DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD                                     DEAS 1161: 2023  
 
 
DRAFT  EAST  AFRICAN  STANDARD  
Prepack aged cooked beans — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN  COMMUNITY   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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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 are encountered when goods and services are exchang ed within  the Community  will 
be removed.  
 
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated  to 
develop  and issue  East African  Standards.  
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National S tandards Bodies in Partner States, together  with the 
representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards  are circulated to 
stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments  received  are discussed  and 
incorporated  before  finalization  of standards,  in accordance  with the procedures  of the  Community.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East  African 
Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards  they are 
implementing.  
 
 
 © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  1  
  
 
 
Introduction  
 
Cooked beans are prepared by heating threshed field and garden beans, whole, or broken, and split seed obtained from 
different variety of Phaseolus  spp commonly used for edible purpose.  
 
. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  2  
  
Prepackaged c ooked beans  — Specification  
1. Scope  
 
This draft East African Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for prepacked cooked beans 
obtained from different varieties  of Phaseolus spp intended for human consumption . 
 
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  (including  any 
amendments) applies.  
 
EAS 46 , Dry beans — Specification  
 
EAS Biofortified dry beans - Specification  
 
EAS Mixed beans - Specification  
 
AOAC 999.11, Determination of Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Foods, Atomic 
Absorption Spectrophotometry after Dry Ashing  
CXS 193, General standard for contamina nts and toxins  in food and feed  
EAS 805  Guidelines for nutrition and health claims.  
 EAS 38, Labelling  of pre -packaged  foods  — Specification  
EAS 39, Hygiene  in the food and drink  manufacturing  industry  — Code of  practice;  
 
EAS 900,  Cereals and pulses — Sampling  
 
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test methods  
 
ISO 6579 -1 Microbiology  of the food chain  — Horizontal  method  for the detection,  enumeration  and serotyping  of 
Salmonella  — Part 1: Detection  of Salmonella  spp. 
 
ISO 11085,  Cereals,  cereals -based  products  and animal  feeding  stuffs  — Determination  of crude  fat and total   fat content  
by the  Randall extraction  method  
 
ISO 20483 , Cereals  and pulses  — Determination  of the nitrogen  content  and calculation  of the crude  protein  content  — 
Kjeldahl  method  
 
ISO 21527 -1, Microbiology  of food and animal  feedstuffs  — Horizontal  method  for the enumeration  of yeasts                and 
moulds  — Part 1: Colony  count  technique  in products  with water activity  greater  than or equal  to 0.95 
 
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  (ISO 16050:2003)  
 
ISO 16649 -2 Microbiology of food and animal feeding 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  © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  3  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD                                     DEAS 1161: 2023   
 3.0 Terms  and definitions  
 
For the purposes of  this standard,  the following  terms  and definitions  shall apply.  
 
3.1 
dry beans  
dry threshed field and garden beans, whole, or broken, and split, seed obt ained from different variety of Phaseolus  spp 
commonly used for edible purpose.  
 
3.2 
prepackaged  cooked   beans  
 
beans which have been subjected to heat but not limited to boiling,  steaming and packed in food grade packaging 
materials   
 
3.3 
drained weight  
weight of the contents of the container after draining according to the procedure set out in annex A.  
 
3.4 
food grade packaging material  
material made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not impart any toxic 
subs tance or undesirable odour or flavor to the product.  
 
3.5 
loose skin  
skin or portions of a skin which have become separated wholly from the cotyledons;  
 
3.6 
broken  
cotyledon or portions of a cotyledon which have become separated; or a bean or portions of a  bean with the skin or 
portions of the skin missing;  
 
3.7 
Mashed  beans  
bean that is crushed or flattened to the extent that the appearance is seriously affected;  
 
3.8 
Blemished  beans  
bean that is affected or damaged by any means to the extent that its appearance or eating quality is adversely  
affected;  
 
3.9  
severely blemished  beans  
beans which are spotted, discoloured or o therwise blemished to  an extent that the appearance or eating quality is 
seriously affected; these shall include worm eaten beans.  
 
3.10 
extraneous matter  
organic and inorganic materials other than cooked beans or any optional ingredients used.  
 
3.11 biofortified beans  
beans that nutrient content (mainly iron and zinc) has been improved through agronomic practices, convectional 
breeding or biotechnology.  
 
 © EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  4  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD                                     DEAS 1161: 2023   
  
3.12 mixed dry beans  
dry beans that consist of a mixture of same size groups, different colour and shape groups irrespective of their 
varieties  
 
3.13  
objectional  odour  
a distinct odour e.g musty, rotten, putrid, rancid, gamey  or pungent  
  
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 Ingredients  
4.1.1 Essential ingredients  
 
The following ingredients  shall be used in the preparation of prepackaged cooked beans and shall conform to the relevant 
East African standards:  
 
a) Dry beans, /mixed  dry beans /bio fortified beans ; and  
b) Potable water  
4.1.2 Optional  ingredients  
In addition to the essential ingredients in 4.1.1, the following  ingredients but not limited to, may be used in the making of 
prepackaged cooked beans and shall comply with relevant East African standards ; 
 
a) Sweetening ingredients - sucrose, invert sugar, dextrose, glucose  syrup;  
b) Tomato paste/puree ;  
c) Aromatic plants, spices or extracts  thereof;  
d) Cheese;  
e) Cooking  oil; 
f) Dried vegetables;   
g) Fortified edible sal t; and 
h) Starch  thickening agent© EAC 2023  – All rights  reserved  5  
  
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Prepackaged cooked beans shall:  
  
a) be free of off flavors and  objectional odours;  
b) be  free from insects, worms, fil th, fungi and extraneous matter ; 
c) have uniform  texture;  
d) be practically free from hard beans, mushy beans, and beans with tough  skins;  
e) be well cooked, slightly soft or slightly firm; and their skins shall be  tender; and  
f) be well cooked, slightly soft  and firm; and their skins shall be tender . 
4.3 Specific  requirements  
4.3.1  Prepackaged cooked beans shall comply with the requirements specified in Table 1 when tested 
in accordance with test methods specified  therein.  
Table 1 — Specific requirements for prepack aged cooked beans   
 
S/N Parameter  Requirements  Test methods  
i. Total soluble solid in sauce, Brix, min  2 [6 max]  Annex D  
ii. Salt content (as sodium chloride), % m/m  max  1.2 Annex C  
iii. Drained weight, % of net weight min  65 [80] Annex A  
iv. pH 5-6 Annex E  
 
4.3.2  For prepackaged cooked bio fortified  beans, the levels of iron and zinc shall comply with the limits  specified 
in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test methods specified therein  
 
Table 2 — Requirements for Prepackaged cooked bio fortified  beans  
 
S/N Characteristic  Target limits ( mg/kg)  Test Method  
1 Iron, min  60 AOAC 944.02  
2 Zinc 26 – 43 AOAC 2011.14  5  
 4.3.3 Defects and tolerances  
Prepackaged cooked beans shall not exceed limits sets for commo n defects as defined in Table 3 .  
 
Table 3 — Classification of “defects”  
 
 S/N Defects  Maximum limits (based  
on weight  of drained beans)  Test method  
1. Blemished beans %m/m  
 2 EAS 901  
    
2. Severely blemished beans  2  
3. Bean fragments  10  
4. Extraneous  plant material  0.5  
    
    
5. Total defects  10  
6. Minimum fill of container  The container shall be filled with beans and the 
product (including packing medium) shall 
occupy not less than 90% of the water Capacity 
of the container. The water capacity  of the 
container is the volume of water at room 
temperature which the sealed container will 
hold when completely  
filled (see annex B).  Annex B  6  
  
  A container that fails to 
meet the requirement for 
minimum fill (90 per cent 
container capacity) of 3.6 
shall be  
considered as fail   
 
NOTE 1 : The parameter, Total defective grains is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited to 70 % of the sum 
total of individual defects.  
 
5.0 Hygiene  
 
5.1 Prepackaged cooked beans shall be manufactured and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
 
5.2 Prepackaged cooked beans shall comply with the microbiological requirements specified in Table 4.  
 
Table 4 — Microbiological limits for prepackaged cooked beans  
 
S/N Micro -organism  Limits  Test method  
i. E .coli , CFU/g  Absent  ISO 16649 -2 
ii. Salmonella , spp,  per 25g Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
iii. Yeasts and moulds, CFU/g , max  102 ISO 21527 -2 
iv. Clostridium  botulinum, CFU/g  Absent  ISO 7937  
 
6.0 Food additives  
 
Food additives which may be used in the preparation of prepackaged cooked beans shall comply with CODEX STAN 192.  
 
7.0 Contaminants  
Prepackaged cooked beans shall comply with the maximum levels of contaminants and Toxins in Food as stipulated in 
Table 5 when tested with test methods specified therein . 
 
Table 5 — Maximum limits for heavy metal in  prepackaged cooked beans  
 
S/N Heavy metal  Maximum 
limits(mg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Cadmium  0.1  
AOAC 999.11  ii.  Lead  0.1 
iii.  Tina 250 
a For canned cooked beans  
 
8 Packaging  
Prepackaged cooked beans shall be packaged in food grade materials that will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional and 
organoleptic qualities of the product .  
7  
  
 
9 Labelling  
9.1 The following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be legibly and indelibly marked in accordance with 
the requirements of EAS 38;  
a. Name of the product “Cooked beans”; “cooked mixed beans”, “cooked biofortified beans”;  
b. declaration of micronutrient  contents, if bio fortified beans have been us ed; 
c. name, and physical address of the manufacturer/ distributor and /or trade name/ brand name;  
d. date of manufacture;  
e. lot identification;  
f. expiry date;  
g. country of origin;  
h. the net weight in metric units;  
i. the statement ‘Human Food’ shall appear on the package;  
j. storage instructions; and  
k. Instructions on disposal of used package.  
l. Instruction for use  
m. declaration of genetic modified organism, if the product is  derived from GMO raw materials  
n. declaration of  allergens, if any  
9.2 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.  
 
10 Sampling  
Sampling of cooked beans shall be done in accordance with EAS 900 . 
 
 
 8  
  
Annex A (normative)  
Determination of drained weight  
 
A.1 Definition  
Drained weight expresses percentage of solid content as determined by the procedure described below  
 
A.2 Apparatus  
A sieve 20 cm (check) in diameter. The meshes of such sieves are made by so weaving wire as to form square openings 
of 2.8 mm by 2.8 mm.  
 
A.3 Procedure  
Carefully weigh the clean and dry sieve. Weigh the container plus the contents. Empty the contents of the container into 
the sieve taking care to distribute the b eans evenly. Without shifting the product, incline the sieve at an angle of 
approximately 17° to 20° to facilitate drainage. Drain the product for two minutes and then weigh the sieve plus the 
product. Weigh the dry empty container  
 
A.4 Calculation  
Drained wei ght, as per cent of net weight = 𝑥=100 (M1 − M)
M3 − M2 
 
Where,  
 
M is the weight, in Grams, of the sieve:  
 
M1 is the weight, in grams, of the sieve with the product:  
M2 is the weight, in grams, of the empty container;  
M3 is the weight, in grams, of the conta iner with the contents  9  
  
Annex B  
(normative)  
 
Determination of water capacity of containers  
 
B.1 Scope  
B.1.1  This method applies to metals and glass containers  
B.2 Definitions  
The water capacity of a container is the volume of water at room temperature which the sealed container will hold when 
completely filed.  
 
B.3 Procedures  
B.3.1  Metal containers  
B.3.1.1  Select a container which is undamaged in all respects  
B.3.1.2  Wash, dry and weigh the empty container after cutting out the lid without removing or altering the he ight of the 
double seam.  
B.3.1.3  Fill the container with water at room temperature to 4.8 mm vertical distance below the top level of the container, 
and weigh the container thus filled.  
B.3.2  Glass containers  
B.3.2.1  Select a container which is undamaged in all aspects  
B.3.2.2  Fill the  container with water at room temperature to the level of the top thereof, and weigh the container thus filled  
B.4 Calculation  
B.4.1  Metal containers  
Subtract the weight found in B.3.1.2 from the weight found in B.3.1.3. The difference shall be considered to be the weight 
of water required to fill the container. Results are expressed as militres of water.  
 
B.4.2  Glass containers  
 
Subtract the weight found in B.3.2.2 from the weight found in B.3.2.3. The difference shall be considered to be the weight 
of water required to fill the container. Results are expressed as millitres of water.  
 
 
 
 
 
 1
0  
  
Annex C  
(normative)  
 
Determination of salt content as sodium chloride  
 
C.1 Scope  
This method determines the content of chlorides  
 
C.2 Definition  
The chloride content corresponds to the sum of all anions (halides)calculated as sodium chloride precipitable with silver 
ions in a nitric acid solution.  
 
C.3 Principle  
Quantitative precipitation of the halides extracted from the ash in a nitric acid solution with AgNO3 in excess.  Back titration 
of the surplus AgNO3 with ammonium thiocyanate, using ferric alum (ferric ammonium sulphate) as the indicator.  
 
C.4 Reagents  
C.4.1  Distilled or demineralized water  
C.4.2  AgNO3 solution, 0.1 N (16.9888 g AgNO3)  
C.4.3  NH4SCN solution, 0.1 N (7.6113 g NH4SCN). In p ractice a slightly higher weight is taken and the solution is 
adjusted by dilution against a 0.1 N AgNO3 solution.  
C.4.4  Cold saturated NH4Fe (SO4) 2.12H2O solution (approximately 40 %). The ensuing brown colouring is eliminated 
by adding pure nitric acid drop w ise. 
C.4.5  HNO3 (approximately 30 %)  
C.4.6  Diethyl ether of nitrobenzene  
C.5 Apparatus  
C.5.1  Measuring flask, 100 ml  
C.5.2  Burette, 50 ml  
C.5.3  Erlenmeyer flask, 200 ml  
 
C.5.4  Pipettes  
C.5.5  Funnel, filtering paper  
C.6 Procedure  
The ash (residue after carbonization and incineration of the beans at a maximum temperature of 550 °C in a muffle 
furnace) obtained from 1 g – 2 g dry matter is extracted by means of 80 ml – 90 ml hot distilled water acidified with a few 
drops of nitric ac id. The washings are filtered off into a 100 ml measuring flask; after cooling distilled water is added until 
the mark is reached (stock solution). In proportion to the expected chloride content aliquot part of this solution, which 
should preferably contai n 50mg – 100 mg NaCl, taken off, distilled water being added to obtain a quantity of approximately 
100 ml Subsequently 5 ml ferric alum solution (see C.4.4), 20 ml 0.1 N AgNO3 solution (see C.4.2) and 5 ml – 10 ml ether 1
1  
 or 1 ml nitrobenzene are added; titr ation is carried out by means of an ammonium thiocyanate solution 0.1 N (see C.4.3), 
until the red coloring remains after stirring.  
 
C.7 Expression of results  
Report in percentage by weight to one decimal place.  
 
 
Sodium Chloride content=  𝑥=5.56(V2−v3)×V×100
V1×P 
 
where,  
 
P is the test portion, in mg, incinerated;  
 
V is the ml of the stock solution derived from the ash;  
 
V1 is the volume, in ml, stock solution used from titration;  
 
V2 is the volume, in ml, AgNO3 added;  
 
V3 is the volume, in ml, NH4SCN necessary for back titration.  12  
  
Annex D (normative)  
Determination of soluble solids ( Brix)  
 
D.1 Definition  
Determination of Total Soluble Solids (Brix)  
 
D.2 Scope  
All range of products with aqueous solution  
 
D.3 Apparatus  
D.4 Procedure  
D.4.1  Adjust the temperature of the sample to room temperature  
D.4.2  Open the cover (day light plate) at the refracting prism of the refractometer.  
D.4.3  Stir the samples thoroughly and wet the surface of the prism.  
D.4.4  Cover the prism with the day light plate.  
D.4.5  Look through the eyepiece at the opposite end of the refracting prism directly under the light source.  
D.4.6  Focus the eyepiece by turning the adjustment knob until a clear reading and a boundary line is seen.  
D.4.7  Record the reading.  
D.4.8  Flush the prism surface with distilled water.  
D.4.9  Dry the surf ace with soft tissue.  
D.5 Reference  
At ago Hand Refractometer N Types Series Instruction Manual  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13  
 Annex E  
Determination of pH  
 
E.1 Apparatus  
E.1.1   PH Meter  
E.1.2 Standard buffer solutions  
E.1.3 Beaker  
E.2 Procedures  
E.2.1 Standardization of PH Meter  
1. Switch on the instrument and let the electronic component to warm up and stabilize before proceeding.  
2. Standardize the instrument according to manufacturer’s instructions by using the standard buffer solution (B. 1. 2)  
3. Rinse the electrode and blot.  
 
E.2.2 Preparation of test sample.  
1. Open the container containing sample  
2. Blend the sample to ensure it is homogenous.  
 
E.2.3  Determination of PH of the sample  
1. Pour sufficient amount of the sample in beaker (B. 1.3), 10 – 20 ml of distilled water may be added if necessary.  
2. Immense the electrode inside the beaker containing test product and read PH. 
3. Let the meter to stabilize for at least 1 min before taking readings.  
4. Rinse and blot the electrode and repeat on fresh portion of the  test product.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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