DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
 DEAS 827:2014 
ICS 67.120.30  
 
© EAC 2014 First Edition 2014  
 
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
 
 Fresh and frozen whole fin fish – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
© EAC 2014 — All rights reserved ii  
 
Foreword 
 
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing 
requirements governing quality of products and services in East Africa. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers which are encountered when goods and services are 
exchanged within the Community will be removed.  
 
In order to meet the above objectives, the EAC Partner States have enacted an East African 
Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Test Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make 
provisions for ensuring standardization, quality assurance, metrology and testing of product s 
produced or originating in a third country and traded in the Community in order to facilitate industrial 
development and trade as well as helping to protect the health and safety of society and the 
environment in the Community. 
 
East African Standards are formulated in accordance with the procedures established by the East 
African Standards Committee. The East African Standards Committee is established under the 
provisions of Article 4 of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006. The Committee is composed of representatives of 
the National Standards 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.  
 
Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 provides that “Within six months of the declaration of an 
East African Standard, the Partner States shall adopt, without deviation from the approved text of the 
standard, the East African Standard as a national standard and withdraw any existing national 
standard with similar scope and purpose”.  
 
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.  
 
© East African Community 2010 — All rights reserved* 
East African Community  
P O Box 1096  
Arusha  
Tanzania  
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8 
Fax: 255- 27-2504481/2504255 
E-Mail: eac@eachq.org  
Web: www.each.int 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
* 2010 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs. 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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Fresh and frozen whole fin fish  — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope 
 
 This draft East African Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for fresh 
and frozen whole fin fish. 
 
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. 
 
 
CODEX STAN 192 - CODEX STAN 192 -1995, General standard for food additives  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry ― Code of practice 
CAC/RCP 52[CD/K/521:2010] , Code of practice for fish and fishery products  
 
EAS 12,  Drinking (potable water) — Specification  
 
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Specification 
 
EAS 103, Schedule for permitted food additives  
 
ISO 483 3, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms — Colony-count technique at 30 degrees C  
 
ISO 6579, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp.  
 
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 6888- 2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coagulase-positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 2: Technique 
using rabbit plasma fibrinogen agar medium  
 
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: Detection 
and MPN technique for low numbers  
 
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique 
 
ISO 11290- 2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection 
and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes — Part 2: Enumeration method 
 
ISO 7937, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens — Colony-count technique 
 
ISO 21527-1,  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of yeasts and moulds -- Part 1: Colony count technique in products wit h water activity greater than 0. 9 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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 ISO 270 85, Animal feeding stuffs -- Determination of calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, 
potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, arsenic, lead and cadmium by I CP-
AES 
ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G 1 
and G 2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method  
 
AOAC 990.04 Mercury (Methyl) in sea food by liquid chromatography-Atomic Absorptio n 
Spectroscopy ( LC-AAS) 
 
AOAC 977.15 / 974.14 Mercury in fish by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAA) 
 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard the following terms and definitions shall apply: 
  
3.1 
fresh fin fish 
Fish that has not been frozen, dried or otherwise preserved, except by chilling. Fish in rigor shall be 
deemed to be fresh fish. 
 
3.2  
gutted fish 
Fish from which the guts have been removed. Gutting consists of bleeding the fish and removal of the 
stomach and gut. 
 
 
3.3 
rigor mortis 
The stiffening of the muscles of an animal which results from a series of complex changes that take 
place in the tissues shortly after death. 
 
3.4  
fin fish 
Fresh water and marine vertebrate fish. 
 
3.5  
whole fish 
Fish as captured, un gutted. 
 
3.6  
chilling 
The process of cooling fish to a temperature approaching that of melting ice (Between 00C - 40C) 
 
 
3.7 
clean sea water 
Sea water which meets the same microbiological standards as potable water and is free from 
objectionable substance.   
 
4.0 Requirements 
 
4.1 General requirements 
 
Fresh and frozen finfish may be presented as un eviscerated, eviscerated, and shall be in a sound, 
wholesome condition. 
 
-be bright in appearance. DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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- have a fresh characteristic smell of its species. 
 
- have prominent, bright, clear and moist eyes. 
 
-have bright red gills. 
 
-have bright abdominal blood. 
 
-The slime on fresh fish shall be transparent. 
 
- be firm, and shall have elastic flesh. 
 
-have scales which adhere strongly to the skin where this is normal. 
 
- be free from diseases and parasites. 
 
4.2 Specific requirements 
 
-fresh fish shall be stored at chilling temperature   
-frozen fish shall be maintained at a temperature of - 180C or lower 
-when tested as per annex A the level of histamine in species with high levels of histidine such as 
scromboids shall not exceed 10ppm. 
 
5 Food additives 
 
If used, food additives shall comply with EAS 103. 
 
6 Hygiene  
The product covered by the provisions of this standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance 
with, EAS 39, the product shall comply with microbiological limits given in table 1. 
 
 
 
Table 1 — Microbiological limits for fresh and frozen whole fin fish  
 
SL No  Micro -organisms  Max. limits  Method of test  
i) Salmonella  per 25 g  Absent  ISO 6579  
ii) E. coli  per gram         Absent  ISO 7251  
iv) listeria monocytogenes  Absent  ISO 11290 PART 1 &2  
v) Staphylococcus aureus  cfu per gram  100 ISO 6888  
vi) Clostridium perfringens  per gram  Absent  ISO 7937  
vii) Vibrio Spp  per gram  Absent  ISO 21872  
viii) Total viable count per g ram 105 ISO 4833  
 
 
7. Contaminant limits 
 
Fresh and frozen fin fish shall comply with the contaminant limits given in Table 2. 
 
Table 2 — Contaminant limits for fresh and frozen fin fish  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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   Type of contaminant  Maximum limit  
(mg/kg)  Method of test  
(i) Arsenic  0.1 ISO 27085  
(v) Mercury  0.5 AOAC 977.15/ 
974.14  
(vi) Lead  0.3 ISO 27085  
(vii) Cadmium  0.3 ISO 27085  
(viii Methyl  mercury  0.5 AOAC 990.04  
 
 
8. Weight and measures 
 
The weight of the product shall comply with Weight and Measures regulations of Partner States or 
equivalent legislation. 
 
9. Packaging and labelling 
 
9.1 Packaging 
 
9.1.1 Fresh and frozen fin fish shall be packaged in food grade containers which will safeguard the 
hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic qualities of the product.  
9.1.2 The containers, including packaging material, shall be made of substances which are safe and 
suitable for their intended use. They shall not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or 
flavour to the product. 
 
9.2 Labelling 
 
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and 
shall be legibly and indelibly marked: 
-name of the product shall be "F resh and frozen fin fish”   
- Storage and transportation conditions declaring the temperature to be -18C or lower  
-Name and physical address of processor. 
 
-Net weight in grams or kilograms. 
 
-Date of production 
 
-Batch or code number. 
 
-Expiry date. 
 
-instruction for use 
 
-Country of origin 
 
9.3 Labelling of Non-retail Containers 
 
Information on the above provisions shall be given either on the container or in accompanying 
documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification, and the name and address of the 
processor or packer as well as storage instructions, shall appear on the container. 
 
However, lot identification, and the name and address of the processor or packer may be replaced by 
an identification mark provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying 
documents. 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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 10. Method of sampling and test 
 
Sampling and tests shall be done as per test methods described in respective tables.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARDDEAS 827:2014  
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