DEAS 67: 2018  
ICS 67.100.10 
HS 0401.20.00  
 
© EAC 2018                                                                                                                              Third  Edition 2018  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Raw cow milk — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 67: 2018  
ii © EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  
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 DEAS 67: 2018  
© EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  iii 
 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 C ommunity will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States,  together with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer gr oups, private sector and other interested parties. 
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 standard s, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for develop ment of East African Standards.  
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 . 
The committee responsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 017, Milk and milk products . 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this do cument may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This thir d edition cancels and replaces the second  edition ( EAS 67: 2007 ), which has been technically revised.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 67: 2018  
 
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  1 
 Raw cow milk — Specifi cation  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for raw cow milk.  
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requi rements 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 999.10, Official method for lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, and iron  in foods Atomic absorption 
Spectrophotometry after microwave Digestion  
CAC /RCP 1 , General principle s for food hygiene  
CAC /RCP 57, Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products  
ISO 707 , Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling  
ISO 2446 , Milk — Determination of fat content  
ISO 4832 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms  — Colony count technique  
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microo rganisms — 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique  
ISO 5764 , Milk — determination of freezing point — Thermistor cryoscope method (Reference method)  
ISO 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk — Determination of total solids content (Reference method)  
ISO 13366 , Milk — Enumeration of somatic cells — Part 2: Guidance on the operation of fluoro -optoelectronic 
counters  
ISO 14501, Milk and milk powder — Determination of aflatoxin M1 content — Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
cow milk 
normal, clean and fresh secretion extracted from the udder of a healthy cow  but exclu ding that obtained  during 
the first seven days after calving   
2 © EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  
 3.2 
cow 
lactating female of cattle ( Bos indicus and Bos Taurus or their crosses)  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Raw cow milk shall:  
a) be clean and obtained from a healthy cow;  
b) have normal organoleptic characteristics;  and 
c) not have added or removed substances.  
4.2 Specific requirements  
Raw cow milk shall comply with specific requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 1 — Specific requir ements for raw cow milk  
S/N Characteristics  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Milk fat, % , min. 3.25 ISO 2446  
ii.  Freezing point, °C  -0.550 to -0.525  ISO 576 4 
iii.  Alcoholic test  Negative  Annex A  
iv.  Clot on Boil test  Negative  Annex B 
v.  pH 6.6 – 6.8 Annex C 
vi.  Density at 20 °C,  g/ml 1.028 – 1.034  Annex D  
vii.  Titratable Acidity, %, max.  0.17 Annex E  
viii.  Milk Solid s Non Fat, %, min.  8.5 ISO 6731  
4.2 Microbiological limits  
Raw cow milk shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 2 — Microbiological limits in raw cow milk  
S/N Microorganisms  Maximum limits  Test method  
i.  Total plate count, cfu/ 
ml 2 x 106 ISO 4833 -1 
ii.  Total Coliform, cfu/ ml  50 000  ISO 4832  
iii.  Somatic cell count 
cfu/ml  300 000  ISO 1336 6 
  
© EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  3 
 5 Contaminants  
5.1 Pesticide residues  
Raw cow milk shall conform to maximum limits residues set by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
5.2 Veterinary drugs residues  
Raw cow milk shall conform to maximum tolerable residue limits for antibiotics  and other vet erinary drugs set 
by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
5.3 Heavy metals  
When tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10, t he level of Lead (Pb) shall not exceed 0.02 mg/kg.  
5.4 Mycotoxin  
When tested in accordance with ISO 14501, t he level of Aflatoxin M1 shall not  exceed 0.50 µg/l. 
6 Hygiene  
Raw cow milk shall be produced and handled in accordance with CAC /RCP 57 and CAC /RCP 1 . 
7 Sampling  
Sampling of raw cow milk shall be done in accordance with ISO 707 . 
  
4 © EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Alcoholic test  
A.1 General  
The alcohol test is used for rapid assessment of stability of milk to processing, particularly for condensing and 
sterilization. The alcohol test is useful as an indication of the mineral balance of milk and not as muc h as an 
index of developed acidity. The test aids in detecting abnormal milk, such as a colostrum, milk from animals in 
late lactation, milk from animals suffering from mastitis and which the mineral balance has been disturbed.  
A.2 Apparatus  
A.2.1 Test-tubes, 150 mm x 19 mm, preferably with graduation marks at 5 ml and 10 ml.  
A.2.2 Measure for alcohol , for 5 ml.  
A.3 Reagent  
Ethyl Alcohol, minimum 68 % by weight (density 0.8675 g/ml at 27 °C). 
A.4 Procedure  
Place 5 ml of milk in a test tube and add an equal quantity of alcohol. Mix the contents of the test tube by 
inverting several times. Note any flakes or clots. The presence of a flake or a clot denotes a positive test.  
A.5 Interpretation  
A negative test indicates low acidity and good heat stability of milk  sample. Milk showing positive is not 
considered suitable for the manufacture of evaporated milk, which has to be sterilized to ensure that it’s 
keeping quality.   
© EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  5 
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Clot-on-boiling (COB) test  
B.1 General  
This is a quick test to determine developed acidity and the suitability of milk for processing.  
B.2 Apparatus  
a) test-tube: 15.6 cm x 1.9 cm , preferably with a mark at 5 ml;  
b) water-bath. 
B.3 Procedure  
Transfer 5 ml of the sample to the test -tube and smell. Place the tube in a boiling wat er-bath and hold for 
about 5 min, and smell again for any acidic flavour. Remove the tube and rotate it in an almost horizontal 
position and examine the film of milk or side of the test -tube for any precipitated particles. The formation of 
clots indicative  of a positive test.  
B.4 Interpretation  
The principal features of the boiling test are speed and definiteness of results. Milk either remains unchanged 
or coagulates. Milk, which gives a positive C.O.B. test, has acidity generally above 0.17 % (as lactic a cid) and 
is not suitable for distribution as liquid milk or for processing.   
6 © EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  
 Annex C  
(informative)  
 
Determination of pH  
C.1 General  
The pH value or hydrogen ion concentration gives a measure of the true acidity of milk. The relationship 
between pH and acidi ty of milk is only approximate. In normal cow milk the pH ranges from 6.6 to 6.8. The 
value is reduced by the development of acidity. On the other hand, the pH value of milk from a cow suffering 
from mastitis is alkaline in reaction, the value being over 7 .0. The pH test is mainly used for the detection of 
abnormal mastitis in milk. The pH of milk may be determined rapidly by using the indicator strips.  
C.2 Indicator strips  
Indicator paper strips or discs are made by soaking strips of absorbent paper in a s uitable indicator and drying 
them.  
A rough estimate of pH is obtained by dipping a strip of the prepared paper in milk and observing the colour. 
Bromocresol purple (pH range 5.2 to 6.8 colour changes from yellow to purple) and bromothymol blue (pH 
range 6. 0 to 7.6 Colour changes from straw yellow to bluish -green) are commonly used as indicators. Both 
narrow and wide range ready -made indicator papers are available over the pH range 2.0 to 10.5.  
Indicator paper strips shall always be kept in closed glass bott les and under dry conditions.  
C.3 Interpretation  
In normal milk the pH is well below 6.9. On an average, cow milk gives a pH of 6.6. Milk of pH over 6.9 should 
be regarded with suspicion as indication of some diseases of the udder or of late lactation milk .  
© EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  7 
 Annex  D 
(normative)  
 
Determination of Density in milk  
D.1 General  
The density is a relationship between the body mass and the volume this body occupies in the space. The 
density test is performed in order  to be used in the detection of adulteration in the milk since, the addition of 
water only would cause the decrease in density, whereas the skimming(fat removal) would cause an 
increased density in the milk, beside supplying important information for the d etermination of the total dry 
extract.  
D.2 Equipment  
The following equipment shall be used:  
a) Thermolactodensimeter (TLD)  
b) Test tube (250 mL)  
D.3 Methods  
The density determination is accomplished by the Thermolactodensimeter because the practicability of this  
method.  
D.4 Procedure  
D.4.1  Place the sample to be analyzed in the clean and dry test tube by taking the care of inclining the test 
tube and allowing the liquid to flow down the walls of the glass for avoiding the incorporation of the air which 
would  reduce the density of the milk.  
D.4.2  Immense TLD into the test tube and make i t rotate slowly on its own axis.  
D.4.3  Perform  the reading of both density and temperature of the  milk as soon as TLD stabilizes.  
D.4.4  Proceed to the correction of the influence fr om the temperature, by using an adequate scale. The 
result will correspond to the corrected milk density.   
8 © EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  
 Annex  E 
(normative)  
 
Determination of titratable acidity  
E.1 Apparatus  
E.1.1 Incubator  
E.1.2 Burette ; with soda -lime guard tube  
E.1.3 Porcelain dishes ; white hemispherical of approximately 60 ml  
E.1.4 Stirring rods ; of glass, flattened at one end.  
E.2 Reagents  
E.2.1  Standard sodium hydroxide solution  
Prepare concentrated stock solution of sodium hydroxid e by dissolving equal parts of sodium hydroxide 
(stocks or pellets) in equal parts of water in a flask. Tightly stopper the flask with a rubber bung and allow any 
insoluble sodium carbonate to settle down for three to four days.  
Use the clear supernatant l iquid for preparing the standard 0.1 M solution. About 8 ml of stock solution is 
required per litre of distilled water. The solution should be accurately standardized against acidic potassium 
phthalate or oxalic acid.  
E.2.2  Phenolphthalein indicator soluti on 
Dissolve 1 g of phenolphthalein in 110 ml rectified spirit. Add 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution until one drop 
gives a faint pink coloration.  
E.2.3  Rosaniline Acetate Stock Solution  
Dissolve 0.121 g of rosaniline acetate in approximately 50 ml of rectif ied spirit, containing 0.5 ml of facial 
acetic acid. Make up to 100 ml with rectified spirit.  
E.2.4  Bench solution  
Dilute 1 ml of stock solution to 500 ml with a mixture of rectified spirit and distilled water in equal proportions 
by volume.  
The stock and the bench solutions shall be stored in dark brown bottles securely stoppered with rubber bungs.  
E.3 Procedure  
E.3.1 Acidity of fresh sample  
Weigh 10.0 g of the sample into each of the two white porcelain dishes of approximately 60 ml capacity; add 
to both 10 ml of water and stir to disperse the sample. Prepare from one dilution a colour control by adding  
© EAC 2018 – All rights  reserved  9 
 and stirring 2 ml dilute rosaniline acetate solution. Stir 2 ml phenolphthalein solution into the other dilution and 
while stirring vigorously, add as rapi dly as possible sodium hydroxide solution from a 10 -ml burette fitted with 
a soda -lime guard tube, until the colour matches the pink colour of the control. The titration shall be done in 
bright light.  
E.3.2  Acidity after incubation  
Incubate another 20 g of  sample at 55 °C ± 1 °C for five days. Examine the flask each day, then shake and 
replace it in the incubator. If any physical alteration of the content is observed the results of the test shall be 
considered positive and the sample as non -sterile.  
If no a lteration takes place during the five days incubation remove the sample from the incubator and cool to 
room temperature. Weigh 10 g of the incubated sample and determine acidity as described in E.3.1. 
E.4 Calculation  
E.4.1  Acidity of fresh sample  
Titratabl e acidity (as lactic acid) per cent by weight = 
mMV.9  
Where,  
V=is the volume in ml of the standard sodium hydroxide required for titration ( see E.3.1) 
M=is the molarity of the standard sodium hydroxide solution ( see E.3), and  
m=is the mas s in g of the sample taken for test ( see E.3.1).  
E.4.2  Acidity after incubation  
E.4.2.1  Titratable acidity (as lactic acid) percent by weight =  
wMV.9  
Where,  
V=is the volume in ml of the standard sodium hydroxide required for titration (se e E.2.1),  
M=is the molarity of the standard sodium hydroxide solution (see E.2.1),  
w=is the weight in g of the sample taken for the test (see E.2.1)  
E.4.2.2  Subtract the value obtained in B.4.1 from the value obtained in E.4.2 which would give increase in  
acidity.  
E.5 Interpretation of results  
A sample which does not show any physical alteration during incubation at 55 °C ± 1 °C for five days and 
where the acidity does not show a difference of more than 0.02 g from the initial acidity is considered sterile . 
 DEAS 67: 2 018   
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights  reserved