ICS 67.060 
 
 Reference number  
DRS 470 : 2021  
© RSB 2021  
  
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS  
470 
 
First edition  
2021 -mm-dd 
 
Banana flour  — Specification  
   
DRS 470:2021   
©RSB 2021  - 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 2021  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
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ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw  DRS 470:2021 1 
iii                ©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  2 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4.1.1  Ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
4.1.2  Organoleptic properties  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
4.2 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
5 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
7 Microbiological limits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  3 
8 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  3 
8.1 Pesticides resid ues ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  3 
8.2 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 4 
8.3 Mycotoxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 4 
10 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  4 
11 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 5 
 DRS 470:2021   
©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword  
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by R wanda 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 470  was prepared by T echnical Committee RSB/TC 38 on Processed  fruits and vegetables . 
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on  Processed fruits and vegetables  
(RSB/TC 38) in the preparation of this standard.  
CATAM  
Green Revolution Ltd  
Ishyo Food Ltd  
Kinazi Cassava Plant Ltd  
National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA)  
Nyabihu TVET School  
Rwanda Food and Drug Authority  
Sorwatom Co.Ltd  
Tuzamurane Cooperative  
Urwibutso Ese  
Rwanda  Standards Board ( RSB) – Secret ariat 
  DRS 470:2021   
1                ©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved  
 Banana flour  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft Rwanda Standard  specifies requirements,  sampling and test methods for green/unripe banana flour 
intended for human consumption or for other use in the food industry.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
referen ces, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 923.03, Ash of Flour (Direct Method)  
AOAC 965.22 , Sorting corn grits. Sieving method  
RS CAC/RCP 1, Code of practice — General principles of food hygiene   
RS CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives   
RS CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed   
RS EAS 38, Labelling of pre - packaged foods — General requirements   
RS ISO 16050, Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products — High-performance liquid chromatographic method  
RS ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feedin g stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
beta-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli —Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 - bromo -
4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide   
RS ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding s tuffs — 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   
RS ISO 24333, Cereals and cereal products — Sampling   
RS ISO 24557, Pulses — Determination of mo isture content — Air oven method   
RS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of micro -organisms 
— Part 1: Colony -count at 30 degrees C — Pour plate technique  
RS ISO 5985, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid   
©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved                  2 
 RS ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp. — Amendment 1:  Broader range of incubation 
temperatures, amendment to the status of Annex D, and correction of the composition of MSRV and SC  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
banana flour  
flour produ ced by grinding dried banana and plantain into fine po wder  
3.2 
dried banana  
dried banana fruit of the species scientifically known as Musa spp  of Musaceae family  
4 Requirement s 
4.1 General requirement s 
4.1.1  Ingredients  
4.1.1.1  Banana flour shall be prepared from plantain complying w ith relevant national standards   
4.1.1.2  Banana  complying with RS EAS 892: 2017  
4.1.2  Organoleptic properties  
Banana flour shall : 
a) have characteristic colour, odour a nd taste of banana variety used;  
b) be clean,  safe, of good quality and free from signs of spoilage; and  
c) be free from insects, larvae, fungal infestation, rodent contaminations, d irt and other extraneous matter . 
4.2 Specific requirements  
Banana flour shall comply with the specific requirements given in Table 1  when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein.  DRS 470:2021   
3                ©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved  
 Table 1 Specific  requirements for Banana flour  
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Moisture %, m/m, max.  10  RS ISO 24557  
ii.  Total ash %, m/m, max.  4 AOAC 923.03  
iii.  Acid insoluble %, m/m, max.  0.1 RS ISO 5985  
iv.  Residues through 1000 micron sieve %, m/m, max.  0.5 AOAC 965.22  
5 Food additives  
The use of food additives in banana  flour shall be in accordance with RS CODEX STAN 192 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Banana flour shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with RS CAC /RCP 1  
6.2 Banana flour shall be free from objectionable matter and shall be free from pathogenic microorganisms; 
substances originating from microorganisms or any other deleterious substances in amounts which  may 
constitute a health hazard.  
7 Microbiological limits  
Banana flour shall not exceed  the microbiological limits in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test methods 
specified therein.  
Table 2  Microbiological limits for Banana flour   
S/N Microorganism  Maximum Limit  Test method  
i.  Total plate count cfu/g  105 RS ISO 4833 -1 
ii.  E.coli cfu/g  Absent  RS ISO 16649 -2  
iii.  Salmonella  spp per 25 g  Absent  RS ISO 6579 -1 
iv.  Yeast and moulds cfu/g  103 RS ISO 21527 -2 
8 Contaminants  
8.1 Pesticides residues  
Banana flour shall comply with the maximum residue limits for pesticides established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission   
©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved                  4 
 8.2 Heavy metals  
Banana flour shall not contain any metal contaminants in excess of the levels established in RS CODEX STAN 
193  
8.3 Mycotoxins  
 Banana flour shall not exceed aflatoxin limits in Table 3 when tested in accordance with test method specified 
therein.   
Table 3 — Aflatoxin limits for green banana flour  
S/N  Type of aflatoxin  Maximum limit (μg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Total aflatoxin  10 RS ISO 16050  
ii.  Aflatoxin B 1 5 
9 Packaging  
Banana flour shall be packed in new suitable bags made of paper, jute, polypropylene or any other suitable food 
grade packaging material capable of protecting quality and safety of the product. Each package shall be properly 
sealed.  
10 Labelling  
10.1 In addition  to the requirements of RS EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall be legibly 
and indelibly marked:  
a) name of product as “Banana flour” ; 
b) name and address of manufacturer;  
c) date of manufacture;  
d) list of ingr edients;  
e) date of expiry;  
f) instruction for use;  
g) batch number;  
h) net weight ; 
i) storage conditions;  and DRS 470:2021   
5                ©RSB 2021  - All rights reserved  
 j) country of origin.  
10.2 When labelling non -retail packages, information for non -retail packages shall either be given  on the 
packages or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification and the name 
and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the packages  
11 Sampling  
Sampling of banana flour shall be  done  in accordance with RS ISO 24333.  
. 
 
 
 DRS 470 : 2021  
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