FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 765
First Edition
2011-mm-dd
 
 Reference numbe r
FDUS EAS 765: 2011
© UNBS 2011
  
Brown rice — Specification 
 FDUS EAS 765: 2011 
i i                 ©  U N B S  2011 - 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 2011 
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, in cluding photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS. 
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 41 505 995 
Fax: 256 41 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 FDUS EAS 765: 2011 
© UNBS  2011 - All rights rese rved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry  of Tourism, Trade and 
Industry established under Cap 327, of the Laws of U ganda. 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 A limentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT/SPS Agr eements 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 gi ven field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academician s, manufacturers, governme nt and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committ ee 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 Final Draft Uganda Standard, FDUS EAS 765: 2011 , Brown rice  — Specification, is identical with  and 
has been reproduced from an East  African Standard, EAS 765: 2011 , Brown rice  — Specification, and is 
being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by the Food and agricu lture Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2).  
Wherever the words, “East Africa Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard."  EAS 765:2011
ICS 67.060.10
 
© EAC 2011 First Edition 2011  
 
      
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Brown rice — Specification  
 
 
                             
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
HS 1006.20.00  EAS 765:2011  
 
 
Foreword 
 
Development of the East African Standards ha s 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 Comm unity will be removed.  
 In order to meet the above objectives, the EAC Partner States have enacted an East African 
Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology an d Test Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make 
provisions for ensuring standardization, quality as surance, metrology and testing of products 
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 formulat ed in accordance with the proc edures established by the East 
African Standards Committee. The East Afri can 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, t ogether with the representatives from the private 
sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards are circ ulated to stakeholders 
through the National Standards Bodies in the Pa rtner 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 t hat “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 nationa l 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 2011 — 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 
                                                 
* © 2011 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by an y means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs.  
 
ii © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 765:2011  
 
Introduction 
 
 
This standard has been developed to take into account:  
⎯ the needs of the market for the product;  
 
⎯ the need to facilitate fair domestic, regional and international trade and prevent technical barriers 
to trade by establishing a common trading language for buyers and sellers. 
 ⎯ the structure of the CODEX, UNECE, USA, ISO and other internat ionally significant standards; 
 
⎯ the needs of the producers in gaining knowle dge of market standards, conformity assessment, 
commercial cultivars and crop production process; 
 
⎯ the need to transport the product in a manner that  ensures keeping of quality until it reaches the 
consumer; 
 ⎯ the need for the plant protection authority to certif y, through a simplified form, that the product is 
fit for cross-border and international trade without carrying plant disease vectors; 
 ⎯ the need to promote good agricultural practi ces that will enhance wider market access, 
involvement of small-scale traders and hence making farming a viable means of wealth creation; 
and 
 
⎯ the need to ensure a reliable production base of consistent and safe crops that meet customer 
requirements. 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved iii EAS 765:2011  
iv © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  
Contents 
 
1 Scope  .................................................................................................................................. 1  
2 Normative references  ......................................................................................................... 1  
3 Terms and Definitions ........................................................................................................ 1  
4 Quality requirements  .......................................................................................................... 4  
4.1 Raw material  .............................................................................................................. 4  
4.2 General requirements  ................................................................................................. 4  
4.2 Specific requirements ................................................................................................. 4  
4.2.1 Grading  ...................................................................................................................... 4  
4.2.2 Ungraded brown rice  .................................................................................................. 4  
4.2.3 Reject grade brown rice  ............................................................................................. 4  
5 Contaminants  ..................................................................................................................... 5  
5.1 Heavy metals  .............................................................................................................. 5  
5.2 Pesticide residues  ....................................................................................................... 5  
5.3 Mycotoxin limits  ........................................................................................................ 5  
6 Hygiene  .............................................................................................................................. 6  
7 Packaging  ........................................................................................................................... 6  
8  Labelling  ............................................................................................................................ 6  
9 Sampling methods  .............................................................................................................. 7  
 EAS 765:2011  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Brown rice — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope 
 
This East African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for brown rice of the varieties grown from Oryza spp ., intended for human consumption or for processing to 
milled rice.  
2 Normative references 
 The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text constitute 
provisions of this East African Standards 
 
ISO 605 , Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety 
— Test methods 
 
ISO 711, Cereals and cereal products — Determination of moisture content (Basic reference method)  
 
ISO 712 , Cereals and cereal products — Determinati on of moisture content — Routine reference 
method  
ISO 5223, Test sieves for cereals  
 
ISO 6639-1, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 1: General 
principles  
 
ISO 6639-2, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 2: Sampling  
 
ISO 6639-3, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 3: Reference 
method  
 ISO 6639-4, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidde n insect infestation — Part 4: Rapid 
methods  
 
ISO 13690, Cereals, pulses and milled products — Sampling of static batches  
 
ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G1 
and G 2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufac turing industry — Code of practice 
 
CODEX Stan 193, Codex general Standards for contaminants and toxins in Food and Feed  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Specification  
 EAS 79, Cereals and pulses as grain — Methods of sampling  
 
EAS 217, Methods for the microbiological examination of foods  
 
3 Terms and Definitions 
 For the purpose of this East African Stan dard, the following definitions shall apply. 
 
3.1 
brown rice 
rice ( Oryza spp ) from which only the outermost layer (the husk) of a grain of rice has been removed 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 765:2011  
3.2 
broken kernels  
pieces of rice that are less than  three-quarters of a whole kernel and includes grains of rice in which 
part of the endosperm is exposed or rice without a ge rm. If the piece is more than three-quarters of a 
kernel, it is considered whole.  
 
3.3 
chalky kernels 
whole or large broken kernels of rice which are one-half or more chalky 
 
3.4 
chip 
part of kernel which passes through a metal sieve with round perforations 1.4 mm in diameter 
 
3.5 
damaged kernels/defective kernels 
whole or broken kernels of rice wh ich are distinctly discoloured or damaged by water, insects, heat, or 
any other means (including parboiled kernels in nonparboiled rice and smutty kernels).  
 
3.6 degermed kernels  
the germ has been removed through the mechanical handling process or by insect attack 
 
3.7 
foreign matter 
all organic and inorganic material other than pearl millet, broken kernels, other grains and filth.  
 
3.8 
glutinous brown rice for processing glutinous brown rice for processing s hall be special varieties of rice ( Oryza sativa L. glutinosa ) which 
contain more than 50 percent chalky kernels. Grad e 1 shall contain not more than 1.0 percent of 
nonchalky kernels, Grade 2 not more than 2.0 percent of nonc halky kernels, Grade 3 not more than 
4.0 percent of nonchalky kernels and Grade 4 not more than 6.0 percent of nonchalky kernels. 
 
3.9 
head rice 
whole kernel or part of the kernel with a length gr eater than or equal to 75 % of the average length of 
the test sample kernels (see Figure 1) 
 
 
a Not passing through a round perforation of 1.4 mm in diameter 
 
L is the average length 
 
Figure 1 — Size of kernels, broken kernels and chips  
 
 
 
 
2 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 765:2011  
3.10 
immature kernel/malformed kernel 
head rice or broken kernel which is unripe and/or badly developed 
 
3.11 
insect/pest damaged 
grains eaten in part by stored grain insects and any field pests of grains including Heliothis spp . Grains may 
have a hole (commonly referred to as bored) or have a chewed appearance on any part of the grain.  
 
3.12 
inseparable seeds  
seeds not removed by the cleaning process, usually large seeds 
 3.13 milling yield 
an estimate of the quantity of whole kernels and total milled rice (whole and broken kernels combined) that is produced in the milling of brown rice for processing to a well-milled degree 
 
3.14 
natural stain  
any stain on kernels caused by cont act with natural substances such as bunt spores, soil or weeds 
 
3.15 
paddy kernels 
whole or broken unhulled and whole or broken hulled kernels of rice having a portion or portions of 
the hull remaining which cover one-half (1/2) or more of the whole or broken kernel 
 3.16 parboiled brown rice  
rice in which the starch has been gelatin ized by soaking, steaming, and drying.  
 
3.17 
partly gelatinized kernel 
head rice or kernel of parboiled rice which is not fully gelatinized and show s a distinct white opaque 
area 
 3.18 poisonous, toxic and/or harmful seeds 
any seed which if present in quantities above pe rmissible limit may have damaging or dangerous 
effect on health, organoleptic properties or te chnological performance such as Jimson weed — 
dhatura ( D. fastuosa  Linn and D. stramonium  Linn.) corn cokle ( Agrostemma githago  L., Machai 
Lallium remulenum  Linn.) Akra (Vicia species), Argemone mexicana, Khesari and other seeds that 
are commonly recognized as harmful to health 
 
3.19 
red-streaked kernel head rice or broken kernel with red bran streaks of length  greater than or equal to 50 % of that whole 
kernel, but where the surface covered by these red streaks is less than 25 % of the total surface 
 
3.20 
ungelatinized kernels whole or broken kernels of parboiled rice with dist inct white or chalky areas due to incomplete 
gelatinization of the starch  
3.21 
Variety  
There are four classes of brown rice. The follo wing four classes shall be based on the percentage of 
whole kernels, and types of rice: 
 
Long Grain Brown Rice. Medium Grain Brown Rice. 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 765:2011  
Short Grain Brown Rice. 
Mixed Brown Rice. 
 
 
(1) Long grain brown rice  shall consist of brown rice which contains more than 25.0 percent of 
whole kernels of brown rice and in Grades 1 through 4 not more than 10.0 percent of whole or 
broken kernels of medium or short grain rice.  
 
(2) Medium grain brown rice  shall consist of brown rice which contains more than 25.0 percent of 
whole kernels of brown rice and in Grades 1 through 4 not more than 10.0 percent of whole or 
broken kernels of long grain rice or whole kernels of short grain rice.  
 
(3) Short grain brown rice  shall consist of brown rice which contains more than 25.0 percent of 
whole kernels of brown rice and in Grades 1 through 4 not more than 10.0 percent of whole or 
broken kernels of long grain rice or w hole kernels of medium grain rice.  
 (4) Mixed brown rice  shall consist of brown rice which cont ains more than 25.0 percent of whole 
kernels of brown rice and more than 10.0 per cent of "other types" as defined in 3.1.  
  
4 Quality requirements  
 
4.1 Raw material  
The rough rice from which the brown rice is obtained shall be of sound quality, free from sand, have characteristic odour and flavour complying wi th the relevant East African Standards 
 
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Brown rice shall meet the following general requi rements/limits as determined using the relevant 
standards listed in Clause 2: 
 
a) shall be the dried mature grains of edible Oryza spp ; 
 
b) be , clean, wholesome, uniform in size, colour and shape; 
 
c) shall be safe and suitable for human consumption; 
 
d) shall be free from abnormal flavours, musty, s our or other undesireable odour, obnoxious smell 
and discolouration;  
 
e) shall be free from micro-organisms and substances originating from micro-organisms, fungi or 
other poisonous or deleterious substances in amounts that may constitute a hazard to human health. 
 
4.2 Specific requirements 
 
4.2.1 Grading 
 
Brown rice for human consumption shall be graded into three grades on the basis of the tolerable 
limits established in Table 1 which shall be additional to the general requirements set out in this 
standard.  
 
4.2.2 Ungraded brown rice 
 
Shall be brown rice which does not fall within the re quirements of Grades 1, 2, and 3 of this standard 
but is not rejected rice.   
 Note: For Tanzania and Burundi this requirement shall not apply. 
 
4.2.3 Reject grade brown rice 
 
4 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 765:2011  
This comprises brown rice which has objectionable odo ur, off flavour, living insects or which do not 
possess the quality characteristics specified in T able 1. It cannot satisfy the conditions of ungraded 
brown rice and shall be graded as reject brown rice and shall be regarded as unfit for human 
consumption.  
 
Table 1 — Specific requirements  
 
Characteristics Maximum limits Test Method 
 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 
Broken, %, max 2 5 7 
 
ISO 605 
 
 Heat damaged rice, %,  max 1.5 1.5 2.0 
Damaged rice, %, max 1.0 2 4.0 
Chalky a %, max. 2 4 6 
Red or red streaked, %, max. 1,0 4 12 
immature grains, %, max 2 6 12 
Other contrasting varieties, % max 1 2 5 
Organic matters, %, max 0.1 0.5 1 
Inorganic matters, %, max 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Live weevils/kg, max Nil Nil Nil 
Filth, %, max 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Paddy grains, %, max. 1 2 2.5 
Moisture contents, %, max 13 13 13 EAS 82 
Total Aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 
+AFG2)), ppb  10 
ISO 16050 Aflatoxin B1 only, ppb 5 
Fumonisin ppm  2 
 
5 Contaminants 
 
5.1 Heavy metals 
 Brown rice shall comply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
 
5.2 Pesticide residues 
 Brown rice shall comply with those maximum pe sticide residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity  
 
Note: where the use of certain pesticides  is prohibited by some Partner Stat es, then it shall be notified to all 
Partner States accordingly. 
 
5.3 Mycotoxin limits 
 
Brown rice shall comply with those maximum myco toxin limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity. In particular, to tal aflatoxin levels in brown rice for human 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 765:2011  
consumption shall not exceed 10 µg/kg (ppb) with B 1 not exceeding 5 µg/kg (ppb) when tested 
according to ISO 16050. 
 
  
 
6 Hygiene 
 
6.1 Brown rice shall be produced, prepared and handl ed in accordance with the provisions of 
appropriate sections of EAS 39   
6.2 When tested by appropriate standards of samp ling and examination listed in Clause 2, the 
products: 
 
⎯ shall be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health and shall 
not exceed the limits stipulated in Table 2; 
 
⎯ shall be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health; and 
 
⎯ shall not contain any substance originating from  microorganisms in amounts which may represent 
a hazard to health. 
 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits 
 
 Type of micro-organism Limits Test method 
i)  Yeasts and moulds, max. per g 102  
 
EAS 217  ii) S.aureus  per 25 g Not 
detectable 
iii) E. Coli , max. per g Not 
detectable
iv) Salmonella, max. per 25 g  Not 
detectable
  
7 Packaging 
 
7.1 Brown rice shall be packed in suitable packages wh ich shall be clean, sound, free from insect, 
fungal infestation and the packing material shall be of food grade quality.  
7.2 Brown rice shall be packed in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
technological and organoleptic qualities of the products. 
 
7.3 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. 
 
7.4 Each package shall contain rice of the sa me type and of the same grade designation. 
 
7.5  If brown rice is presented in bags, the bags  shall also be free of pests and contaminants. 
 7.6 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed. 
 
8  Labelling 
 8.1 In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each  package shall be legibl y and indelibly marked 
with the following: 
 
i) product name as “Brown Rice”; 
6 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 765:2011  
 
ii) variety; 
o Long grain brown rice 
o Medium grain brown rice 
o Short grain brown rice 
o Mixed brown rice 
 iii) grade; 
 
iv) name, address and physical locati on of the producer/ packer/importer; 
 
v) lot/batch/code number; 
 
vi) net weight, in kg; 
 
Note: EAC partner states are signatory to the Intern ational Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package 
weight of 50kg where human loading and offloading is involved 
 
vii) the declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’  viii) storage instruction as “Store in a c ool dry place away from any contaminants’’; 
 ix) crop year; 
 
x) packing date;  
xi) instructions on disposal of used package; 
 
xii) country of origin; 
 
xiii) a declaration on whether the brown rice was genetically modified or not. 
 
 9 Sampling methods 
 
Sampling shall be done in accordan ce with the EAS 79/ISO 13690. 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 765:2011  
8 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved