KEN YA STANDARD                                       KS 2404:  2021 
ICS 67.14 0.10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tea — Raw material  for extraction  — 
Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT, MARCH 2021  
 
 
 
 
© KEBS  2021                                                                                                            Second  Edition 2021KS 2404:  2021 
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TECHNICAL COMMI TTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Commit tee: 
Agriculture,  Fisheries and Food Authority (AFA) — Tea Directorate 
 
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)  — Tea Research Institute 
 
Kenya Tea Development Agen cy 
 
Karatina University 
 
Egerton University 
 
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries — State Departm ent of Agriculture 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  and Internation al Trade 
Ministry of Industry and Enterprise Developme nt 
Ministry of Health 
Government  Chemist’s Department 
 
James Finlay (K) Ltd. 
Unilever Tea (K) Ltd. 
Melvin Marsh International Ltd. 
Institute  of Packaging of Kenya 
Kenya Tea Packers Ltd. 
Consumer Information Network 
Kenya Bureau of Standar ds — Secretariat 
 
 
 
 
REVISION  OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order  to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya  Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome. 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards,  2021 
 
Copyrig ht. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section  25 of the Copyright  Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards  and except  as provided under Section  26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard  produced  by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or trans mitted by any means without prior permission in writing 
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  KEN YA STANDARD                                     KS 2404:  2021 
ICS67. 140.10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tea — Raw material  for extraction  — 
Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
 
Head Office: P.O. Box 54974,  Nairobi-00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031 
E-Mail: info@kebs.org, Web:http: //www.kebs.org 
 
Coast Region Lake Region  Rift Valley Region 
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa-80100 P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu-40100 P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru-20100 
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563,  230939/40  
Fax: (+254 041) 229448  Tel.: (+254  057) 23549, 22396  
Fax: (+254 057) 21814 Tel.: (+254  051) 210553,  210555  KS 2404:  2021 
 
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Fore word 
 
This Kenya Standard has been prepared by the Tea Technical Committee  under the guidance of the 
Standards Project Committee  and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Standards. 
 
This standard aims to ensure that only good quali ty raw materials are used in the manufa cture of tea extracts 
to guarantee safe and good quality tea extract products. It accommodates te chnological innovations in tea 
manufacturing and the desire to position Kenya as an exporter  of tea extract products in the world market. 
 
The second  edition was revised to differentiate tea  intended for further processing from that intended for 
direct use. To reflect quality of a raw mate rial intended for further  processing, the maxim um limits for total 
viable counts, yeasts and moulds  were increased; and an annex  introduced on maximum li mits for pesticide 
residues. Review of contaminants to reflect on the EAC harmonized standards.  
 
During the preparation  of this standard,  reference was made  to the following documents: 
 
Unile ver- Good manufacturing Practice, Tea Primary  processing — (Part B — Supplier s’ Use), 2003. 
European Tea Committee,  Compendium of Guidelines for Tea, Issue 2, 2014. 
Codex standard  193 general standard for food contami nants.  
Codex pesticide residues in food on-line databa se, FAO/W HO 2013. 
Acknowledgeme nt is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.KS 2404:  2021 KS 2404:  2021 
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 KENYA  STANDARD                                                           KS 2404:  2021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tea — Raw material  for extraction  — Specification  
 
 
 
1         Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard specifies the requirements and prescribes methods  of sampling  and analysis of tea of 
the species Camellia sinensis (Linneaus) O. Kuntze, intended for further processing into tea extracts. 
 
This standard does not apply to tea intended for blending or tea for direct consumption 
 
2         Normati ve references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for  the application of  this  standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated  references, the  latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
AOAC  986.15, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead,  Selenium, and zinc in human and pet foods. Multi  element  method  
 
AOAC  999.10, Lead,  Cadmium, Zinc, Copp er, and iron in foods. Atomic absorption  spectrophot ometry after 
microwave digestion 
 
AOAC  971.21, Mercury in food. Flameless atomic absorption  spectrophotometric method 
 
ISO 1573, Tea, — Determination  of loss in mass at 103oC 
 
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged  foods 
 
KS EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene  in the food and drink manufacturing industry 
 
KS ISO 1575,  Tea — Determination of total ash 
 
KS ISO 1576,  Tea — Determination of water-soluble ash and water-insoluble ash 
 
KS ISO 1577,  Tea — Determination of acid-insoluble ash 
 
KS ISO 1578,  Tea — Determination of alkalinity of water-soluble ash 
 
KS ISO 1839,  Sampling of tea 
 
KS ISO 4832, Microbiology of food and animal  feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enum eration  of 
coliforms — Colony-count technique 
 
KS ISO 4833, Microbiology of food and animal  feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enum eration  of 
microorganisms — Colony-count technique at 30 oC 
 
KS ISO 6579,  Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp. 
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 KS 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: Dete ction and MPN 
technique 
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs-Horizontal method  for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable  number  technique 
 
KS ISO 9768 , Tea — Determination of water extract 
 
KS ISO 15598 Tea —Determination of crude fibre content 
 
KS ISO 21527-2, Microbiology of food and 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 
 
KS 1927, Tea packaging — Specificati on 
 
KS 2225, Genetically modified organisms and derived products — labeling of food  and feed 
 
3         Definiti ons 
 
For purposes of this standard,  the following definitions shall apply: 
 
3.1 
tea raw material for extraction  
any processed tea produced by acceptable processes, notably enzyme inacti vation, withering, leaf maceration 
and/or rolling , aeration or non-aeration and drying, and direct extraction form green tea  from the tender shoots 
of varieties of the species Camellia sinensis (Linnaeus) O. Kuntze  known to be suitable for making tea for 
consumpti on as a beverage 
 
3.2 
extraneou s matter 
any mate rial of tea origin such as twigs, bark and stems 
 
3.3 
foreign matter 
any mater ial which is not tea leaf or fragments of tea plant e.g. sand, stones, metallic  chips and any organic 
matter other than extraneous matter 
 
3.4 
contam inant 
any substance (microbiological, physical or chemical) not intentionally added to tea  raw material , which is 
present as a result of agronomi cal practices, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, 
transport, holding of tea leaf,  or as a result of environmental  contamination. The term does not include insect 
fragments, rodent h airs and other extraneous matter 
 
3.5 adulterant   
any material intentionally added that changes the original composition and compromises the quality and 
safety of  tea  raw material for extraction.  
3.6 
filth 
any objectionable matter  contribut ed by animal contamination or product such as rodent, insect, or bird 
matter; or any other  objectionable matter contribut ed by insanitary conditions  
 
3.7 
enzyme inactivation  
any process which is used to stop the biochemical activity of polyphenol oxidase 
 
4         Require ments  
 
4.1       General requi remen ts 
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 Tea raw material for extraction shall comply with the following: 
 
4.1.1    Shall be of uniform  colour. 
 
4.1.2    Shall be of typical texture and appearance. 
 
4.1.3    Shall have a typical flavour and taste. 
 
4.1.4    Shall be free from unpleasant or repul sive odours. 
 
4.1.5    Shall be free from all contaminants, filth and adulterants. 
 
4.1.6    Shall be free from extra neous and foreign matte r. 
 
4.2       Compositional  quality  requirements/limits  
 
The t ea raw mate rial for extraction shall comply with the requirements/limits  specified in Table 1, in which all 
the figures given are calculated on the basis of the material  that is oven-dried to constant mass at 103 °C ± 
2 °C. 
 
Table  1 — Quality requirem ents/lim its  for tea raw mate rial for extraction  
 
 
Sl no  
Parameter Requirement /Limits  Test method  
 
i)  
Water extract, % (m/m ), min.  
20  
KS ISO 9768 
 
ii) Total ash, % (m/m),  on dry matter basis 4.0 - 8.0 KS ISO 1575 
 
iii)  
Water-soluble ash, % (m/m), of total ash, min.  
45 KS ISO 1576 
iv) Alkalinity  of water-soluble ash (as KOH),  % (m/m ). 1.0-3.0 KS ISO 1578 
 
v)  
Acid-insoluble ash, % (m/m), max.   
1.0 KS ISO 15787 
 
vi)  
Crude fibre, % (m/m ), max.  
16.5  
KS ISO 15598 
 
vii)  
Moisture content, % m/m,  max.   
7.0 KS ISO 1573 
 
 
 
4.3 Contaminants  
4.3.1 Iron filings  
When tested in accordance with Annex B, the amount of iron filings in black tea shall not exceed 150 mg/kg.  
4.3.2 Pesticide residues  
Raw material for Tea Extraction shall comply with the updated maximum pesticide residue limits established by 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission according to Annex A .KS 2404:  2021 KS 2404:  2021 
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4.4       Microbiol ogical  limits  
 
Tea raw material for extraction shall comply with the microbiological limits  as stipulated in Table 3. 
 
Table  3 — Microbiol ogical  limits  for tea raw material  for extraction  
 
Sl no Type of micro-organism  Limits  Test method  
 
i) Total Viable Count (Aerobic colony 
 
count),cfu  per g, max.  
2.0 x105  
KS ISO 4833 
ii) Yeasts, cfu per g, max.  5.0 x103  
KS ISO 21527-2 iii) Moulds, cfu per g, max. 1.0 x 104 
iv) Salmonella spp,cfu per 25 g, max. Shall be absent KS ISO 6579 
v) Coliforms,cfu per g, max. 1.0 x104 KS ISO 4832 
vi) E.coli cfu, per g, max. Shall be absent KS ISO 7251 
vii) S. aureus cfu,p er g, max.  Shall be absent KS ISO 6888-3 
 
5         Hygiene 
 
Tea raw material for extraction shall be processed in accordance with KS EAS 39, the Public Health Act, 
Cap.  242 and the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, Cap. 254 of the Laws of Kenya and any other 
international standard.  
 
6         Environment  
 
Tea raw material for extraction shall be produced, processed and  handled  under conditions  complying with 
the stipulations  of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA),  No.8  of 1999 of the Laws 
of Kenya, on environmental management and complying  with cleaner production technological practices. 
 
7         Packaging  
 
7.1  Tea raw material  for extraction shall be packaged in food grade material  that ensures produ ct safety 
and integrity, and complying with KS 1927. 
 
7.2       The fill of the package shall comply  with the Weights and Measures Act, Cap. 513 of the Laws of 
Kenya. 
 
7.3  The disposal of used package and condemned tea raw material f or extraction shall be carried out in 
complian ce with the Environmental Management and Coord ination  Act (EMCA), Waste Re gulations, 2006 of 
the Laws of Kenya on disposal of solid and liquid wastes. 
8         Labelling 
 
8.1  In addition to the requirements in KS EAS 38, and KS 1927, each package of the tea raw material for 
extraction shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the following: 
 
i)          product name as “Tea — Raw Material for Extraction ’’; 
 
ii)          name,  address and physical location  of the manufacturer/  packer/ importer/ exporter; 
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 iii)         date of manufactu re; 
 
iv)         expiry date; 
 
v)         the declaration  “FOR  EXTRACTI ON PUR POSES  ONLY”; 
 
vi)         storage instruction as ‘’Store  in a Cool Dry Place, Away from Contaminants’’; 
 
vii)        lot/bat ch/code number; 
 
viii)       net weight in metric  units; 
 
x)         instructions on disposal of used package; 
 
xi)         country of origin; and 
 
xii)        declaration of genetic  status in accordan ce with KS 2225,if geneti cally modified.  
 
8.2  A declaration  of any inaccurate informa tion in marking/labelling is prohibited and shall be punishable 
by law under the Standards Act, Cap. 496, of the Laws of Kenya. 
 
9         Sam pling 
 
Sampling of tea raw mater ial for extraction for analysis shall be carried out in compliance with KS ISO1839.KS 2404:  2021 KS 2404:  2021 
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Annex  A 
(normative) 
 
Maximum pesticide residue limits for tea — raw material for extraction 
 
A.1     Maxim um pesticide limits  in this annex are based on the Codex database for pesticide residues, 
2013. 
 
A.2     The pesticide residue database is regularly reviewed and updated. 
 
A.3     It is therefore recomm ended that  the list of the current pesticide residue be confirmed  by accessing 
the codex database 
 
A.4     Most   current   limits   can   be   found   on   COD EX   Online   Commodi ty   Details   for   Tea   at 
http://www.fao.org/fao -who -codexalimentarius/codex -texts/dbs/pestres/commodities -
detail/en/?c_id=101   
A.5      List of pesticides  and maximum  residue  limits  
 
 
Sl no Pesticides  Maximum  residue  limit 
 
(mg/ kg) green tea/bla ck tea 
1.  Bifenthrin  30 mg/kg  
2.  Chlorfenapyr  60 mg/kg  
3.  Chlorpyrifos  2 mg/kg  
4.  Clothianidin  0.7 mg/kg  
5.  Cypermethrins (including alpha - and zeta - 
cypermethrin)  
 15 mg/kg  
6.  Deltamethrin  5 mg/kg  
7.  Dicofol               40 mg/kg  
8.  Endosulfan  10 mg/kg  
9.  Etoxazole  15 mg/kg  
10.  Fenpropathrin  3 mg/kg  
11.  Fenpyroximate  8 mg/kg  
12.  Flubendiamide  50 mg/kg  
13.  Flufenoxuron  20 mg/kg  
14.  Hexythiazox  15 mg/kg  
15.  Imidacloprid  50 mg/kg  
16.  Indoxacarb  5 mg/kg  
17.  Methidathion  0.5 mg/kg  
18.  Paraquat  0.2 mg/kg  
19.  Permethrin  20 mg/kg  KS 2404:  2021 KS 2404:  2021 
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 20.  Propargite  5 mg/kg  
21.  Pyraclostrobin  6 mg/kg  
22.  Spiromesifen  70 mg/kg  
23.  Thiamethoxam  20 mg/kg