DEAS 1008 : 2019  
ICS 67.100.10  
 
© EAC 2019                                                                                                                               First Edition 2019   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Fermented (cultured) milk — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 1008 : 2019  
ii © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
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Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 1008 : 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Categories of fermented milk  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
5 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
5.1 Raw materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  2 
4.2 Essential ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  2 
4.2.1  Starter cultures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 2 
4.3 Optional ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
4.3.1  Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 3 
4.3.3  Flavouring foods  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 3 
4.4 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
4.5 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
7 Body and texture of  fermented milk  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
8 Microbiological limits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  4 
9 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
10 Contaminan ts ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  5 
10.1  Pesticides residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  5 
10.2  Veterinary drugs residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  5 
10.3  Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  5 
10.4  Aflatoxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
13 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  6 
Annex A (normative)  De termination of pH  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 7 
A.1 General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  7 
A.2 Indicator strips  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 7 
A.3 pH meter  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  7 
A.4 Interpretation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  7 
 DEAS 1008 : 2019  
iv © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of prod ucts and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
The Community has established an East  African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private s ector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East Af rican 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 Principles and procedures for developm ent of East African Standards.  
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 .  
The committee responsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC /TC 017, Milk and milk products.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held r esponsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 DEAS 1008 : 2019    
 
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  
  
 Fermented (c ulture d) milk — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft  East African Standard specifies the requirements , sampling and test m ethods for fermented 
(cultured)  milk for human consumption . 
This Standard does  not apply to yoghurt  covered in EAS 33 . 
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 editio n cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 999.11 , Official Method, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Foods — Atomic Absorption 
Spectrophotometry after Dry Ashing  
CAC/RCP 1,  General principles of food hygiene — Code of practice  
CAC/ RCP 57, Code of  hygienic  practice for milk and milk products  
CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
ISO 11290 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeria SPP. — Part 2: Enumeration method  
ISO 14501, Milk and milk powder — Determination of aflatoxin M1 content — Clean -up by immunoaf finity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
ISO 4832, Micro biology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms — Colony -count technique  
ISO 6611, Milk and milk products — Enum eration of colony -forming units of yeasts and/or moulds —Colony -
count technique at 25 degrees C  
ISO 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk — Determination of total solids content (Reference method)  
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird -Parker agar medium  
ISO 707, Milk and milk products — Methods of sampling   
2 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 3 Terms and definitions  
For the p urposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
fermented milk 
milk prepared from one or combination of the following; whole milk, partially or skimmed milk, concentrated 
milk, reconstituted milk, buttermilk which are pasteurised o r sterilized and fermented by means of specific 
micro - organisms resulting in reduction of pH. Those microorganisms which be viable, active and abundant in 
the finished products at the time of sale for consumption. If the product is heat treated after ferm entation the 
requirement for viable microorganisms does not apply  
3.2 
plain fermented milk  
plain milk which has been fermented by addition of lactic acid cultures  
3.3 
flavoured fermented milk  
fermented milk into which permitted flavours, sweeteners, food c olours ha ve been added  
3.4 
stirred fermented milk  
plain or flavoured f ermented milk whose coagul um has been broken through stirring  or agitation process  to 
obtain a free flowing product  
3.5 
set fermented milk  
plain or flavoured fermented milk whose coagulu m has not undergone any stirring or agitation  process  
4 Categories of fermented milk  
The categories based on fat contet shall be as follows:  
a) fermented whole  milk; 
b) fermented fat free milk ; 
c) fermented fat free milk ; and  
d) fermented high fat milk . 
5 Requirements  
5.1 Raw materials  
Whole milk, partially skimmed milk or skimmed milk, concentrated milk, buttermilk, reconstituted milk , cream 
or their mixtures  shall be used . 
4.2 Essential ingredients  
4.2.1  Starter c ultures  
Specific s tarter cultures of harmless micro -organisms  shall be used . Other harmless microorganisms than 
those constituting the specific culture(s) may be added.  Table 1 below shows the starter culture used in the 
making of fermented milk products with their corresponding fermentation products levels.   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 Table1  — Designation , starter cultures and elements of ferment ation  
Designation  Culture  Titratable acidity, 
expressed as % lactic 
acid  (% m/m), min.  Ethanol 
(% 
vol/w) , 
min. 
(i) Fermented milk  The following can be used to manufacture 
fermented milk separ ately or in composition:  
Streptococcus lactis,  
Streptococcus diacetylactis,  
Streptococcus cremoris,  
Leuconostoc citravocum,  
Leuconostoc dextranicum,  
Streptococcus thermophilus.  0.3  - 
(ii)Cultured buttermilk  Streptococcus lactis,  
Streptococcus diacetolact is, 
Streptococcus cremoris,  
Leuconostoc citrovacum  
Leuconostoc dextranicum  0.6  - 
(iii) Acidophilus milk  Lactobacillus acidophilus  0.6  - 
(iv) Kefir  
 Starter culture prepared from kefir grains, 
Lactobacillus kefiri, species of the genera 
Leuconostoc, L actococcus and Acetobacter 
growing in a strong specific relationship. Kefir grains 
constitute both lactose fermenting yeasts 
(Kluyveromyces marxianus) and non -lactose -
fermenting yeasts (Saccharomyces unisporus, 
Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces 
exiguus).  0.6  - 
(v) Kumys  Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus and 
kluvyeromyces marxianus  0.7  0.5 
4.3 Optional ingredients  
The amount of optional ingredients shall not exceed 30 % per weight of the final product.  They shall comply 
with relevant standards.  
4.3.1  Food additives  
Permitted  additives complying with CODEX STAN 192 may be used . 
4.3.2  Sugars  
The following carbohydrate sweetening agents like sucrose, dextrose, fructose, hydrolized lactose shall be 
used.  
4.3.3  Flavourin g foods  
The followin g flavouring foods may be added : edible fruits and Vegetables puree or pulp, chocolat e and honey   
4.3.4  Preservatives  
Specific preservatives may be applie d in accordance with Codex Stan 243 .  
4 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 4.4 General requirements  
Cultured  milk shall:  
a) be free from off fl avours and off odours such as metallic and yeast flavour; and  
b) have the characteristic texture and taste of the type of cultured milk . 
4.5 Specific requirements  
Fermented milk shall comply with the specifc requirements in Table 2 when tested in accordance w ith test 
methods specified therein.  
Table  2 ▬ Specific requirements of fermented milk  
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
Fermented  
whole milk Fermented 
low fat milk Fermented f at 
free milk Fermented  
high fat  
milk 
i.  Milk fat  content,  
%, m/m 3.25 - 4.5 0.5 - 2.70 < 0.5 4.6 - 15 ISO 2446  
ii.  Milk solids no n-fat, 
%, m/m,  min. 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 ISO 6731  
iii.  pH 4.2 - 4.6 4.2 - 4.6 4.2 - 4.6 4.2 - 4.6 Annex A  
iv.  Sum of 
microorganisms 
constituting the 
starter culture , 
CFU/ g in totala 107 107 107 107 
ISO 7889  
v.  Labelled 
microorganisms  
CFU/g in totalb 106 106 106 106 
a The requirement on sum of microorganisms and labelled microorganisms  do not apply for heat treated fermented milk   
b applies where a conte nt claim is made in the labelling that refers to the presence of a specific microorganism (other th an those 
specified in table 1 for the product concerned) that has been added as a  supplement to the specific starter culture . This parameter does 
not apply to Kumys and Kefir  
7 Body and texture of fermented milk  
The set or stirred  (plain or flavoured) fermented milk products specified under this standard should have the 
characteristic state and flavour when tested with the relevant standard s or methods of sensory analysis of 
foods.  Both products  should not whey off.  
8 Microbiolog ical limits 
Fermented milk shall not exceed mic robiological limits in Table 3, when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein . 
Table3 ▬ Microbiolog ical limits  
Microorganisms  Maximum limits  Test method  
Coliforms cfu/ g < 10 ISO 4832   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 Escherichia coli /g  Absent  ISO 72 51 
Salmonella spp / 25g Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
Listeria monocytogenes / 25g Absent  ISO 11290 -2 
Staphylococcus aureus cfu / g 102 ISO 6888 -1 
Yeasts and moulds (cfu/g)  102 ISO 6611  
9 Hygiene  
The products covered by the provision of this standard shall be pre pared in accordance with CAC/RCP 57 and 
CAC/RCP 1.  
10 Contaminants  
10.1 Pesticides  residues  
Fermented milk shall comply with  the maximum limits of pesticide residues as specified in Codex Alimentarius 
Commission . 
10.2 Veterinary  drugs residues  
When analyze d in accordance w ith appropriate methods of test milk shall conform to the maximum tolerable 
residue limits for antibiotics and other veterinary drugs set by the Codex  Alimentarius  Commission.  
10.3 Heavy metals  
The level of Lead (Pb) shall not exceed 0.02 mg/kg when tested in accordance AOAC 999.11.  
10.4 Aflatoxins  
When tested in accordance with ISO 14501, the level of Aflatoxin M1 shall not exceed 0.5 µg/kg . 
11 Packaging  
The products shall be packaged in food grade containers made of suitable material and shall be well sealed in 
order to prevent contamination of the contents during storage and transportation.  
12 Labelling  
In addition to the labelling requirements stipulated in EAS 38, the following should also be  legibly and indelibly 
declared:  
a) name of the product as “fermented  milk”; 
b) category  as “whole fermented milk or low fat fermented milk  or fat free fermented milk  or high fat 
fermented milk ; 
c) body an texture (set or stirred)  
d) ingredients, essential or opti onal in descending order of p roportion;  
e) the expir ation date  or sell by date of the product;  
f) storage recommendation (between 4 °C and 7 °C) ;  
6 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 g) fat content;  
h) batch number ; 
i) manufacture date ; 
j) instructions for use ; 
k) a product shall be indicated whether plain or flavoured  fermented (cultured) milk ; and  
l) net content  in metric unit . 
13 Sampling  
Sampling of fermented milk shall be done in accordance with ISO 707.   
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Determination of pH  
A.1 General  
The pH value or hydrogen ion concentration gives a measure of the true acidity of fermented milk . The 
relationship between pH and acidity of yoghurt  is only approximate. In fermented milk  the pH ranges from 4.2 
to 4.6. The value is reduced by the development of acidity. The pH of fermented milk  may be determined 
rapidly by using the indicator strips.  
A.2 Indicator strips  
Indicator paper strips or discs are made by soaking strips of absorbent paper in a suitable indicator and drying 
them.  
A rough estimate of pH is obtained by dipping a strip of the prepared paper in yoghurt  and observing the 
colour. Bromocresol  purple (pH range 4 to 7,  colour changes from yellow to purple) and bromothymol blue (pH 
range 4 to 7, colour changes from straw yellow to bluish -green) are commonly used as indicators. Both narrow 
and wide range ready -made indicator papers are available o ver the pH range 2.0 to 10.5.  
Indicator paper strips shall always be kept in closed containers  and under dry conditions.  
A.3 pH meter  
The pH meter may be used to determine pH in yoghurt  
A.4 Interpretation  
On an average, yoghurt  gives a pH of 4.6. Fermented milk  of pH over 4.6 should be regarded with suspicion 
as indication of poor fermentation as a result of starter culture inhibition . pH below 4.2 is as a result of over 
fermentation.