DRAF T UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 1635  
First Edition 
2016- mm- dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 1635 : 2016
© UNBS 2016   
  
Shea butter ─ Specification 
 DUS 1635 : 2016 
ii © UNBS 2015  – 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 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2016   
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Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 1635: 2016  
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents Page 
Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................ iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................................................ ................................ ...................... 1 
2 Normative references  ................................................................ ................................ ............................ 1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................................................ ................................ ........................... 2 
4 Quality and compositional requir ements ................................ ................................ ............................ 2 
4.1 General requirements  ................................................................ ................................ ........................... 2 
4.2 Compositional requirements  ................................ ................................................................ ................ 2 
5 Fortification  ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ............ 3 
6 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................................... 3 
7 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ................... 3 
8 Contamin ants ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ......... 3 
8.1 Pesticide residues  ................................................................ ................................ .................................  3 
8.2 Other contaminants  ................................................................ ................................ ............................... 3 
9 Packa ging  ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ............... 3 
10 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ................. 4 
11 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................................................ ................ 4 
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................................ 5  
 
. DUS 1635 : 2016 
iv © UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved 
 Foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  UNBS is mandated to co-
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point 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 representatives 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 comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
DUS 1635 was prepared by Technical Committee TC 2-SC 2, Oil Seeds, Edible Fats and Oils.  DUS 1635: 2016  
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  v 
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 1635: 2016  
 
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  1 
 Shea butter ─ Specification 
1 Scope 
This Draft Uganda standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for shea butter 
(Butyrospermum parkii ) derived from  the kernels of the nut of Bassia (or Butyrosylarmum) Parkij .  
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. 
US 45:2015, General standard for food additives  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Specification 
EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene for food and drink manufacturing industries  
EAS 767, Fortified edible oils and fats — Specification   
ISO 5555, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Sampling  
ISO 661, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Preparation of test sample  
ISO 660, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of acid value and acidity   
ISO 662, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
ISO 663, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of insoluble impurities content 
ISO 3657, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of saponification value  
ISO 3961, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of iodine value  
ISO 3596, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of unsaponifiable matter — Method using 
diethyl ether  
ISO 3960, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of peroxide value — Iodometric (visual) 
endpoint determination  
ISO 6320, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of refractive index  
ISO 6883, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of conventional mass per volume (litre weight 
in air) 
ISO 8294, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of copper, iron and nickel contents — Graphite 
furnace atomic absorption method  
2 © UNBS 2016 –  All rights reserved 
 ISO 12193, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy  
ISO 2590, General method for determining of arsenic — Diethyldithiocarbamate photometric method  
ISO 10539, Animal and vegetable fats and oils  Determination of alkalinity   
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply. 
3.1  
Shea butter 
The oil derived from the kernels of the nut of Bassia (or Butyrosylarmum) Parkij,   
3.2 
food grade packaging material 
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for the intended use and which will not 
impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product 
4 Quality and compositional requirements 
4.1 General requirements 
Shea butter shall:  
a) be expressed from Shea nuts which are fit for the purpose; 
b) be free from adulterants, and any other foreign matter, separated water and added colouring 
substances;  
c) be free from rancid odour and taste ;  
d) have colour characteristic of the designated product; and  
e) be free from admixture with other oils , when t ested according to appropriate method. 
4.2 Compositional requirements 
Shea butter shall comply with requirements specified in Table 1.  
Table 1  Compositional requirements of shea butter 
S.No  Characteristic  Requirement  Method of test  
i) Moisture and matter volatile at 105 oC, % m/m, 
max.  1 ISO 662  
ii) Insoluble impurities, % m/m, max.  0.05 ISO 663  
iii) Slip point  30°C - 42°C  ISO 10539  
iv) Relati ve density (40 oC/ water at 20 oC ) g/cm3  0.900 - 0.930  ISO 6883  
v) Refractive index, 40 oC  1.460 - 1.470  ISO 6320  
vii) Saponification value (mg KOH/g oil)   170 – 190 ISO 3657  DUS 1635: 2016  
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  3 
 viii) Iodine value (Wij’s),  52  - 70  ISO 3961  
x) Unsaponifiable matter, g/kg, max.  10  ISO 3596  
xi) Acid value, mg KOH/g oil, max  1  ISO 660  
xii) Peroxide value, mEq peroxide oxygen/kg oil, 
max.  5 ISO 3960  
xiv) Free Fatty Acid,  Max 0.5  ISO 660  
 
5 Fortification 
Shea butter may be fortified in accordance to EAS 767. 
6 Food additives  
Shea butter may contain the following food additives in accordance with US 45 
7 Hygiene 
Shea butter shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 39 
8 Contaminants 
8.1 Pesticide residues  
Shea butter shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
8.2 Other contaminants  
Shea butter shall comply with those maximum limits specified in Table 5. 
Table 5 — Limits for contaminants in Shea butter 
S. No.  Contami nant  Maximum level  Method of 
test 
i) Iron, mg/kg  5 
ISO 8294  
 ii) Copper, mg/kg  0.4 
iii) Nickel, mg/kg  0.1 
iv) Lead, mg/kg  0.1 ISO 12193  
v) Arsenic, mg/kg  0.1 ISO 2590  
9 Packaging  
Shea butter shall be packaged in food grade containers and sealed in manner to ensure the safety and quality 
requirements specified in this standard are maintained throughout the shelf life of the product.  
4 © UNBS 2016 –  All rights reserved 
 10 Labelling  
In addition to the labeling requirements  in EAS 38, the following shall be indicated :  
The name of the product shall be ‘’Shea butter’’  
11 Sampling 
Sampling shall be carried in accordance with ISO 5555 
 
 DUS 1635: 2016
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  5 
 Bibliography 
[1] Natural Sourcing, specialists in cosmeceutical ingredients ; 2012 
[2] Codex co mmittee on fats and oils report of London meeting 6th -8th apr il 1965   
. DUS 1635: 2016 
© UNBS 2016 – All rights reserved  7 
 Certification marking 
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 DUS 1635 : 2016   
 
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