Reference number  
DRS 389:2018  
© RSB 2018  
 
 
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS  
389 
 
First edition  
2018 -mm-dd 
 
Popcorn — Specification  
 
  DRS 389:2018  
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2018  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without 
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reprodu ce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
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KK 15 Rd, 49  
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Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rs b.gov.rw  
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw  DRS 389:2018  
iii                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Term s and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
4.1 Raw materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  3 
4.2 Optional ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
4.3 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
4.4 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
4.5 Microbiological requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  4 
5 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 4 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
7.1 Pesticides residues and other contaminants  ................................ ................................ .....................  4 
7.2 Mycotoxin  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  4 
7.3 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  5 
8 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
9 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
10 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  6 
Annex  A (normative)  Determination of pH  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 7 
A.1 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
A.2 Reagent  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  7 
A.3 Procedures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  7 
Annex  B (normative)  Determination of salt  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 8 
B.1 Reagent  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  8 
B.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  8 
B.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  9 
 DRS 389:2018  
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword  
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by R wanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task of technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards 
adop ted by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and 
gazettment as Rwanda Standards.  
DRS 389  was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 003, Cereals , pulses, legumes and cereal products , 
Subcommittee SC  2,Processed cereals and legumes . 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following standard:  
1) RS EAS 44: 2017: Milled corn Products —Specification  
The assistance de rived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
Committee  membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Cereals, pulses, legumes and 
cereal products  (RSB/TC 003) in the preparation of this standard.  
Africa Improved Foods (AIF)  
African Society of Commerce and Management (AS COM Ltd)  
Gatsibo Rice Company  
National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA)  
Rwanda Consumer's Rights Protection Organization (ADECOR)  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  
 DRS 389:2018  
1                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 Popcorn — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft Rwanda Standard specifies  the requirements, sampling and test methods for popcorn intended for 
human consumption . 
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 edition  cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest ed ition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
RS CAC/RCP 1, General principles of food Hygiene  
RS EAS 2 , Maize grains  —Specification  
RS EAS 35, Fortified food grade salt —Specification  
RS EAS 38, Labelling of Pre -Packaged Foods  
RS EA S 147 -1, Vinegar—Specification , Part 1: Vinegar from natural sources  
RS CODEX STAN 192, General standard for food additives  
RS CODEX STAN 193, General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
RS CODEX STAN 212 , Sugars —Specification  
EAS 321 , Edible fats and oils —Specification  
AOAC 952.13,  Arsenic in food. Silver diethyldithiocarbamate  
AOAC 972.25, Official Method, Lead in Food Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Method  
AOAC 2001.04, Determination of Fumonisins in Corn and Corn Flakes  
RS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms — Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique  
RS ISO 5985 , Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of  ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
RS ISO 6540 , Maize —Determination of moisture content (on milled grains and on whole grains   
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  2 
 RS ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of fo od and animal feeding stuffs —Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella  spp. 
RS ISO 7305 , Milled cereal p roducts—Determination of fat acidity  
RS ISO 16050 , Foodstuffs —Determination of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G1 and G 2  in cereals, nuts and derived products 
—High performance liquid chromatographic method  
ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of fo od and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -
glucuronid ase-positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 -bromo -4-
chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
RS 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  
RS ISO 24333 , Cereals and cereal products —Sampling  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
popcorn  
snack made from grains of maize or corn that have been heated until they have burst and become large and 
light.  
3.2  
popcorn kernel  
variety of corn kernel, which forcefully expands and puffs up when heated  
3.3  
maize(corn) grain  
shelled grain or kernel of the species Zea mays indentata  L. (dent maize) and/or Zea mays indurate (flint 
maize) or their hybrids.  
3.4  
food grade  packaging material  
pack aging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not 
impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  DRS 389:2018  
3                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 4 Requirements  
4.1 Raw materials  
Popcorn shall be made from corn  (maize) grains  complying  with the requirements of RS EAS 2.  
4.2 Optional ingredients  
Optional ingredients which may be used shall comply with relevant standards. They include but are not limited 
to the following:  
a) salt complying with RS EAS 35;  
b) sugar s complying with RS CODEX STAN 212;  
c) edible oils  complying with EAS 321 ; 
d) honey  complying with  RS 164;  
e) vinegar  complying with RS EAS 147 -1 
f) cocoa powder ; 
g) spices flavouring cheese ; and  
h) flavouring butter  
4.3 General requirements  
Popcorn shall:  
a) be free from musty,  
b) free from off flavours  and other undesirable odours;  
c) be free from insects, larvae, and/or their eggs;  
d) be free from glass, metal, coal or dung and other foreign matter; and  
e) be free from sourness and rancidity.  
4.4 Specific requirements  
Popcorn shall comply with the specific requirem ents stipulated in Table 1.   
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  4 
 Table 1—Specific requirements for P opcorn  
S/N Parameter   Requirements  Test method  
i.  Moisture content , %, max 7.0 RS ISO 6540  
ii.  pH 4.5-6.0 Annex A  
iii.  Fat acidity , mg  KOH per 100g of product on dry 
mass basis, max  80 RS ISO 7305  
iv.  Salt content (as sodium chloride) ,% ,  m/m, max  2 Annex B  
v.  Acid insoluble ash ,%  m/m , max.  0.4  RS ISO 5985  
4.5 Microbiological requirements  
Popcorn shall comply with the microbiological requirements specified in Table 2.  
Table 2—Microbiological requirements for P opcorn  
S/N Microorganism  Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Total Plate Count, CFU/g  102 RS ISO 4833 -1 
ii.  E-coli, CFU/ g Absent  ISO 16649 -2 
iii.  Salmonella  spp, per 25g Absent  RS ISO 6579 -1 
iv.  Yeasts and moulds , CFU/g   10 RS ISO 21527 -2 
5 Food additives  
Food additives  which may be used in the manufacture of popcorn shall be in accordance with RS CODEX 
STAN 192.  
6 Hygiene  
Popcorn shall be processed, handled, packaged, stored and distributed under hygienic conditions prescribed 
in RS CAC/RCP 1.  
7 Contaminants  
7.1 Pesticides residues and other contaminants  
Popcorn shall comply with the ma ximum pesticides residue limits established by the Codex Alimentariu s 
Commission for this commodity, and  shall comply with maximum contaminants and toxins in food and f eed 
established in RS CODEX STAN 193 . 
7.2 Mycotoxin  
Popcorn shall comply with the mycotoxin levels specified in Table 3. DRS 389:2018  
5                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 Table 3—Mycotoxin limits for Popcorn  
S/N Mycotoxin  Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Total aflatoxins ( μg/kg)  4 RS ISO 16050  
ii.  Aflatoxin B1 ( μg/kg)  2 
iii.  Fumonisins (mg/kg)  2 AOAC 2001.04  
7.3 Heavy metals  
Popcorn shall comply with the heavy metal limits in Table 4 when tested in accordance with test methods 
specified therein.  
Table 4—Heavy metal limits in Popcorn  
S/N Heavy metals   Maximum limit (mg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Arsenic  0.1 AOAC 952.13  
ii.  Lead  0.2 AOAC 972.25  
8 Packaging  
Popcorn shall be packaged in suitable food grade packaging materials that shall not affect the quality of the 
product.  
9 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements specified in RS EAS 38, each pack of Popcorn shall be clearly and inde libly 
marked with the following : 
a) name of the product: "Popcorn”;  
b) name and address  of the manufacturer;  
c) list of ingredients;  
d) lot number;  
e) date of manufacture;  
f) expiry date ; 
g) list of any additives used;  
h) instructions for use;  
i) net contents;   
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  6 
 j) storage instructions; and  
k) country of origin . 
10 Sampling  
Sampling of popcorn shall be done in accordance with  RS ISO 24333.  
 
 DRS 389:2018  
7                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination of pH  
A.1 Apparatus  
A.1.1  pH meter equipped with glass electrode  
A.1.2  Beaker of 100 ml capacity  
A.2 Reagent  
A.2.1  PH 7.0 buffer solution  
A.2.2  PH 4.0 and PH 9.0 buffer solutions  
A.2.3  Deionised water  
A.3 Procedures  
A.3.1  Dip the pH meter into about 50 mL of pH 7.0 buffer solution. Ensure that the reading is 7.0  
A.3.2  Rinse the meter  with deionised water, and dip it into about 50 mL of pH 4.0 buffer solution. Ensure 
that the reading is 4.0. Repeat using pH 9.0 buffer solution  
A.3.3  Determine the pH of the sample solution using the pH meter  
   
©RSB 2018 - All rights reserved                  8 
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Determination of salt  
B.1 Reagent  
B.1.1  Acetone  
B.1.2  calcium acetate solution  
B.1.3  HNO 3 
B.1.4  0.1 N AgNO 3 
B.1.5  Ferric indicato  
B.1.6  0.1 N NH 4SCN 3 
B.2 Procedure  
B.2.1  Weigh 2 g of a thoroughly mixed sample into a platinum or silica dish  
B.2.2  Disperse the sample with 10 mL of acetone  
B.2.3  Remove acetone, at room temperature, with an air current  
B.2.4  Add, and thoroughly mix, 10 mL of 10 % calcium acetate solution  
B.2.5  Carefully dry on a steam bath  
B.2.6  Ash in a muffle furnace at 500 °C (1 022 °F). Complete ashing not necessary  
B.2.7  Place the ash in a beaker and dissolve the ash in 25 mL HNO3 (1+3).  
B.2.8  Add at least 2 mL - 4 mL of 0.1 N AgNO3 that is just enough to precipitate all chloride present  
B.2.9  Add at least 5 mL of 0.1 N AgNO3 in excess, to A.2.8.  
B.2.10  to boil, cool, then add  5 mL ferric indicator.  DRS 389:2018  
9                ©RSB2018 - All rights reserved  
 B.2.11  Titrate excess Ag with 0.1 N NH4SCN (which has been standardized to equalize normalities) to a 
permanent light brown end point.  
B.2.12  Subtract the amount of NH4SCN used in A.2.11 from the total AgNO3 used in A.2.8 and A.2.9.  The 
resulting difference is the ml of 0.1 N AgNO3 used in the calculation of salt  
B.3 Calculation  
The salt content shall be calculated as follows:  
NaCl=(𝑚𝐿 𝑜𝑓 0.1 𝑁𝐴𝑔𝑁𝑂 3)(0.05845 )
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚  𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 
 
 
 
 
 
 DRS 389:2018  
ICS 67.060  
 
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