KENYA STANDARD       DKS 268 7: 201 9 
ICS 67.160  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Pickled fruits and vegetables - Specification   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No copying of this standard without KEBS permission except as permitted by copyright law   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REP RESENTATION   
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology - Department of Food Science and Technology  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  
Minist ry of Health - Food Safety Unit  
Ministry of Agriculture , Livestock and Fisheries  
Kenya plant health inspectorate services  
National Public Health Laboratory services  
Government chemist  
Coca -Cola East Africa Ltd  
Del M onte Kenya Ltd  
Victoria Juice Co ltd  
Kevian Kenya Ltd  
Ten senses Africa  Ltd 
Premier Foods Ltd.  
Horticultural Crops Directorate  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2019  
 
Copyright.  Users are   reminded that by virtue of section 6 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of the L aws of Kenya, copyright subsists in all 
Kenya Standards and except as provided under section 7 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Standards m ay 
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means with out prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.  
 
Permission may be conditional on an appropriate royalty payment.  
 
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the standard and that it is updated whenever  the 
standard is amended or revised.  The number and date of the  standard should therefore be clearly identified.  
 
The use of material in print or in electronic form to be used commercially with or without payment or in commercial contracts  is subject 
to payme nt of a royalty.  
 
  
 KENYA STANDARD       DKS 268 7: 201 9  
ICS 67.160  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pickled fruits and  Vegetables - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350,  Fax: (+254 020) 604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org  
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          North Rift Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254 041) 229563, 230939/40   Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254 041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 FOREWORD  
 
This Kenya Standard was developed by the Technical Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables under 
the guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards.  
 
The standard stipulates the essential compositional, quality, microbiological, contaminants and labelling 
requirements  for pickled fruits and vegetables as defined in this standard .  
 
In the preparation of this standard useful information was derived from members of the technical committee , 
Codex standard for pickled fruits and  vegetables  (CXS 260 -2007 ) and local manufacturers  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
KENYA STANDARD                                                     DKS 268 7: 201 9 
 
Pickled fruits and Vegetables - specification  
 
 
 
1. SCOPE  
 
This Kenya Standard  specifies requirements  and methods of test and sampling for pickled fruits and  
vegetables, as de fined in Section 3 below, offered for direct consump tion, incl uding for catering pur poses or for 
repacking if required.  
 
The products co vered by  this S tandard incl ude, but are  not limited to onions, ga rlic, mango, radish, ginger, 
beetroot, royal  plum, peppe rs, hea rts of palm, cabbage, lettuce, lemons, baby corn (young corn), and 
green mustard  (Brassica juncea  ssp). It does  not apply to the product when indicat ed as being intended for 
further processing. This  Standard does not c over pickl ed cucum bers, kimchi,  table olives,  sauerkraut, chutneys  
and reli shes. 
 
2. Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited app lies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 968.30 ; (Codex General Method for processed fruits and vegetables ): Drained weight  
AOAC 972.25; (Codex General Method for processed fruits and vegetables) : Lead  
AOAC 981.12 ; Codex General Method for processed fruits and vegetables): pH  
KS EAS 38 , labeling of prepackaged foods  
KS2752 , Code of practice for processed fruits and vegetables  KS EAS 513, Drinking water - Specification  
KS EAS 803, Nut rition  labeling – Requirements  
KS EAS 804 , Claims on foods – Requirements  
KS EAS 805 ; Use of Nutrition and health claims  
KS Codex Stan 195, General Standard for Food Additives  
KS Codex Stan 193, General Standard for contaminants  
KS EAS 36 ; Honey - Specific ation  
KS ISO 4833 -1; Microbiology of the food chain -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms -- 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the  pour plate technique  
KS ISO 4832; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of  
coliforms -- Colony -count technique  
KS ISO 6888 -1; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -p-staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) -- Part 1: Technique using Baird -Parker 
agar medium  
KS ISO 762 ; Fruit and veg etable products -- Determination of mineral impurities content  
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli - Most probable number technique  
KS ISO 750, Fruits and vegetable products - Determination of Titratable acidity 
KS ISO 2448, Fruit and vegetable products - Determination of ethanol content  
KS ISO 2173, Fruit and vegetable products - Determination of soluble solids - Refractometric method  
KS ISO 5522, Fruits, vegetables and derived products - Determination of total  sulphur dioxide content  
KS ISO 6633; Fruits, vegetables and derived products -- Determination of lead content -- Flameless atomic 
absorption spectrometric method  
KS ISO 17240; Fruit and veget able products -- Determination of tin content -- Method using flame atomic 
absorption spectrometric  
 KS ISO 21527 -1Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of yeasts and moulds -- Part 1: Colony count techniqu e in products with water activity greater  than 0,95  
KS ISO 21527 -2:2008  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  
  
  
 
3        DESCRIPT ION 
 
3.1     Product definition 
 
3.1.1 Pickl ed fruits  and veget ables are the 
products: 
 
(a)   Prepared  from sound, clean  and edible fruits  and/or vegetabl es, with or with out seeds, spices, aro matic 
herbs and/ or con dimen ts;  
(b)  Processed  or treated  to produce an acid or acidified  product preserved  through  natural fermenta tion or 
acidulants. Depe nding on the type, appropriate ingredients are added in order to en sure preserva tion and  
quali ty of the prod uct;  
(c)   processed in an appropriate mann er, before or after being  hermetically sealed in a container, so  as to 
ensure the quality  and safety as well as  to prevent  spoilage; and/or   
(d)   Packed  with or without a suitable liquid  packing  medium (e.g., oil, brine  or acidic media  such as  
vinegar) as  specified  in Section 5.1.2, with ingredients appropriate to the  type and variety of pickled product, to 
ensure an equili brium pH  of less than 4 .6, when tested in accordance to AOAC 981.12  
. 
3.1.2 Mixed  pickled  Fruits and Vegetable s 
 A product prepared from a mixture of two or more types of fresh or frozen or dry washed clean and sound fruits 
and vegetables  
 
 
3.2     Styles  
 
(a)   Any presentation  of the product should be permi tted provided that the product meets all 
requirements of the S tandard;  
 
(b)   Style presentations  could  include  for example , whole , pieces , halves ,  quarters,  cubes, shredded or 
chopped.  
 
3.3 Types of Pack   
3.3.1. Solid  Pack – without any add ed packing medium.   
3.3.2 Regular  Pack – with a p acking med ium add ed, as specified in Section 4.1.2. 
 
    
 
4. Essential composition and quality factors   
 
4.1 Composition  
 
4.1.1 Basic Ingredients  
 
Fruits  and vegetabl es and liquid  packing medium  when appropr iate, as defined in Sections 3.1(a) to3.1(d) 
and 5.1.2.1,  in combination with one or more of the other  permitted ingredien ts listed  in Secti on 4.1.3. 
 
4.1.2. Packing Media  
 
4.1.2.1. for pickled  fruits, in accorda nce with the Guidelines on Packing Media for Canned Fruits (KS CAC/GL  
51-2003).  
 
4.1.2.2 for pickled vegetab les, in accorda nce with the following provisions: 
 
(a) Basic Ingredients  
 
 
Water, and if nece ssary salt or oil or acidic media  such as vinegar   
 
(b)   Optional  Ingredien ts  
Packing   media   for   pickled   vegetables   may   contain   ingredients   subject   to   labelling requ irements of 
Section 10 and may incl ude, but is not limi ted to. 
  
 (1)   foodstu ff with sweeteni ng properties such as sugars (including  syrups) as defined in the relevant Kenya 
Standards  for Sugars , honey  as defined in the Standard for Hone y (KS EAS 36 ) or juices and /or nectars as 
defined  in the   Fruit Juices and Nectars  Specification  (KS 2640 ) and;  
(2)   aromatics plants, spices or extracts  thereof, seasoning (in accord ance with the relevant  Kenya  
standar ds for spices or culinary he rbs); 
 
(3)   vinegar; 
 
(4)   oil (in a ccordance wi th the relevant  Codex stand ards for vegetable  oils); 
 
(5)   toma to puree (in accordance with the Standard for Processed Tomato Concentrat es 
(KS EAS 6 6));  
(6)   malt extract; 
(7)   sauce (e.g., fish sauce); 
 (8)   soy sauce; 
(9)   other in gredients as appropriate.  
 
4.1.3 Other Permitted Ingredients   
a)   cereal grains;  
(b)   dried fruits; 
(c)   malt extract; 
(d)   nuts; 
(e)   pulses;  
 
(f)    sauce (e.g., fish sa uce); 
 (g)   soy sauce; 
(h)   foodstu ff with sweeten ing properties such  as suga rs (including syrups) as defined in the relevant kenya  
Standards for  Sugars and Honey (KS EAS 36) ; and 
 
(i)   Nutrients for the purpose of product fortification, essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals may be 
added to p roducts. Such additions shall comply with national legislation established for this purpose.  
 
NOTE : any optional ingredients added are subject to ingredient labelling requirements (see Clause 10) 
 
 j) Other  ingredients as appropriate. 
 
4.2     Qual ity Criteria 
 
The product shall have colour, flavour, odour and texture characteristic of the product.  
 
4.2.1 Other Quality Criteria  
 
4.2.1.1 Pickl ed fruits and/or  vegetables in edible  oil 
 
The p ercent age of  oil in the pro duct shall not be le ss than 10% by  weight. 
 
4.2.1.2 Pickl ed fruits  and/or  vegetables in brine or an acidic medium  
 
The percent age of salt in the covering liquid or the acidity of the media shall be sufficient  to ensure 
the keeping quality and proper  preservat ion of the prod uct. 
 
 
4.2.1.3 Defin ition of Defec ts 
 
(a)   Blemishes - means any characteristic including, but not limited to, bruises, scab, and dark discolouration, 
which adversely affects the overall appearance of the product.  
 
(b)   Harmless extraneous material - means any vegetable part ( such as, but not limited to, a leaf or portion 
thereof, or a stem) that does not pose any hazard to human health but affects the overall appearance of the 
final product.  
 
4.2.1.4     Defects and Allowances  
 
The p roduct should  be practically free from de fects as defined in S ection 4.2 
 
4.3     Classifi cation of “De fectives” 
  
 A container that fails to meet one or more of the applicable quality requirements, as set out in Section  4.2 
(except those based on sample averages), should be considered as a “defective ”. 
 
 
4.4    Lot Acceptance  
 
A lot should be considered as meeting the applicable quality requirements referred to in Section 4.2. 
when:  
(a) for those requirements which are not based on averages, the number of “defectives”, as defined in Section 
4.3, does not exceed the acceptance number (c) of the appropriate sampling plan with an AQL of 6.5; and  
(b) The requirements, which are based on sample averages, are complied with.  
 
6. FOOD ADDITIVES 
 
 
Acidity regulators, antifoaming agents, antioxidants, colours,  colour retention agents, firming agents, flavour 
enhancers, preservatives, sequestrants, stabilizers and sweeteners used in accordance with Tables 1 and 2 of 
the General Standard of Food Additives ( KS CXS 192 -1995) in the food category in which the indivi dual pickled 
fruit or vegetable fall into (i.e., one of the following categories: 04.1.2.3, 04.1.2.10, 04.2.2.3, and 04.2.2.7) or 
listed in Table 3 of the General Standard are acceptable for use in foods conforming to this Standard.   
 
7. Contaminants  
 
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels of the General Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193 -1995).  
  
 
 
7.1 Pesticide residues  
 
 
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maxi mum residue limits for pesticides established 
by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
7.2 Heavy Metal Contaminants   
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall conform to those maximum limits for Heavy 
metals contaminants established by t he Codex Alimentarius Commission for these products in table 5 below  
 
TABLE 5 - Contaminants  
 CONTAMINANTS  MAXIMUM LEVEL  Method of 
Test 
Lead   (Pb) 0.1 mg/kg  AOAC 972.25  
 
Cadmium           (cd)  0.1 mg/kg  KS ISO 6732  
 
 
 
8. Hygiene  
 
8.1  
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this Standard be prepared and handled in 
accordance with the appropriate sections of the processed fruits and vegetables code  of practice  (KS 2752 ), 
Code of Hygienic Practice for Low and Acidified Low -Acid Can ned Foods (KS CAC/RCP 23 -1979) and other  
relevant codes  of hygienic practice and codes of practice.  
 
8.2 The products shall conform to microbiological criteria in Table 6 and  other microorganisms of food safety 
concern  
 
 
 
Table 6 - Microbiological limits for pickled fruits and vegetables   
 
SL No.  Microorganism  Limit  Method of Test  
i.  TPC, (cfu/g), max  108 KS ISO 4833 -1 
ii.  Coliforms , (cfu/g) , max   107 ISO 4832   
 iii.  S.aureas , CFU/G, Max  absent  KS ISO 6888 -1 
iv.  E.coli, CFU/G, Max  absent  KS ISO 7251  
v.  Bacillus spp, CFU/G  absent  KS ISO 4833 -1 
vi.  Yeast  and moulds ,  CFU/G  absent  KS ISO 21527  
 
 
 
8. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES  
 
8.1 Fill of Container  
 
8.1.1 Minimum Fill  
 
The container should be well filled with the product (including packing medium) which should occupy not less 
than 90% (minus any necessary head space according to good manufacturing practices) of the water 
capacity of the container. The water capacity of the container is the volume of distilled water at 20oC which 
the sealed container will hold when completely fil led. This provision does not apply to vacuum packaged 
vegetables.  This shall be carried out in accordance to the relevant methods of test and ISO  90.1:1999  
 
8.1.2 Classification of “Defectives”  
 
A container that fails to meet the requirement for minimum f ill of Section 8.1.1 should be considered as a 
“defective”.  
 
8.1.3 Lot Acceptance  
 
A lot should be considered as meeting the requirement of Section 8.1.1 when the number of “defectives”, as 
defined in Section 8.1.2, does not exceed the acceptance number (c ) of the appropriate sampling plan with an 
AQL of 6.5.  
 
8.1.4 Minimum  Net and Drained  Weight   
 
8.1.4.1  The drained weight of the product should be not less than the following percentages, calculated on the 
basis of the wei ght of distilled water at 20oC wh ich the sealed con tainer will hold wh en comple tely filled.  
 
 
(a) Whole and Halves Style should not be less than 40% of the net weight;  
(b) Pieces Style and Other Styles should not be less than 50% of the net weight (except for pickled red 
cabbage should n ot be less than 45% of the net weight).  
  
Table 7 – Drained weight  requirements for Pickles  
 
 
(i) Pickles in Citrus juice or Brine requirements: — 
 
Drained Weight  Not less than 
60.0 percent   
AOAC 968.30  
 
Sodium Chloride content when 
packed in Brine  Not less  than 
12.0 percent   AOAC 975.20  
Acidity as Citric Acid when packed In 
Citrus Juice  Not less than 
1.2 percent  KS ISO 750  
 
 
(ii)  Pickles in Oil  
 
Drained Weight  Not less than 
60.0 percent  AOAC 
968.30  
 
Fruit and Vegetable pieces shall be practically remaining submerged in oil   
  
 
 
 (iii) Pickles in Vinegar  
 
 
Drained Weight  Not less than 60.0 percent  AOAC 
968.30  
 
Acidity of vinegar 
as acetic acid  Not less than 2.0 percent  KS ISO 
750 
 
 
Note:   Pickle without medium means the pickles other than enumerated above . This may contain ingredients 
given in the scope  of this specification. Such pickles shall be labelled as "(give name of vegetable or fruits) 
Pickle".  
 
 
9. Packaging  
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall be packaged in clean food grade packaging 
material to protect the product from contamination. The packaging materials and process shall not contaminate 
the product or otherwise affect its technological, nutritional or sensory quality.  
 
10.  Labelling  
 
 
In addition to the Standard f or the Labelling of Pre -packaged Foods (KS EAS 38), the following specific 
provisions apply:   
 
10.1 Name of the product  
 
10.1.1  Pickl ed fruits  and/or  vegetabl es shall be labell ed according  to the type and in combination  with the 
name  of major ingredi ent. Example  - a pickle  made from ginger  shall be labelled “Pickled Ging er in Brine ”. 
 
10.1.2  The p resent ation style  should be d eclared on the la bel of the food. 
 
10.1.3  The name of the product shall include  the indication of the packing medium  as set out in Section  
3.1(d).  
 
10.1. 4 In the case of mixed  pickled fruits and  vegetables; List of the names of the various fruits and vegetables 
species used in the mix  shall be listed in descending order of the proportions  
 
10.2 Additional Requirements  
10.2.1  Drain ed weight declaration content ; pickled fruits and  vegetables must be labelled with a declaration of 
“Drained weight content __%.1  
 
10.2.2 Nutrition declaration  - Any added essential nutrients declaration should be labelled in accordance with 
the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling (CAC/GL 2 -1985), General Guidelines on Claims ( KS /GL 1 -1979) and the 
KS CAC/GL 23 -1997; Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims  
 
10.2.3 Pickled fruits and vegetables containing spices and/or aromatic herbs  
Where pickled fr uits and vegetables  contain spices and/or aromatic herbs the term “spiced” and/or the common 
name of the aromatic herb shall appear on the label near the name of the product  
 
10.3     Non-retail containers  
Information for non -retail containers not destined  to final consumers shall be given either on the container or in 
accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification, net contents and the name 
and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer, as well as storage  instructions, shall appear on 
the container, except that for tankers the information may appear exclusively in the accompanying documents.  
However, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer may 
be re placed by an identification mark, provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying 
documents.  
  
  
10.4 List of Ingredients — a complete list of ingredients including added syrup shall be declared on the 
label in descending order of pr oportion.  
 
10.5     Place/country of origin  
 
10.6     Date of manufacture  
 
10.7        Date of Expiry  
 
10.86    irradiation status, where applicable  
 
11. Methods of sampling and test  
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall be sample d and tested using appropriate 
standard methods declared in this standard. Other test may be performed as per the methods given in the 
latest AOAC/ Codex/ ISO and other internationally recognized methods.   
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DETERMINATION OF WATER CAPACITY OF 
CONTAINERS (CAC/RM 46-1972)  
 
1.       SCOPE 
 
This method applies to glass containers. 
 
2.       DEFINITION 
 
The water capacity of a container is the volume of distilled water at 20°C wh ich the sealed container will 
hold when  completely filled. 
 
3.       PROCEDURE 
 
3.1     Select a container which is undamaged in all respects. 
 
3.2     Wash, dry and weigh the empty container. 
 
3.3 Fill the container with distilled water at 20°C to the level of the top thereof, and weigh the container 
thus filled. 
 
4.       CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 
 
Subtract the weight found in 3.2 from the weight found in 3.3. The difference shall be considered to 
be the we ight of water required to fill the container. Results are expressed as ml of water.