ICS 67.080.01  
 
Reference number
DRS 304 -1: 2020
© RSB 2020
  
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS
304-1
Second  edition
2020 -mm-dd
(Reaffirmed yyyy-mm-dd)
Chillies  — Specification  
Part 1: Fresh chilli es 
   
DRS 304-1: 2020  
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2020  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without  
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reprodu ce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
P.O Box 7099 Kigali -Rwanda  
KK 15 Rd, 49  
Tel. +250 788303492  
Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rsb.go v.rw 
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw   DRS 304-1: 2020  
iii                ©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 1 
3 Terms and defi nitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... 1 
4 Quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 2 
4.1 General requirements ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 2 
4.2 Classification  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....3 
4.2.1  “Extra” Class  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....3 
4.2.2  Class I  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 3 
4.2.3  Class II  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 3 
5 Size requirements ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................. 3 
6 Tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 4 
6.1 Quality tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 4 
6.1.1  “Extra” Cl ass ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....4 
6.1.2  Class I  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 4 
6.1.3  Class II  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 4 
6.1.4  Size tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .4 
7 Level of pungency  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 4 
8 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...4 
9 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 5 
10 Packaging requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 5 
11 Labeling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 5 
11.1  Consumer package  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 5 
11.2  Non retail container  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 5 
12 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 6 
 DRS 304-1: 2020  
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword   
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task of technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards 
adopted by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and 
gazettment as Rwanda Standards.  
DRS 304-1 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 019, Spices, condiments and food additives . 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following standard  (s): 
1) CODEX STAN 307, Chillies standards  
The assistance de rived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (RS  304-1:2017), which has been technically 
revised.  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Spices, condiments and food 
additives  (RSB/TC 019) in the preparatio n of this standard.  
Paragraph of p articipants  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  
 DRS 304-1: 2020  
1                ©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved  
 Chillies — Specification  — Part 1: Fresh chillies  
1 Scope   
This Draft  Rwanda Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for fresh chillies, grown 
from varieties of cultivated species Capsicum spp . 
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 any am endments) applies.  
CODEX STAN 193, General standards for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed  
RS CAC RCP 53, Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables  
RS CAC/RCP 1, General Principles of Food Hygiene — Code of practice  
RS CAC/RCP 44, Code of Practice for Packaging and Transport of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables  
RS EAS 38, Labelling of prepared and prepackaged foods — General requirements  
RS ISO 784, Fresh fruits and vegetables — Sampling  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this stand ard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
scoville scale  
measurement of the pungency (spicy heat) of chilli peppers, and the number of Scoville Heat Units (S HU) and 
indicates the amount of capsaicin present.  
3.2 
pungency  
technical term to refer t o the characteristic of food commonly referred to as spiciness or hotness and 
sometimes heat which is found in foods such as chilli peppers   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  2 
 3.3 
unripe fruits  
Fruits not yet mature the colour of which is considerably different from that of the batch under c onsideration. 
Generally the fruits are green or pale yellow in colour  
3.4 
discoloured fruits  
stained fruits and/or fruits with spots  different from original colour.   
3.5 
broken fruits  
Fruits which have missed their structure 3.6 
fragments  
small spices of fruits coming from broken fruits.  
4 Quality requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the chi lli 
peppers shall be:  
a) whole, the stalk (stem) may be missing, provided tha t the break is clean and the adjacent skin is not 
damaged;  
b) sound, produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excl uded;  
c) firm; 
d) clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter;  
e) practically free of pests and damage caused by them affecting the general appearance of the produce;  
f) free of abnormal external moisture excluding condensation following removal from cold storage;  
g) free of any foreign smell and/or taste;  
h) free of damage caused by low and/or high temperatu res. 
4.1.2  Chilli peppers shall be harvested at an appropriate degree of development in accordance with the 
criteria proper to the variety , to the consumer preference  and the area in which they are grown.  DRS 304-1: 2020  
3                ©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved  
 4.1.3  The development and condition of the chilli p eppers shall be such as to enable them:  
a) to withstand transport and handling; and  
b) to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.  
4.2 Classification  
4.2.1  “Extra” Class  
Chilli peppers in this class shall be of superior quality. They shall be characteristic of the variety. They shall be 
free of defects, with the exception of very slight superficial defects affecting an area of up to 0. 5 % of the 
produce surface, provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, th e keeping 
quality and presentation in the package.  
4.2.2  Class I  
Chilli peppers in this class shall be of good quality. They shall be characteristic of the variety. Slight defects, 
however, may be allowed, affecting an area of up to 2.0 % of the product surface,  provided these do not affect 
the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the pack age. 
4.2.3  Class II  
This class includes chilli peppers which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes, but sat isfy the 
minimum requirements specified in 4.1 above. Defects, however, may be allowed, affecting an area of up to 
3.0 % of the product surface, provided the chilli peppers retain their essential characteristics as regards the 
quality, the keeping quality and presenta tion. 
5 Size requirements  
Size shall be determined by length of the chilli pepper in accordance with the following Table 1.  
Table 1 — Determination of chilli sizes  
Size code  Length (in centimeters)  
1  ≤ 4 
2  4 < 8  
3  8 < 12  
4  12 < 16  
5  > 16 
  
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 6 Tolerances  
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package for produce not satisfyin g the 
requirements of the class indicated.  
6.1 Quality tolerances  
6.1.1  “Extra” Class  
Five percent by number or weight of chilli peppers not satisfying the  requirements of the class, but meeting 
those of Class I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.  
6.1.2  Class I  
Ten percent by number or weight of chilli peppers not satisfying the requirements of the class, but meeting 
those of Class II or , exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.  
6.1.3  Class II  
Ten percent by number or weight of chilli peppers satisfying neither the requirements of the class n or the 
minimum requirements, with the exception of produce affected by rotting or any other deterioration rendering it 
unfit for consumption.  
6.1.4  Size tolerances  
For all classes, 10 % by number or weight of chilli peppers corresponding to the size immediately ab ove 
and/or below that indicated on the package.  
7 Level of pungency  
The levels of pung ency shall be defined as in the Table 2.  
Table 2 — Levels of pungency for chilli  
Pungency  
 Scoville units  Total capsaicinoids (microg/gm dry 
weight)  
mild  900 - 1.999  60 - 133 
medium  2.000 - 19.999  134 - 1.333  
hot  20.000 - 100.000  1.334 - 6.600  
extra hot  > 100.000  > 6.600  
8 Contaminants  
8.1 The product covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum levels as stipulated in Codex sta n 
193. DRS 304-1: 2020  
5                ©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved  
 8.2 The product covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits for pesticides 
established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
9 Hygiene  
Fresh chilli peppers shall be prepared and handled in accordance with RS CAC RCP 1 and RS CAC RCP 53 . 
10 Packaging requirements  
10.1  The contents of each package shall be uniform and contain only chil li peppers of the same origin, 
quality, size and variety. The visible part of the contents of the package shall be representative o f the entire 
contents.  
10.2  Chilli peppers shall be packaged in such a way as to protect the product properly. The materials  used 
inside the package shall be new, clean, and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or in ternal 
damage to the product. The use of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifica tions is 
allowed, provided the printing or labeling has been done with non -toxic ink or glue.  
10.3  Chilli peppers shall be packed in each container in compliance with the CAC/RCP 44.  
10.4 The containers shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and resistance characteristics to ensure  
suitable handling, shipping and preserving of the chilli peppers. Packages shall be free of all foreign matte r 
and smell.  
11 Labeling  
11.1 Consumer package  
In addition to the requirements of RS EAS 38, the following specific provisions the following inform ation shall 
appea r on the consumer packages:  
a) name of the produce if the contents are not visible from the outside;  
b) name of the variety;  
c) class;  
d) size; 
e) level of pungency.  
11.2 Non retail container  
In addition to the requirements of RS EAS 38, the following specific provisions each  package shall bear the 
following particulars, in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked, and visibl e from the 
outside, or in the documents accompanying the shipment.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  6 
 a) name and address of exporter, packer and/or dispatcher.  
b) identific ation code (optional).  
c) Batch number  
d) name of the produce if the contents are not visible from the outside.  
e) name of the variety,  
f) country of origin  
g) size; 
h) variety;  
i) Packing/harvesting date  
12 Sampling  
Fresh chillies shall be sampled in accordance with RS ISO 874.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  DRS 304-1: 2020  
7                ©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] RS 304 -1: 2017, Chillies — Specification — Part 1: Fresh chillies , First Edition  
 
 DRS 304-1: 2020  
 
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