document is a n Eswatini  National  Standard and is 
copyright -protected by  SWASA. Neither this SWASA document  nor any extract from it may be 
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photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission being secured.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce should be addressed to : 
 
The Information Officer  
Eswatini  Standards Authority  
P.O. Box 1399, Matsapha  
Tel. + 268 2518 4633  
Fax: + 268 2518 4526  
E-mail: info@swasa.co.sz   
Website: www.swasa.co.sz  
 
Reproduction may be subject to roya lty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   SZNS 049:2014 
  Edition 1   
 
©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     iii 
 Table of changes  
 
Clause Changed  Date  Change  
Structure of  
standard  2014  For consistency with the layout of SWASA standards, 
this standard  does not follow the structure of the main 
source document but rather follows that of  EAS 2:2011 
Maize grains — Specification  
Clause 2 and 
8.1 2014  Replace “ CODEX STAN 1” with “SZNS CODEX 
STAN 1”   
Clause 4.1.1, 
4.1.4, 4.1.5 and 
8.1 2014  Add the element o f “purple maize” and its 
requirements.  
 
NATIONAL FOREWORD  
 
This Eswatini  National  Standard was prepared by Technical committee SWASA/TC 43 Agricultural 
produce in accordance with procedures of the Eswatini  Standards Authority, in compliance with 
Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT Agreement.  This National Standard  is a not equivalent implementation  of 
CODEX STAN 153:1985 (Rev.1:1995) Standard for Maize (Corn)  and is adopted with the 
permission of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SZNS  049:2014 
Edition 1  
iv         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 Contents                                                                                                                             Page                                                                                                                                          
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  1 
3 Definitions ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  2 
4 Quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  3 
5 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  5 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 5 
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  6 
8 Marking or labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
9 Methods of sampling ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
Bibliogra phy ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   SZNS 049:2014 
  Edition 1   
 
©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     1 
 Maize gra ins — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Eswatini  National Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for maize 
grains. The standard applies to maize (corn) for direct human consumption, i.e., ready for its intended 
use as human food, presen ted in packaged form or sold loose from the package directly to the 
consumer. This standard specifies requirements for whole grain shelled dent maize, Zea mays 
indentata L., and/or shelled flint maize, Zea mays indurata L., or their hybrids and of all colo ur types.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (inclu ding any amendments) applies. Information on currently valid national and 
international standards can be obtained from the Eswatini  Standards Authority .  
CAC/RCP 1 -1969, General principles of food hygiene  
SZNS CODEX STAN 1 , Standard for the labelling of pr epackaged foods   
CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
ISO 605 , Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety 
— Test methods  
ISO 711, Cereals and cereal products — Determination of moisture content (Basic reference method)  
ISO 712 , Cereals and cereal products — Determination of moisture content — Routine reference 
method  
ISO 5223, Test sieves for cereals  
ISO 6639 -1, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden i nsect infestation — Part 1: General 
principles  
ISO 6639 -2, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 2: Sampling  
ISO 6639 -3, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 3: Reference 
method  
ISO 6639 -4, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 4: Rapid 
methods  
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and o ther species) — Part 
1: Technique using Baird -Parker agar medium  
ISO 6888 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 
2: Tec hnique using rabbit plasma fibrinogen agar medium  
ISO 6888 -3, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 
3: Detection and MPN technique for low numbers  
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
ISO 13690, Cereals, pulses and milled products — Samp ling of static batches  
ISO 16050, Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G1 
and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products — High performance liquid chromatographic method  SZNS  049:2014 
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2         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food an d animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of yeasts and moulds — Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity 
less than or equal to 0.95  
AOAC Official Method 2001.04, Determination of Fumonisins B1 and B2 in corn an d corn flakes 
Liquid chromatography with immunoaffinity column cleanup  
3 Definitions  
For the purpose of this standard the following definitions apply.  
3.1 
broken grains  
pieces of maize which shall pass  through a 4.50 mm metal sieve  
3.2 
damaged grains  
grains which are pest damaged, stained, diseased, discoloured, germinated, frost damaged, or 
otherwise materially damaged  
3.2.1  
pest damaged grains  
grains with obvious weevil -bored holes or which have evidence of boring or tunneling, indicating the 
prese nce of insects, insect webbing or insect refuse, or degermed grains, chewed in one or more than 
one part of the kernel which exhibit evident traces of an attack by vermin  
3.2.2  
stained grains  
grains whose natural colour has been altered by external facto rs. This includes ground, soil or weather 
damaged grains, which may have dark stains or discolourations with a rough external appearance  
3.2.3 
diseased grains  
grains made unsafe for human consumption due to decay, moulding, or bacterial decomposition, or  
other causes that may be noticed without having to cut the grains to examine them  
3.2.4  
discoloured grains  
grains materially discoloured by excessive heat, including that caused by excessive respiration (heat 
damage) and dried damaged kernels  
NOTE Grain s may appear darkened, wrinkled, blistered, puffed or swollen, often with discoloured, damaged 
germs. The seed coat may be peeling or may have peeled off completely, giving grains a checked appearance.  
3.2.5 
germinated grains  
grains showing visible signs  of sprouting, such as cracked seed coats through which a sprout has 
emerged or is just beginning to merge  
3.2.6 
frost damaged grains  
grains which appear bleached or blistered and the seed coat may be peeling, germs may appear dead   SZNS 049:2014 
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©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     3 
 or discoloured  
3.2.7 
mouldy grains  
maize grains with visible mycelia growth on its tip or surface  
3.3 
defective grains  
pest damaged, discoloured, diseased, germinated, mouldy, immature and shrivelled grains, or 
otherwise materially damaged, which specifically do not include b roken grains  
3.4 
filth  
impurities of animal origin  
3.5 
foreign matter  
all organic and inorganic material (such as sand, soil, glass) other than maize, broken grains and other 
grains  
3.6 
immature/shrivelled  grains  
maize grains which are underdeveloped , thin and papery in appearance  
3.7  
maize (corn)  
shelled grains of the species Zea mays indentata L, (dent maize) and/or Zea mays  indurata L, (flint 
maize), or their hybrids  
3.7.1  
dent maize  
maize of any colour that has a visible dent or depressing wh en matured and dried  
3.7.2  
flint maize  
maize of any colour with smooth and rounded kernels  
3.8  
other grains  
edible grains, whole or identifiable broken, other than maize (i.e., cereals, pulses and other edible 
legumes)  
4 Quality requirements  
4.1 Gener al requirements  
4.1.1 Maize may be presented as yellow, white, or re d or a mixture of these colours  giving tints of  
 or pink .  SZNS  049:2014 
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4         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 4.1.2 Yellow maize may contain not more than 5.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize 
grains which are yellow and/or li ght red in colour are considered to be yellow maize. Yellow maize 
also means maize grains which are yellow and dark red in colour, provided the dark red colour covers 
less than 50 % of the surface of the grain.  
4.1.3 White maize may contain not more than 2.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize 
grains which are white and/or light pink in colour are considered to be white maize. White maize also 
means maize grains which are white and pink in colour, provided the pink colour covers less than 50 
% of the surface of the grain.  
4.1.4 Red maize may contain not more than 5.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains 
which are pink and whi te, grey or dark red and yellow in colour are considered to be red maize, 
provided the pink , purple,  dark red  or yellow colour covers 50 % or more of the surface of the grain.  
4.1.5 Mixed maize includes maize not falling into the classes of white, yellow, red or purple maize as 
defined in 4.1.2 to 4.1.4  
4.1.6 Maize also may be presented as flint or dent or thei r hybrids or mixtures thereof.  
4.1.7 Flint maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of 
flint maize.  
4.1.8 Dent maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of 
dent maiz e.  
4.1.9 Flint and dent maize includes maize of any colour which consists of more than 0.5 % but less 
than 95.0 % of flint maize.  
4.1.1 0 Maize shall be free from foreign odours, moulds, live pests, rat droppings, toxic or noxious 
weed seeds and other inj urious contaminants as determined from samples representative of the lot.  
4.1.1 1 Maize shall be of a reasonably uniform colour according to type, be whole and clean.  
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1 Grading  
Maize grains may be graded into three grades o n the basis of the tolerable limits established in Table 
1 which shall be additional to the general requirements set out in this standard.  
4.2.2 Ungraded maize grains  
Ungraded maize grains shall be maize grains which do not fall within the requirements o f Grades 1, 2 
and 3 of this standard but meet the minimum requirements provided in 4.1 and are not rejected maize 
grains. Ungraded maize can be sorted out to Grade 1, 2 or 3 in accordance with the relevant 
procedures.  
4.2.3 Reject grade maize grains  
This comprises maize grains which have objectionable odour, off flavour, living insects or which do 
not possess the quality characteristics specified in Table 1. They cannot satisfy the conditions of 
ungraded maize grains and shall be graded as reject maize gr ains and shall be regarded as unfit for 
human consumption.  
 
 
 
 
 
   SZNS 049:2014 
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©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     5 
 Table  1 ― Specific requirements  
Characteristics  Maximum limits  Method of test  
 Grade 
1 Grade 
2 Grade 
3  
Foreign matter, % m/m  0.5 1.0 1.5 ISO 605  
Inorganic matter, % m/m  0.25 0.5 0.75 
Broken kernels, % m/m  2.0 4.0 6.0 
Pest damaged grains, % m/m  1.0 3.0 5.0 
Rotten & diseased grains, % m/m  2.0 4.0 5.0 
Discoloured grains, % m/m  0.5 1.0 1.5 
Moisture, % m/m  14.0 14.0 14.0 ISO 711/712  
Immature/shrivelled grains, % 
m/m 1.0 2.0 3.0 ISO 605 
Filth, % m/m  0.1 0.1 0.1 
Total Aflatoxins, ppb, max  10  
Aflatoxin B1, ppb, max  5 ISO 605  
Fumonisin, ppm, max  2 AOAC Official Method 
2001.04  
Total defective grains, % m/m  4.0 5.0 7.0 ISO 605  
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Toxic metals  
Maize grains shall co mply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the Codex 
Alimentarius  
5.2 Pesticide residues  
Maize grains shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity  
5.3 My cotoxin limits  
Maize grains shall comply with those maximum mycotoxin limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity. In particular, total aflatoxin levels in all grades of 
maize grains for human consumption shall not exceed 10  μg/kg (ppb) with B1 not exceeding 5 μg/kg 
(ppb) when tested according to ISO 16050 and total fumonisins shall be not more than 2 mg/kg when 
determined in using validated methods.  
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Maize grains shall be produced, prepared and handled in acco rdance with the provisions of 
appropriate sections of CAC/RCP 1 -1969  SZNS  049:2014 
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6         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 6.2 When tested by appropriate standards of sampling and examination listed in Clause 2, the 
products:  
a) shall be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health  and    shall 
not exceed the limits stipulated in Table 2;  
b)  shall be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health; and  
c)  shall not contain any substance originating from microorganisms in amounts which may 
represent a hazard to health.  
Tabl e 2 — Microbiolog ical limits  
 Type of micro -organism  Limits  Test method  
i) Yeasts and moulds, max. per g  105 ISO 21527 -2 
ii) S. aureus  per 25 g  Not detectable  ISO 6888  
iii) E. Coli,  max. per g  Not detectable  ISO 7251  
iv) Salmonella,  max. per 25 g  Not d etectable  ISO 6579  
7 Packaging  
7.1 Maize grains shall be packed in suitable packages which shall be clean, free from insect, fungal 
infestation and the packing material shall be of food grade quality and free from damage.  
7.2 Maize grains shall be packed  in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, and 
organoleptic qualities of the products.  
7.3 The containers, including packaging material, shall be made of substances which are safe and 
suitable for their intended use. They shall not imp art any toxic substance or undesirable odour or 
flavour to the product.  
7.4 Each package shall contain maize grains of the same type and of the same grade designation.  
7.5 If maize grains are presented in bags, the bags shall also be free of pests and co ntaminants.  
7.6 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.  
8 Marking or labelling  
8.1 In addition to the requirements in SZNS CODEX STAN 1, each package shall be legibly and 
indelibly marked with the following:  
i) product name as “White Maize Gra ins, Yellow Maize Grains, Red Maize Grains, Purple Maize 
Grains or Mixed Maize Grains”;  
ii) grade;  
iii) name, address and physical location of the producer/ packer/importer;  
iv) lot/batch/code number;  
v) net weight, in kg;  
vi) the declaration “Food fo r Human Consumption’’  
vii) storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
viii) crop year;    SZNS 049:2014 
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©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     7 
 ix) packing date;  
x) instructions on disposal of used package;  
xi) country of origin;  
xii) a declaration on whether the maize was genetically modified where applicable.  
8.2 Labelling of non -retail containers  
Information for non -retail containers shall either be given on the container or in accompanying 
documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification and the n ame and address of the 
manufacturer or packer shall appear on the container. However, lot identification and the name and 
address of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an identification mark, provided that such a 
mark is clearly identifiable wit h the accompanying documents.  
9 Methods of sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with the ISO 13690.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SZNS  049:2014 
Edition 1  
8         ©SWASA 201 4 - All rights reserved  
 
 Bibliography  
 
1. EAS 2:2011, Maize grains — Specification  
2. Cereals Grading and Marking Rules, 2001 , Ministry of Agriculture,  Government of India, 
Schedule V, Grade Designation and Definition of Quality of Maize  
3. CODEX STAN 153:1985 (Rev.1:1995), Standard for Maize (Corn).  
4. Official Grain Grading Guide, August 1, 2009, Canadian Grain Commission United States 
Standards for Corn , Effective September 1996  
5. Malawi Standard, MBS 32:1998, Maize grain — Specification  
6. Ethiopian Standard, ES 679:2001, Maize (corn) — Specification  
7. CODEX STAN 193:1995 (Rev.5:2009), General standard for contaminants and toxins in 
foods  
8. CODEX STAN 228:2001 (Rev.1:2004), General methods of analysis for contaminants  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   SZNS 049:2014 
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©SWASA 2014  - All rights reserved     9 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS 67.080.20  
Price  based  on 8 pages.