PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDAR D 
  DUS DARS  1218 
First  Edition  
2022 -mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DARS 1218 : 2022  
 
© UNBS 2022  
   
Handling processing, quality eva luation and storage of poultry  
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DARS  1218 : 2022  
ii                © UNBS  2022  - All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsib le for its correct application  
© UNBS 2022  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior  written 
permission from UNBS.  
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The Executive Director  
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  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DARS  1218: 2022  
© UNBS  2022  - All rights reserved                 iii National foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of t he Laws of Uganda, as amended. UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisati on for Standardisation (ISO);   
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standard s; and  
(c) the National Enquiry Poin t on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of represent atives of 
consumers, traders, academicians, manufacturers, government and other stakeholders.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the com ments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
This Draft Uganda Standard , DUS DARS 1218 :2022 , Handling processing, quality evaluation and storage of 
poultry , is identical with and is being reproduced from an African  Standard , DARS 1218:2022 , Handling 
processing, quality evaluation and storage of poultry , and is proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS/  TC 214, Poultry and poultry 
products . 
Wherever the words, “African  Standard " appear, they shou ld be replaced by "Uganda Standard ". 
  
 
   AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1218 
First Edition 2022 
 
 Reference No. DARS 1218:2022(E) 
ICS 67.120.30  
 
 
© ARSO 20 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Handling, pr ocessing, quality evaluation, storage, and 
transportation of poultry  and poultry products  — Code of practice  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS  1218:2022 
ii © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 1 
4 Transport of poultry  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  1 
5 Dressing plant and facilities  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  1 
6 Ante-mortem and post -mortem inspection of poultry  ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
7 Handling and processing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  2 
8 Grading  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  3 
9 Quality evaluation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
10 Packing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  4 
11 Storage  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  4 
Annex A (normative) Evaluation card for numerical scoring for overall quality and acceptance of 
dressed poultry  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  5 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  6 
 
  DARS 1218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service c ompetitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical co mmittees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the su bject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO/TC 07, Meat, poultry, eggs and related products . 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2022 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
* © 2022 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS  1218:2022 
iv © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development  process is permitted without prior permission 
from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or 
transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to repro duce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 22 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International Ho use 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  v Introduction  
 
With the installation of several poultry dressing plants in the  region  where a sizeable number of birds is 
handled and processed  daily, it is necessary to have a comprehensive code on scientific  handling, 
processing, quality evaluation and storage of poultry for  providing wholesome dressed poultr y for 
human consumption.  Besides, the code will also ena ble the authorities in exercising due  control on 
wastage of various valuable poultry products, many a time  lost due to faulty handling and will also help 
in systematic  ante-mortem and post -mortem insp ection of poultry. This standard  includes a quality 
evaluation card for dressed poultry (A nnex  A).  
 
In the preparation of this  African Standard, references made to international Standard and national 
experts are all acknowledged  
 
 
 
 DARS 1 218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  1  
Handling, pr ocessing, quality evaluation,  storage  and transportation  
of poultry  and poultry products  — Code of practice  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This code lays down guidelines for efficient handling, pr ocessing, quality evaluation,  cold storage  and 
transportation  of poultry  and poultry products . 
 
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.  
 
WHO – Guidelines for drinking water quality  
DARS 1219, Poultry — Glossary of terms  
Codex Stan 108, General Standard for Bottled/ packaged Drinking Water  
DARS 1214, Code of hygienic practice for poultry  
DARS 1217, Ante -mortem, post -mortem inspection and quality evaluation of poultry  
 
 
3 Terms and Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard  the terms and definitions in DARS 1219  shall apply : 
 
4 Transport of poultry  
 
4.1 Poultry of various species are usually transported from the farms to  the poultry processing 
plants in cages, coops and crates. In  some  instances, specially built trucks are used. Care shall be 
taken in collecting  and loading the live poultry at the farm and in unloading at the poultry  processing 
plant so that the poultry shall not be bruised or injured.  
 
4.2 Special attention shall be directed to the humane transport of live  poultry to prevent 
overcrowding and suffocation, exposure to extremes  of temperature and transport over long distances 
without feed and  water [ARSO/TC 23 on Live Animals ]. The cages, coops, crates and  vehicles sh ould 
be disinfected before leaving the poultry processing  plant, in order to reduce the possibility of the spread 
of poultry diseases.  
 
4.3 Poultry  in cages on arrival to plants, shall  be showered with po table water with disinfectant of 
non-concentration  to minimize bacteria contaminations . 
 
5 Dressing plant and facilities  
 
5.1 Slaughter, evisceration and packing of poult ry should be  conducted in such a manner that will  
result in hygienic processing,  proper inspection and preservation for the production of clean and  
wholesome poultry and poultry products  and should comply with  requirements in national regulations  
 
5.2 Separate rooms should be provided for the following operations.  
 
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1 218:2022 
2 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  5.2.1 Live poultry receiving and holding. Facilities should be provided  for washing and disinfection of 
coops. There should also be a facility for  watering of birds at the holding area if birds are to be retained 
for 8 hours or more.  
 
5.2.2 Slaughter and bleeding.  
 
5.2.3 Feather removal.  
 
5.2.4 Evisceration, chilling and packing . Adequate facility  that demarcates  evisceration of 
slaughtered poultry, for  chilling a nd packing  for should be provided.  
 
5.2.5 Inedible and rejected products  such as feathers  and concerned poultry carcasses should have 
adequate storage facilities prior to transport to rendering plant for the preparation o f inedible fats and 
animal food.  
 
5.3 Water supply — Particular attention should be paid to water  supply to the poultry dressing 
plant. The quality of water used should  satisfy the requirements for good drinking water  in accordance 
to WHO guidelines for Drinking Water Quality and General Standard for Bottled/ packaged Drinking 
Water -Codex Stan 108 . 
 
5.4 Ventilation  and Illumination  — Particular attention should also be given to  ventilation and  
Illuminatio n. Illumination  should be sufficiently strong, properly  situated and should not cause glare.  
 
5.5 Personnel hygiene — Personnel shall wear special working  clothes including head gear of 
washable material, and the personnel shall be guided so that each individual carries out his particular 
work  as correctly, effectively and hygienically as possible. In this connection,  the supervisor  shall 
explain the necessity of frequent hand washing  and disinfection during work and specially after visiting 
the toilet.  Omission of such principles in the processing of the poultry can result  in transmission of 
infection from bird to bird and from human being to  slaughtered poultry , WD-ARS 1214 -2021, Code of 
hygienic practice for poultry   
 
 
5.6 Waste shall properly be disp osed to prevent contamination during pre and post processing of 
poultry and poultry products.  
 
6 Ante -mortem and post -mortem inspection of poultry  
 
 Poultry shall be subjected to an ante -mortem and post -mortem inspection as stated in the 
DARS 1217 . 
 
7 Handling and processing  
 
7.1 Stunning  — Birds  may preferably be stunned  into a state of unconsciousness in a manner 
avoid ing death . In that case the  poultry may be hung on shackles attached to chains running on an  
overhead track and made unconscious with one blow on the head. In large  establishments poultry may 
be stunned by efficient electrical stunners.  
 
7.2 Bleeding  — Birds should be bled by giving a cut on the  jugular vein s below the earlobe and 
slided along the line while being  bled-out, towards the scald bath. In small processing plants, the  
operation may be done manually. The bleeding time should preferably  be not less than 90 seconds for 
smaller birds and up to 180 for larger sized birds. The bleeding process should continue until no more 
blood is oozing from the poultry.  
 
7.3 Scalding  
 
7.3.1 Scalding shall be done after all movements (reflexes) have  ceased. The temperature of the 
scald water shall be maintained at  about 60  °C, and the poultry should be kept in it for about 2 minutes.  
 
7.3.2 Scaldin g vessels should be supplied with continues overflow of water at 600C to maintain the 
bacteria counts of not more than 10,000 counts.  DARS 1 218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  3  
NOTE  Scalding in hot water at 60 °C gives the easiest feather -plucking, but may result in the flesh becoming tough. In that 
case a lower temperature 55 to 57 °C may be used.  
 
7.3.3 Scald container shall be thoroughly cleaned daily.  
 
7.3.4 Scald water sh all be changed continuously . 
 
7.4 Plucking  — Immediately after scalding, the plucking of poultry  shall be done by machine . 
 
7.5 Removal of feet — From hygiene point of view, removal of the  feet at the tarsometatarsal joint 
shall be done at this stage, as this  would make it possible to avoid dirt and dirty water from the feet and  
legs running down the body, after opening the a bdominal cavity.  
 
7.6 Evisceration and chilling  — First the oil gland shall be  removed. The abdominal cavity should 
then be opened by means of a  transverse cut. A circular cut should be made around the vent so that  
the intestines and organs can be removed.  This procedure shall be  followed very carefully, without any 
damage to the intestine by cuts or  tearing.  
 
NOTE  It has been estimated that 1 g of faecal matter contains more than 2.5 x 109 bacteria and there is enormous 
contamination which can take place in the abdominal cavity, the thoracic cavity and on the surface of the bird. Furthermore, as 
poultry is the most significant reservoir for Salmonella  organism, it is important to remove the organs, and proper veterinary 
control holds back such contaminated birds far washing and cleaning out, before the poultry can be allowed to continue for fu rther 
processing.  
 
7.7 At this point of the slaughter line the veterinary evaluation of the  poultry a s discussed  
[ARSO /TC 23 on Live Animals ]. 
 
7.7.1  Shower water should be provided on the poultry line after plucking and at each working  point  
on the line of evisceration.   
 
7.7.2  Sanitary hot water boxes at 82oC for sanitizing knives should be provided all over the 
processing line . 
 
7.8 After the inspection has been carried out, the poultry shall be given  a washing with water. The 
intestines and the organs shall be removed,  washed and collected. The neck and head shall be 
removed. Gizzard, Liver and heart shall  be separated, washed and collected . The poultry shall then be 
once more sprayed with water after which the  lungs and the kidneys shall be removed by vacuum or by 
means of a  suitably constructed fork. The poultry should be given a further spray  with water after the 
removal of lungs and kidneys to ensure that the  bird entering the spin -chiller is as clean as possible.  
 
7.8.1 Poultry  thus processed shall then be cooled in running water  containing 2 to 5 ppm chlorine in 
a spin -chiller or in other ty pes of  chiller.  
 
NOTE 1 Although the bird has been sprayed, its inner and outer surfaces are heavily contaminated. In spin -chiller with water at 
a temperature of 5 to 7°C most of the bacterial flora will stop growing and the number of bacteria on the surfaces of the body will 
be decimated by the continuous movement in water and by the addition of fresh water. The amount of water which is necessary 
for cooling is about 6 litres per bird.  
 
NOTE 2  Poultry flesh contains little or no bacteria. The most imp ortant contamination comes from outside, that is, from air, 
water, food and faecal matter during its passage along the slaughter line; and also by means of knives, hands, clothes, and 
equipment. Some of those bacteria which are found on the poultry skin ar e Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Flavobacteria, 
micrococci, coliform Alkaligene; Proteus and Bacillus . As the growth of these bacteria causes putrefaction of the poultry, first on 
the free surfaces and thereafter in the flesh itself, it is necessary to stop t heir growth as rapidly as possible and keep the poultry 
cooled. Lowering the temperature reduces the rate of bacterial growth considerably.  
 
7.9 Draining — After evisceration and cleaning, the birds shall be  drained effectively  since an 
undrained dripping bird when  packed and frozen tends to be coated diffusely with irregularly formed  ice 
layers which mar the uniformity in appearance of the carcass.  
 
8 Grading  
 
8.1 The poultry shall be graded on the basis of the characteristics  given in 8.1.1 to 8.1.4. 
 DARS 1 218:2022 
4 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  8.1.1 Dressed mass (with and without giblet and neck).  
 
8.1.2 Degree of fleshing (to be determined by using breast angle -meter).  
 
8.1.3  Knee bone length (to be determined with the help of vernier  calipers).   
 
8.1.4 Dressing percentage = 
100mass  Live  washingafter  mass  Dressed  
 
9 Quality evaluation  
 
Birds shall be steam -cooked at 0.70 to 1.05 kg/cm2 pressure for 10 to 15  minutes respectively. The 
processed birds shall  be evaluated for quality as per the evaluation card given in  Annex A.  
 
10 Packing  
 
10.1 Before packing, the  gizzard  should be gotten  rid of the internal contents and  mucosal layer, the 
heart after removal of pericardium while the liver and  the neck should be placed into the abdominal 
cavity of the carcass  enclosed in a food grade container  (Biodegradable) . The carcass should be 
dressed by folding back the wings  and introducing the legs through the abdominal opening out through  
the vent opening.  
 
10.2 Drained and dressed birds sha ll be packed into suitable food grade container (Biodegradable 
bags) (50-micron  gauge)  or oth er suitable packing m edia. B efore final sealing, the packs shall be 
immersed into vats containing water  to expel the content of air between the carcass and the bag, taking 
care that no water is introduced in the pack. Alternatively, vacuum pac king or shrink wrapping of the 
packs may be adopted. After the air inside is  expelled, the bag shall be sealed in a sealer or shall be 
knotted using  rubber bands.  
 
11 Storage  
 
11.1 Bulk quantities of processed poultry intended for freezing most be frozen i mmediately after 
wiping using proper equipment (freezing tunnel or deep freezing) according to prescription of National 
regulations.  
 
11.1.1 Poultry should be stored under refrigeration at 0 to 4oC. The period of storage under 
refrigeration shall not exceed 7 days . 
 
11.1.2 Poultry may be frozen at -18 °C, and  may be stored  to 9 months.  
  DARS 1 218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  5 Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Evaluation card for numerical scoring for overall quality and acceptance of 
dressed poultry  
 
 
 
Name ____________________________________ Date  ___________________________________  
 
Product ___________________________________ Time  __________________________________  
 
A.1 Overall quality  
 
Please rate these samples for overall quality according to the  following grade descriptions and scoring:  
 
Quality grade description  Score  
Excellent  9-10 
Good  6-8 
Fair 4-5 
Poor  1-3 
 
Code No.  Colour  Texture  Taste  Odour  Overall 
Quality  
— — — — — — 
— — — — — — 
— — — — — — 
— — — — — — 
 
A.2 Acceptance score sheet  
 
 Points  
 
Like very much  7 
 
Like moderately  6 
 
Like slightly  5 
 
Neither like nor dislike  4 
 
Dislike slightly  3 
 
Dislike moderately  2 
 
Dislike very much  1 
 
Please encircle the point at which you rate the quality (use reverse  side for additional remarks).  
 
 
   DARS 1 218:2022 
6 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  Bibliography  
 
 
Codex Alimentarius website : http://www.codexalimentarius.net/mrls/vetdrugs/jsp/vetd_q -e.jsp  
 
European Union: http://ec.europa.eu/ente rprise/sectors/pharmaceuticals/veterinary -use/maximum -
residue -limits/index_en.htm  
 
IS 7049:1973(R2000), Code for Handling, Processing, Quality Evaluation and Storage of Poultry  
 
KS 2304:2011 Kenya Standard — Handling, processing, quality evaluation and storage of poultry — 
Code of practice  
 
 
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service website: http://www.mrldatabase.com  
 
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/Standards  
 
Working Group to identify and acknowledge useful literatu re used in the preparation of this standard.  
 
 
 DARS 1 218:2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved