KENYA STANDARD      
DKS 2787: 2018 
ICS 67.100.30 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 Group Standard for Unripened Cheese 
Including Fresh Cheese  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
©KEBS 2018         First Edition 2018  
 
  
 
 
 
  DKS 2787: 2018 
 
ii                     © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION 
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical C ommittee: 
 
Kenya Dairy Board 
Ministry of Health — Food Safety Unit Directorate of Livestock production 
Directorate of Veterinary Services 
Egerton University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Techn ology 
Government Chemist’s Department 
National Public Health Laboratory Services Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
New Kenya Creameries Cooperative (NKCC) 
Brookside Dairy Ltd. 
Eldoville Dairies Limited 
Githunguri Dairy  Happy Cow Ltd 
Sameer Agriculture and Livestock (K) Limited 
KIBIDAV Ltd (TOGGS) 
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat 
  
 
 
  
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS 
 
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for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Manag ing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome. 
  
  
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2018 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyrig ht 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau  of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in w riting 
from the Managing Director. 
 
  
 
  
  
    
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD    DKS 2787: 2018 
                                                                                                                    ICS 67.100 .30 
 © KEBS 2018— All rights reserved           iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
Group  Standard  for Unripened  Cheese 
Including  Fresh  Cheese   
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
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         Rift Valley 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, 223 96       Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555 
Fax: (+254  041) 229448   Fax: (+254 057) 21814         
 
 
 
Foreword DKS 2787: 2018 
 
iv                     © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved  
This Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Techni cal Committee under the guidance of the 
Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards. 
 Cheese is the ripened or unripened soft, semi-hard, hard, or ex tra-hard product, which may be coated, and in 
which the whey protein/casein ra tio does not exceed that of mil k, obtained by:  
(a) coagulating wholly or partly the protein of milk, skimmed m ilk, partly skimmed milk, cream, whey cream or 
buttermilk, or any combination of these materials, through the action of rennet or other suitable coagulating 
agents, and by partially draini ng the whey resulting from the c oagulation, while respecting the principle that 
cheese-making results in a conce ntration of milk protein (in pa rticular, the casein portion), and that 
consequently, the protein cont ent of the cheese will be distinc tly higher than the protein level of the blend of 
the above milk materials from which the cheese was made; and/or   
(b) processing techniques involving coagulation of the protein of milk and/or products obtained from milk 
which give an end-product with similar physical, chemical and o rganoleptic characteristics as the product 
defined under (a). 
 
This standard specifies the general requirements for all types of uripened cheese including the fresh cheeses 
produced and marketed in Kenya. 
 
In the preparation of this standar d useful information was deri ved from members of the technical committee, 
Codex standard for Group Standard for Unripened Cheese Includin g Fresh Cheese  (KS Codex Standard 
221-2001) and local manufacturers  
 KENYA STANDARD    DKS 2787: 2018 
                                                                                                                    ICS 67.100 .30 
 © KEBS 2018— All rights reserved        
   5   
Group  Standard  for Unripened  Cheese Including  Fresh  Cheese   
 
1 Scope 
 
 This Standard Specifies the general requirements for unripened cheese including fresh cheese, intended 
for direct consumption or further processing, in conformity wit h the description in Section 3 of this 
Standard. Subject to the provisions of this Standard, Kenya Sta ndards for individual varieties of 
unripened cheese may contain provisions, which are more specifi c than those in this Standard and in 
these cases; those specific provisions shall apply. 
 
2 Normative references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the ap plication of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated referen ces, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
KS 1552; Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products  
KS EAS 69, Pasteurized milk- Specification 
 KS CAC/GL 23 , Guidelines for use of nutrition claims 
 
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods   
KS ISO 6611, Milk and milk products 
 Enumeration of colony forming units of yeasts and/or moulds  
Colony-count technique at 25 degrees C 
 KS ISO 14501:2007 Milk and milk powder - Determination of aflatoxin M content - Clean-up by 
immunoaffinity chromatography and determination by high-performance liquid chromatography 
 AOAC 942.17, Arsenic in foods Molybdenum blue method 
 
AOAC 999.10, Lead, Cadmium,Copper, Iron, and Zinc in foods, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry 
after dry ashing 
 
AOAC 962.16 Beta-lactam Antibiotics in milk 
 
AOAC 980.21, Aflatoxin M1 in milk and cheese-thin layer chromat ographic method 
 
AOAC 980.21, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in milk and milk products 
 
3 Description 
 
Unripened cheeses including fresh cheeses are products in confo rmity with the General Standard for 
Cheese (KS 28-1), which are ready for consumption shortly after  manufacture.  
 
4 Essential composition and quality factors  
 
 4.1     Compositional requirements  
  
4.2 Raw materials 
 
Milk and/or products obtained from milk complying with relevant  Kenya standard 
   
4.3 Permitted ingredients 
  – Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour pro ducing bacteria and cultures of other 
harmless micro-organisms;  
– Rennet or other safe and suit able coagulating enzymes;  
– Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as a salt substitute; complying with KS CODEX STAN 150 DKS 2787: 2018 
 
6                     © KEBS 2018 — All rights 
reserved - Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (cal culated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of 
the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid 
– Potable water; KS EAS 12 
– Gelatine and starches: Notwiths tanding the provisions in the General Standard for Cheese (CODEX 
STAN 283-1978), these substances can be used in the same functi on as stabilizers, provided they are 
added only in amounts functionally necessary as governed by Goo d Manufacturing Practice taking into 
account any use of the stabilisers/thickeners listed in section  4;  
– Vinegar;  
– Rice, corn and potato flours and starches: Notwithstanding th e provisions in the General Standard for 
Cheese (KS28-1), these substances can be used in the same funct ion as anti-caking agents for treatment 
of the surface of cut, sliced, and shredded products only, prov ided they are added only in amounts 
functionally necessary as governed by Good Manufacturing Practi ce taking into account any use of the 
anti-caking agents listed in section 5. 
 
4.4  
For unripened cheese including fresh cheese for which there is an individual standard, only those 
additions permitted in the individual or group standard may be used.  
 
 
 
 
5 Food additives 
 
 
 Only those food additives listed below may be used and only wit hin the limits specified. Additives not listed below but 
provided for in individual Codex standards for varieties of Unr ipened Cheeses may also be used in similar types of cheese 
within the limits specified within those standards. 
 
   Table 1  Food additives 
 
 
INS Name  Maximum Level  
501 Potassium carbonates Limited b yGMP 
507 H ydrochlo ric acid Limited b yGMP 
575 Glucono delta-lactone (GDL) Limited by GMP 
 
Stabilizers/thickeners  
Stabilizers and thickeners including modified sta rches may be used in compliance withthe definition for milk products and only to the extent they ar e functionally necessary takingintoaccountanyuseofgelatineandstarch asprovidedforinsection32
331 Sodium citrates  
Limited by GMP 332 Potassium citrates
333 Calcium citrates 
339 Sodium phosphates 
 1 540 mg/kg, singly or in combination, expressed as phosphorous 340 Potassium phosphates
341 Calcium phosphates
450(i) Disodium di phosphate
450(ii) Trisodium di phosphate
400 Al ginic acid  
 
Limited by GMP 401 Sodium al ginate 
402 Potassium al ginate
403 Ammonium al ginate
404 Calcium al ginate 
405 Pro pylene glycol al ginate 5 g/kg
406 A gar  
 
 
Limited by GMP 407 Carra geenan 
410 Carob bean gum 
412 Gua r gum 
413 Tra gacanth gum KENYA STANDARD    DKS 2787: 2018 
                                                                                                                    ICS 67.100 .30 
 © KEBS 2018— All rights reserved        
   7  415 Xanthan gum 
416 Kara ya gum  
417  
Tara gum  
 
Limited by GMP 440 Pectins 
460 Cellulose 
466 Sodium carbo xymeth ylc e l l u l o s e (Cellulose
576 Sodium gluconate 
 
Modi fied starches as follows:
1400 De xtrins, roasted sta rch white and yellow 
 
 
 
  
 
Limited by GMP 1401 Acid-treated sta rch
1402 Alkaline treated sta rch
1403 Bleached sta rched
1404 O xidized starch 
1405 Sta rches , enzyme-treated
1410 Monosta rch phosphate
1412 Distarch phosphate esterified with sodium 
trimetasp hosphate;
1413 Phos phated distarch phosphate
1414 Acet ylated distarch phosphate
1420 Sta rch acetate 
1422 Acet ylated distarch adi pateDKS 2787: 2018 
 
8                     © KEBS 2018 — All rights 
reserved  
     
 
1440 H
ydroxypropyl starch  
1442 Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate 
 
Colours  
100 Curcumins (for edible cheese rind ) Limited b yGMP 
101 Ribo flavins Limited b yGMP 
140 Chloro phyll Limited b yGMP 
141 Co pper chloro phylls 15 m g/kg,singly or combined
160a (i) Carotene , beta-, synthetic 25 m g/kg
160a (ii) Carotenes , beta-, vegetable 600 m g/kg
160b (ii) Annatto e xtracts –norbi xin based 25 m g/kg
160c Pa prika oleoresins Limited b yGMP 
160e Carotenal , beta-apo-8’- 35 m g/kg
160f Carotenoic acid , ethyle s t e r,beta-apo-8’- 35 m g/kg
162 Beet red Limited b yGMP 
171 Titanium dioxide Limited by GMP 
 
Preser vatives 
200 Sorbic acid  
1 000 mg/kg of cheese, singly or in combination, expressed as sorbic acid 202 Potassium sorbate
203 Calcium sorbate 
234 Nisin 12.5 m g/kg 
280  
Propionic acid  
 
Limited by GMP 281 Sodium propionate
282 Calcium propionate
283 Potassium propionate 
 
For surface/rind treat ment onl y:
235 Natamycin (pimaricin) 2m g / d m 2ofsurface. Not present in a depth of 5 mm. 
 
Foamin g agents (for whippedproducts onl y)
290 Carbon dio xide Limited b yGMP 
941 Nitrogen Limited by GMP 
Anticakin g agents (Sliced ,cut,shredded and grated products onl y (surface 
460 Cellulose Limited b yGMP 
551 Silicon dio xide, amo rphous 
10 000 mg/kg singly or in 
combination. Silicates calculated as silicon 
diid552 Calcium silicate 
553 Ma gnesium silicates
560 Potassium silicate 
 
Preser vatives (Sliced , cut, shredded and grated products onl y(surface treatment ))
200 Sorbic acid  
1 000 mg/kg of cheese, singly or in combination, expressed as sorbic acid 202 Potassium sorbate 
203 Calcium sorbate 
280 Pro pionic acid 
 
Limited by GMP 281 Sodium propionate
282 Calcium propionate
283 Potassium propionateKENYA STANDARD               
DKS 2787: 2018 
 
© KEBS 2018— All rights reserved                     1  
 
 
  
 
 
235 (Natamycin (pimaricin) 20 mg/kg applied to the 
surface addedduring 
 
 
 
6.          Hygiene  
 
6.1   It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and 
handled in accordance with the appropriate sections KS 1552 and  other relevant Kenya standards and 
regulations. The products should comply with any microbiologica l criteria established in accordance with KS 
CAC/GL 21  
 
6.2   The products shall comply with any microbiological criteria es tablished in accordance with Table 2 
below   
 
Table 2 ▬ Microbiological require ments for Unripened cheeses 
S/N Quality Requirements 
     cfu/g Test method 
i. Total plate count /g  2 x 104 cfu/g  KS  ISO 4833  
ii. Listeria monocytogenes 
 max, Nil per gram KS  ISO 4833 
iii. Salmonella spp 
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
iv. Shigella 
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
KS ISO 21567 
v. Clostridium botulinum    Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
vi. Staphylococcus aureus 
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
vii. E.coli  Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
viii. Faecal coliforms:, max Nil per gram KS  ISO 4832 
ix. Non-faecal coliforms, max 100 cfu/g KS  ISO 4832 
x. Mould, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
xi. Yeast, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
 
5.3 Fresh cheeses shall also comply with the following microbiologi cal requirements 
Table 3 ▬ Additional microbiologi cal requirements for all fresh  cheeses  
S/N Quality Requirements Test method 
i Mould, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
ii Yeast, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
 
 DKS 2787: 2018 
  
                              © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved  2 
 
7.1  Contaminants  
 
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the Max imum Levels for contaminants that are 
specified for the product in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (KS 
CODEX STAN 193-1995).   
The milk used in the manufacture of the products covered by thi s Standard shall comply with the Maximum 
Levels for contaminants and toxins specified for milk by the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins 
in Food and Feed (KS CODEX STAN 193-1995) and with the maximum residue limits fo r veterinary drug 
residues and pesticides established for milk by the CAC.
 
 
 
7.1  Heavy metals 
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the max imum limits in Table 3 
  
Table 3 — Limits for heavy metal contaminants for Unripened che eses  
 
 
 
SL No  Heavy metal  MRL 
              (Max.)   
Test method  
i).  Arsenic (AS)  
 0.1 ppm 
 
  AOAC 942.17  
ii).  Lead (PH)  
 0.02 ppm 
 
 AOAC 999.10 
iii).  Mercury (Hg)                 1.0 ppm 
 
 
 AOAC 999.10 
iv).  Copper (Cu) 
 5.0 ppm 
 
         AOAC 999.10 
v).  Zinc (Zn) 
 
  
50 ppm AOAC 999.10 
vi).   
Tin (Sn)                    250   ppm 
 AOAC 999.10 
vii).  Cadmium as Cd,  
 
                   1.5 ppm 
 
       
 AOAC 999.10 
 
viii).  Iron (fe),  
                    0.5 ppm AOAC 999.10  
 
 
 
 
7.2 Pesticide residues 
 
In addition to the maximum limits established by the Codex Alim entarius Commission for these products in 
codex Stan 193; the products covered by the provisions of this standard shall comply with the Maximum 
Levels for contaminants specified in table 4 below;  
 
Table 4 - maximum pesticide residue Limits for Unripened cheese s  
 
S/N Parameter Requirements Test method                      
DKS 2787: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018— All rights reserved 3i ORGANOCHLORINE Group  0.01 ppm  KS ISO 3890-
1:2009  
ii ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS Group  0.01 ppm  AOAC 960.40  
 
 
 7.3      Mycotoxin residues 
 
Unripened cheese shall not have more than have 0.5 µg/kg aflato xin M1 content when tested according to 
KS ISO 14501:2007/ AOAC 980.21, Af latoxin M1 in milk and cheese - thin layer chromatographic method 
 
 
7.4      Antibiotics 
 
Unripened cheese shall not have more than 10.0 ppb total antibi otic as (beta lactam) content when tested 
according to AOAC 962.16, Beta- lactam Antibiotics in milk 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8        PACKAGING AND LABELLING 
 
8.1           Packaging 
 
All cheese shall be packed in food grade material that ensures product safety and integrity. 
 
8.2             Labelling 
 
In addition to the provisions of KS EAS 38 and the General Stan dard for the Use of Dairy Terms (KS CODEX 
STAN 206-1999), the following specific provisions apply:  
 
8.2.1 Name of the food 
 
The name of the food shall be unr ipened cheese. However, the wo rds “unripened cheese” may be omitted in 
the designation of an individual unripened cheese variety reser ved by a Kenya standard for individual 
cheeses, and, in the absence thereof, a variety name specified in the national legislation of the country in 
which the product is sold, provided that the omission does not create an erroneous impression regarding the 
character of the food.  
In case the product is not designated by an alternative or a va riety name, but with th e designation “unripened 
cheese”, the designation may be accompanied by a descriptive te rm such as provided for in the General 
Standard for Cheese (KS 28-1).  
Unripened cheese may alternatively be designated “fresh cheese”  provided it is not misleading to the 
consumer in the country in which the product is sold.  
 
 
8.2.2 Declaration of milk fat content 
 
The milk fat content shall be d eclared in a manner found accept able in the country of sale to the final 
consumer, either (i) as a percentage by mass, (ii) as a percent age of fat in dry matter, or (iii) in grams per 
serving as quantified in the label, provided that the number of  servings is stated.  
 Additionally, the following terms may be used: 
 
   
 DKS 2787: 2018 
  
                              © KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved  4 
High fat   
(if the content of FDM is above or equal to 60%)  
 
Full fat  (if the content of FDM is above or 
equal to 45% and less than 60%)  
 
Medium fat  (if the content of FDM is above or 
equal to 25% and less than 45%)  
 
Partially skimmed  (if the content of FDM is above or 
equal to 10% and less than 25%)  
 
Skim  (if the content of FDM is less than 
10%)  
 
 
 
  
 
  
8.2.3 Country of Origin 
 
The country of origin (which means the country of manufacture, not the country in which the name 
originated) shall be declared. When the product undergoes subst antial transformation3) in a second country, 
the country in which the transformation is performed shall be c onsidered to be the country of origin for the 
purpose of labelling. 
 
 
8.2.4 Labelling of non-retail containers 
 Information required in Clause 8.2 of standard and KS EAS 38 an d, if necessary, storage instructions, shall 
be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot 
identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or  packer shall appear on the container, and in 
the absence of such a container on the cheese itself. However, lot identification, and the name and address 
of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an identificat ion mark, provided that such a mark is clearly 
identifiable with the accompanying documents.  
 
8.2.5 Date marking: 
 
      i )  Date of manufacture 
 
       ii) Expiry date; 
 
      ii)   Storage instructions and / or conditions 
  
 
8.2.6      Name and address of manufacturer 
 
8.2.7     Net contents  8.2.8 Lot identification 
 
 
 
9 Methods of Analysis and Sampling 
                                                     
3) For instance, repackaging, cutting, slicing, shredding and g rating are not regarded as substantial transformation. 
                      
DKS 2787: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018— All rights reserved 5 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall b e tested using appropriate standard methods 
declared in this standard. Other test may be performed as per t he methods given in the latest AOAC/ Codex/ 
ISO and other internationa lly recognized methods