Reference number  
DRS 55 -1:2017  
© RSB 2017  
 
 
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS 
55-1 
 
Second  edition  
2017 -mm-dd 
 
Canned fish  — Specification  — 
Part 1: 
Canned finfish  
  DRS 55 -1: 2017  
©RSB 2017  - 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 2017  
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 reproduce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
P.O Box 7099 Kigali -Rwanda  
KK 15 Rd, 49  
Tel. +250 252 586103/ 5829 45 
Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rsb.gov.rw   DRS 55 -1: 2017  
iii                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
4.1 Ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ .Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4.2 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
4.3 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
5 Microbiological requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  4 
6 Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 4 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
7.1 Pesticides residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  4 
7.2 Histamine levels  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
7.3 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  4 
8 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
10 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
Annex  A (normative)  Determination drained weight  ................................ ................................ .....................  7 
A.1 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
A.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  7 
A.3 Calculations  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  7 
Annex  B (normative)  Determination of fill of container  ................................ ................................ .................  8 
B.1 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  8 
B.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  8 
B.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  8 
 DRS 55 -1: 2017  
©RSB 2017  - 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.  
RS 55-1 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 005, Meat and meat products . 
In the preparation of this standard, reference  was made to the following standard:  
1) CODEX STAN 119: Standard for canned finfish  
The assistance de rived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
This second  edition cancels and replaces the first edition (RS  55-1:2005 ), which has  been tech nically revised.  
RS 55 consists of the following parts, under the general title Canned fish  —Specification : 
 Part 1: Canned finfish  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Meat and meat products 
(RSB/TC 005) in the  preparation of this standard.  
Kanombe Sector  
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI/RALIS)  
Rwanda Consumer’s Rights Protection Organization (ADECOR)  
Rwanda Fisheries Sector (RFS)  
University of Rwanda, College of Agriculture, Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine (UR -CAVM)  
Agashinguracumu Ltd  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  DRS 55 -1:2017  
1                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Canned fish — Specification  — Part 1: Canned finfish  
1 Scope   
This Rwanda Standard specifies the requirements  and test methods for canned finfish intended for human 
consumption.  
This standard applies to canned finfish packed in media including  but not limite d to tomato sauce, chilli sauce, 
mustard sauce, water, oil and brine  
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 edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 950.17, Official Method Citric Acid in non-alcoholic Beverages  
AOAC 952.13, Arsenic in food – Silver diethyldibocarbamate method  
AOAC 972.23, Lead in fish, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Method  
AOAC 973.34, Cadmium in foods Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Method  
AOAC 977.13 , Histamine in sea food – Fluorometric method  
AOAC 983.20, Mercury (meth yl) in fish and shellfish, Gas chromatographic method  
ISO 10272 -1, Microbiology of the food chain -- Horizontal method for detection and enumeration of 
Campylobacter spp. -- Part 1: Detection method  
ISO 936 , Meat and meat products -- Determination of total  ash 
ISO/TS 17919 , Microbiology of the food chain -- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food -
borne pathogens -- Detection of botulinum type A, B, E and F neurotoxin -producing clostridia  
RS 123 , Chilli sauce — Specification  
RS 46, Handling , processing and distribution of fish — Code of practice  
RS CAC/RCP 1 , General principles for food hygiene  
RS CODEX STAN 192 , General standard for food additives   
©RSB 2017  - All rights reserved                  2 
 RS CODEX STAN 210 , Named vegetable oils  
RS EAS 12 , Potable water —  Specification  
RS EAS 35 , Fortified food grade salt — Specification  
RS EAS 38, General requirements of labelling of pre -packaged foods  
RS EAS 66 -4, Tomato products — Specification — Part 4: Highly seasoned tomato products (sauce and 
ketchup)  
RS ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
beta-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli -- Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 -
bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
RS ISO 1738 , Butter -- Determination of sal t content  
RS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain —Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms —
Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique  
RS ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain -- Horizontal method for the detection , enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella -- Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
RS ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other sp ecies) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird -Parker agar medium  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
finfish  
fresh and marine water vertebrate fish  
3.2  
canned fish  
fish which have been thermally processed,  packed in media  and sealed in an airtight container  DRS 55 -1:2017  
3                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 4 Requirements  
4.1 Raw materials  
The product shall be prepared from sound finfish from which the heads, tails and viscera have been removed. 
The raw material shall be of a quality fit to b e sold fresh for human consumption.  
4.2 Other ingredients  
The following other ingredients may be used:  
a) Edible salt complying with RS EAS 35;  
b) Potable water complying with RS EAS 12 ; 
c) Tomato sauce complying with  the requirements in RS EAS 66 -4; 
d) Refined, pure clean deodorized edible vegetable oil complying with CODEX STAN 210 shall be used ; 
e) Chilli sauce complying with RS 123 ; 
f) Other media which may be used shall comply with relevant standards ; and  
g) Other permitted ingredients may be used and shall b e of good quality . 
4.3 General requirements  
Canned finfish shall:  
a) be free from foreign matter;  
b) be free from persistent and distinct objectionable odours or flavours indicative of decomposition or 
rancidity;  
c) be free from distinct discolouration of the flesh ind icative of decomposition or rancidity or by sulphide 
staining of more  than 5% of the drained contents.  
4.4 Specific requirements  
Canned finfish shall comply with the  specific requirements in Table 1.  
Table 1— Compositional requirements  for canned finfish  
S/N   Parameter  Requirement  Test method   
©RSB 2017  - All rights reserved                  4 
 i.  Total ash % max  7 ISO 936  
ii.  Sodium chloride in brine, % (w/v), 
max   3.5 RS ISO 1738  
iii.  Acidity in brine as citric acid 
(anhydrous), % (w/v)  0.06 to 0.20  AOAC 950.17  
iv.  Drained weight, of the contents of the 
can, as percentage by weight of the 
water capacity of the can, min % min  65 Annex A  
5 Microbiological requirements  
Canned finfish shall comply with the microbiological requirements specified in Table 2. 
Table 2— Microbiological limits in canned finfish  
S/N  Characteristic  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total  Viable Count, CFU/g, max. 103 RS ISO 4833 -1 
ii.  Clostridium botulinum , CFU/g,  max. Absent  ISO/TS 17919  
iii.  Salmonella  spp, CFU per 25g, max . Absent  RS ISO 6579 -1 
iv.  Staphylococcus aureus , CFU/g, max. Absent  RS ISO 6888 -1 
v.  E. Coli  , CFU/g , max.  Absent  RS ISO 16649 -2 
vi.  Campylobacter spp, CFU/g , max . Absent  ISO 10272 -1 
6 Food additives  
Food additives which may be used shall comply with RS CODEX STAN 192.  
7 Contaminants  
7.1 Pesticides residues  
Canned fish shall comply with those maximum pesticide residues established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission.  
7.2  Histamine levels  
When tested in accordance with AOAC 977.13, the level of Histamine in canned finfish shall not exceed 
10mg/100g . 
7.3 Heavy metals  
The product s covered by the provisions  of this standard shall not contain heavy metal contaminants in excess 
of the limits stipulated in Table 3. DRS 55 -1:2017  
5                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Table 3— Limits for heavy metal s in canned fish  
S/N Heavy metal  Maximum limit(mg/kg)  Test method  
i.  Arsenic  0.1 AOAC 952.13  
ii.  Lead  0.3 AOAC 972.23  
iii.  Cadmium  0.3 AOAC 973.34  
iv.  Mercury  as Methyl mercury  0.5 AOAC 983.20  
8 Hygiene  
The product s covered by the provision s of this standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance with RS 
CAC/RCP  1 and RS 46.  
9 Packaging  
Canned finfish shall be packaged in food grade containers which shall safeguard the quality of the product.  
Note 1: The container shall be filled with fish  and packing medium not less than 90% of the water capacity of the 
container. See Annex B for the determination of the fill of the container.  
10 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements specified in RS EAS 38, the following requirements shall apply:  
a) name of product;  
b) name of the packing  medium  if used;  
c) physical address of the processor/packer;  
a) list of ingredients;  
b) date of  processing  and expiry date ; 
c)  lot number;  
d) instructions for use. ; 
e) storage conditions;  
f) country of origin;  
g) net weight; and  
h) drained weight   
©RSB 2017  - All rights reserved                  6 
  
 
 
 
 DRS 55 -1:2017  
7                ©RSB 2017 - All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination drained weight  
A.1 Apparatus  
BS sieve No. 8.  
A.2 Procedure  
A.2.1  Weigh the unopened container (m1). Partially cut out the lid and transfer the contents of the can to 
the clean and dry sieve, which had been weighed accurately (m2). Allow to drain for at least five minutes and 
weigh the sieve with the contents (m3). The difference between the weight of the sieve with the contents and 
the empty sieve gives the drained weight  
A.2.2   Wash, dry and weigh the empty can complete with the lid (m4) . The difference between the 
unopened can (A.2.1) and the weight of the empty container and lid gives the net weight of the contents.  
A.3 Calculations  
The drained weight is calculated as the percentage of the weight of the contents of the can.  
 
where  
 
  
 
©RSB 2017  - All rights reserved                  8 
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Determination of fill of container  
B.1 Apparatus  
B.1.1  Top pan balance  
B.1.2  Rotary can opener  
B.2 Procedure  
B.2.1  The container selected shall be undamaged in all respects. Carefully open the container and note the 
level of the contents by means of a  pencil mark on the internal surface of the can. Wash, dry and weigh the 
container.  
B.2.2  Fill the container with distilled water at 20 °C to the height of the contents. Weigh the container plus 
the water. Subtract the weight of the container from this wei ght to give the weight of water equivalent to the 
volume of the contents  
B.2.3  Fill the container with additional water at 20 °C a distance of 4.76 mm below the top level of the 
container if the container has a double seam. (For other containers, fill up t o the top of the container.) Weigh 
the container plus the water. Subtract the weight of the container from this weight to give the weight of the 
equivalent to the full volume of the container.  
B.3 Calculation  
Fill of container, per cent mass of remaining water  
 DRS 55-1:2017  
ICS 67.120.30  
 
 
©RSB 2017  - All right s reserved