PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DRAFT UGANDA STAND ARD  
  DUS DEAS 19 
First  Edition  
2016-mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DEAS 19: 2016 
© UNBS 201 6 
  
Fresh avocados — Specification 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 19:2016 
ii                © UNBS  2016  - 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 applicati on 
© UNBS 2016 
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 UNB S. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to 
The Executive Director 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
P.O. Box 6329 
Kampala 
Uganda 
Tel: 256 417 333 2 50/1/2/3 
Fax: 256 414 286 123 
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 19:2016 
© UNBS  2016 - 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 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.  
This Draft Uganda Standard, DUS DEAS 19: 2016 , Fresh avocados — Specification,  is identical with  and has 
been reproduced from a Draft East African Standard , DEAS 19: 2016, Fresh avocados —  Specification,  and is 
being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard. 
This standard was developed by the Food and agriculture  Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2). 
Wherever the words, “ East African Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
   DEAS 19: 2016  
ICS 67.080.1 0 
© EA C 2016                                                                                                                          Second Edition 2016   
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Fresh avocados — Specifications  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 19:2016  
ii © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permi tted without prior permission from EAC, 
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 EAC.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document f or the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community  2016  — 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.eac -quality.net  
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be persecuted  DEAS 19: 2016  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  1 
4 Minimum quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  2 
51 Classifications  and sizing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  3 
5.1 Classification  ................................ ................................ ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.  
5.1.1 Extra class  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  3 
5.1.2 Class 1  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  3 
5.1.3 Class II  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  3 
5.2 Sizing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  3 
5.2.1  Tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  4 
5.2.2 Quality tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 4 
5.2.3 Size tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  5 
5.2.4 Combined tolerances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  5 
6 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  5 
6.1 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  5 
6.2 Metal contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 5 
7 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
8  Uniformity and packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
8.1 Uniformity  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
8.2 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...Error! Bookmark not defined.  
9. Labeling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  6 
10 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  6 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  7 
 DEAS 19:2016  
iv © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products 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.  
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East Afric an Standards Committee mandated 
to develop and issue East African Standards.   
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together 
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizat ions. 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 C ommunity.  
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 .  
EAS 6 was prepared by Technical Committee EAS/TC 016. DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 19:2016  
 
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  1 
 Fresh avocados — Specifications  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements for fresh avocados ( Persea americana Gartner or P. 
Grattisima  mill) fruits of the family Lauraceae  to be supp lied to the consumer . This does not include avocados  
for industrial processing.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only th e edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods — Specification  
ISO 874, Fresh fruits and vegetables – Sampling  
ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products -- Determination of lead content -- Flameless atomic  
CAC/RCP 53 -2003  Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables   
ISO 7558:1988, Guide to the prepackaging of fresh fruits and vegetables  
3 Definitions  
For the purpose of this standard the f ollowing definition shall apply:  
3.1 
Foreign matter  
Any organic or inorganic substances which affects the appearance and typical smell of the avocado fruit.  
3.2 
Diseased avocados  
Avocados having an unhealthy condition caused by fungi, bacteria, vir us or pest.  
3.3 
Injury  
Any defect which more than slightly affects the appearance or edible quality of the avocado.  
3.4 
sound  
Not overripe, not soft and free from diseases or insect damage, or bruising or physical injuries affecting 
keeping quality of the fruit. 
 
3.5 
Food grade packaging material  
Any material which when it comes in contact with food or if the area near food is unlikely to contaminate food 
with harmful materials   
2 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 3.6 
firm 
not soft, flabby, or shriveled  
 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
The fresh avocado fruits in all classes, subject to each class and tolerances allowed, shall be  
a) mature green, brownish or black  colour  
b) Whole ; 
c) Sound ; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is  excluded.  
 
d) Clean;  practically free of any visible foreign matter  
 
e) Practically free of pests affecting the general appearance of the produce.   
 
f) Practically free of damage caused by pests.  
 
g) Free of abnormal external moisture, excluding condensation followi ng removal from cold storage and 
packed under modified atmosphere conditions.  
 
h) Free of any foreign smell and/or taste  
 
i) Firm.  
 
j) Free of damage caused by low temperatures.  
 
k) Practically free of bruises.  
 
 
4.1.2 When tasted, the ripe fruit shall be free of bitt er taste. It shall not be fibrous.  
4.1.3 When the stalk is present, it shall be less than 10 mm and cut clean. However, its absence is  not 
considered a defect on condition that the place of the stalk attachment is dry and intact.  
4.1.4 The development and  condition of the fresh avocado  shall be such that enable them  to: 
 
(a) reach the appropriate stage of physiological maturity corresponding to the particular characteris tics of 
the variety , and  
 
(b) arrive in a satisfactory condition at the place o f destination in order to ripen satisfactorily . 
 
4.1.5   Maturity requirements  
The fruit should have a minimum dry matter content at the harvest, according to the variety, to be measured 
by drying to constant weight:  
− 21 % for the variety Hass;  
− 20 % for the varieties Torres, Fuerte, Pinkerton, Edranol and Reed.  
Other varieties including Antillean/West Indian/Guatemalan may show a lower dry matter content.  
  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1  Classification  
For the purposes of trade the fruits shall be graded in three classes: 1) Extra class, 2) Class I, 3) Class  
II. 
4.2.1.1 Ext ra class  
a) Avocados in this class shall be of superior quality.  
b) The shape and colour shall be characteristic in the variety.  
c) They shall be free from sun scorch and disease.  
d) They shall be free from scarred tissue.  
e) They shall neither be ripened nor show any pressure points.  
f) They may have very slight scratches superficial to the skin, no longer than 20 mm, provided that  these do 
not affect the quality and presentation in the package.  
g) If present the stalk shall be intact and clipped to a leng th of 5 mm to 10 mm.  
4.2.1.2 Class 1  
This class consists of avocados, which do not qualify for the Extra Class . Avocado in this class shall be of 
good quality. The following slight defects, however may be allowed provided that these do not affect the 
gene ral appearance of the package, the quality, the keeping quality and the presentation in the package:  
a) Slight deviations from the characteristic of the variety in shape and colour;  
b) Slight skin defects — old wounds on the fruits, which are well -healed and co vered with scar tissue or 
cork, and slight sunburn.   
The maximum total area of defects shall not exceed 4 cm2. In no case may the defects affect the fruit flesh.  
4.2.1.3 Class II  
This class includes a vocados, which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfy the  minimum 
requirements specified above. The following defects may be allowed provided the avocados  retain their 
essential characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping qu ality and presentation:  
i. Defects in shape and colouring  
ii. Skin defects (corkiness, healed lenticals) and sunburn; maximum total area should not exceed 6  cm2. 
In no case may  defects affect the fruit flesh. The stalk if present may be damaged.  
4.2.2 Sizing  
Avocados can be sized through one of the following options:  
(a) By weight of the fruit, in accordance with the following table:   
4 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 Mass (Weight) (g)  
 Code Size  
> 1220  2 
781 - 1220  4 
576 - 780  6 
461 - 575 8 
366 - 460 10 
306 - 365 12 
266 - 305 14 
236 - 265 16 
211 - 235 18 
191- 210  20 
171 - 190  22 
156 - 170  24 
146 - 155  26 
136 - 145  28 
125 - 135  30 
 
The minimum weight for avocados of Antillean/West Indian/Guatemalan and other not defined varieties is 170 
g.   
(b) By count: To ensure uniformity in size between produce in the same package when they are sized by 
count, the weight of the smallest fruit shall be not less than 75% of the weight of the largest fruit in the s ame 
package.   
4.2.3  Tolerances  
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package for the produce not satisfying  the 
requirements, for the class indicated.  
NOTE: nevertheless , no account should be taken for a given fruit of a  deviation of more or less than 2 per cent 
with regard to  the code number indicated.  
4.2.3 .1 Quality tolerances  
4.2.3 .1.1 Extra class  
5 per cent by number of weight of avocados not satisfying the requirements of the class but meeting  those of 
Class I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of the class.   
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  5 
 4.2.3.1.2 Class I  
10 per cent by number or weight of avocados not satisfying the requirements of the class but meeting  those of 
Class II or exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.  
4.2.3.1.3 Class II  
10 per cent by number or weight of avocados not meeting the requirements of the class nor the  minimum 
requirements, with the exception of fruit affected by rotting, marked bruising or any other  deterioration 
rendering it un fit for consumption.  
4.2.3.2 Size tolerances  
For all classes: 10 per cent, of the avocadoes (by mass or number), may fall into the adjacent size to  that 
which is specified.  
4.2.3.3 Combined tolerances  
Quality and size tolerances together may not exce ed 15 percent.  
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Pesticide residues  
Fresh Avocado  shall comply with those maximum residue limits established by the Codex Committee on 
Pesticide Residues for this commodity.  
 
5.2 Metal contaminants  
When tested in accordance with ISO 6633, the Lead content in fresh avocado shall not exceed 0.1 mg/kg.  
6 Hygiene  
Fresh Avocado  shall be prepared and handled in accordance with CAC/RCP 53 -2003 . 
 
 
7  Packaging  
7.1 Fresh avocado  shall be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly.  The food grade 
packaging m aterial used inside the package shall be clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any 
external or internal damage to the produce.  The use of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing 
trade specifications is allowed, provided the printing o r labelling has been done with non -toxic ink or glue.  
Packages must be free from any foreign matter and the material shall be recyclable.  
7.2   Fresh avocado  shall also be packed in containers in accordance with ISO 7558.  
7.3 The contents of each package shall be uniform and consist exclusively of fresh avocado  of the same 
origin, variety and/or commercial type, and quality.  The visible part of the content of the package shall be 
representati ve of the entire contents.  
 
  
6 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 8 Labeling  
In addition to the requir ements of the EAS 38 ; the following specific provisions apply for each package; legibly 
and indelibly marked.  
 
i) Name, postal and physical address of the packer or dispatcher  
ii) Name of the produce  as "Avocados ",  
iii) Name of the variety  or commercial type.  
iv) Origin of produce  
v) Harvest date  
vi) Net weight (kg).  
vii) Size code  
viii) Class  
ix) Identification  code  and/or batch number   
x) storage instructions  
10 Sampling   
Representative samples  of Avocados  shall be sampled in accordance with  ISO 874.  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  7 
 Bibliography  
[1] CODEX STANDARD FOR AVOCADO  CODEX STAN 197 -1995  
[2] UNECE standard for avocados  
 DEAS 19: 2016    
 
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved