KENYA STANDARD        
DKS 2785: 2018 
                  ICS 67.100.30  
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
       Milk Powders and Cream Powders-                   
specification 
 
  
 
   
   
          KEBS 2018                                                                                                              First Edition 2018 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                        DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
2  
    
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION (update) 
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 — Departmen t of Dairy and Food Science Techn ology 
Government Chemist’s Department 
National Public Health Laboratory Services 
Kenya Industrial Rese arch and Development In stitute (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 
 
In order to keep abreast of pr ogress in industry, Kenya Standar ds shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions for 
improvements to published stand ards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome.  
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2018 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of t he 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 Standard s may 
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmi tted by any means without prior permission in writing from th e Managing 
Director.   DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
3  
KENYA STANDARD        
        
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
Milk Powders and Cream Powders-                   
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   
 
C o a s t  R e g i o n     L ake Region         R i f t  V a l l e y  R e g i o n  
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) 235 49, 22396       Tel.: (+254 0 51) 210553, 210555 
Fax: (+254 041) 229448   Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 
  
                                                                                                                                                     DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
4 Foreword 
 This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Committee under the guidance of 
the Standards Projects Committee, a nd it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards. 
 
This standard stipulates the raw material, sensory, microbiolog ical and physico-che mical and labelling 
requirements. It also specifies  the levels of contaminants and permitted food additives  
 
In the preparation of this standar d useful information was deri ved from members of the technical committee, 
Codex standard for milk powders  and Cream Powders (CODEX STAN 2 07-1999) and local manufacturers
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
KENYA STANDARD  
 
   DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
5 DKS 28-6: 2018 
 
 
 
Milk Powders and Cream Pow ders-                   specification  
 
1. SCOPE 
 
The Kenya Standard prescribes the  requirements and methods of s ampling and test for milk powders and 
cream powderintended for direct consumption or for further proc essing in conformity with the description in 
Section 3 of this Standard.  
. 
  
2 Normative references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the ap plication of this Keny a 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 EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods  
 KS 1552, code of practice for milk and milk products 
 KS CAC/GL 23 , Guidelines for use of nutrition claims 
 KS CODEX STAN 193,  Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in foods  
 
KS ISO 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk - Determination of total solids content (reference method)  
 
KS ISO 6732; Milk and milk products -- Determination of iron co ntent -- Spectrometric method (Reference 
method) 
 
KS ISO/TS 6733; Milk and milk products -- Determination of lead  content -- Graphite furnace atomic absorption 
spectrometric method 
 
KS ISO 11866-2:2007; Milk and milk p roducts-Enumeration of pres umptive escherichia coli - Part 2: Colony-co  
 
KS ISO 6579:2002 Microbiology of f ood and animal feeding stuffs  - Horizontal method  for the detection of 
Salmonella spp 
 
KS ISO 11866-2, Milk and milk products-Enumeration of presumpt ive escherichia coli - Part 2: Colony-count 
technique at 44 °C using membrane  
unt technique at 44 °C using membrane 
 
KS ISO/TS 11869:2012; Fermented mi lks -- Determination of titra table acidity -- Potentiometric method 
 
KS ISO 1736; Dried milk and dried milk products -- Determinatio n of fat content -- Gravimetric method 
(Reference method)                                                                                                                                                     DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
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KS ISO 16649-1:2001; Microbiology of food and animal feeding st uffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of beta-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli -- Part 1: Colo ny-count technique at 44 degrees C using 
membranes and 5-bromo-4-chloro -3-indolyl beta-D-glucuronide 
 
KS ISO 4833-1; Microbiology of the food chain -- Horizontal met hod for the enumeration of microorganisms -- 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 degree s C by the pour plate techniqu e 
 
KS ISO 5738:2004 (IDF 76:2004); Milk and milk products -- Deter mination of copper content -- Photometric 
method (Reference method) 
 
KS ISO 5546:2010 (IDF 115:2010); Cas eins and caseinates -- Dete rmination of pH (Reference method 
 
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 6888-1:1999; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stu ffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase-positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and oth er species) -- Part 1: Technique using Baird-
Parker agar medium 
 
KS ISO 8968-1; Milk and milk products -- Determination of nitro gen content -- Part 1: Kjeldahl principle and 
crude protein calculation 
 
KS ISO 6092; Dried milk -- Determ ination of titratable acidity (Routine method 
 
KS ISO 6091; Dried milk -- Determ ination of titratable acidity (Reference method) 
 
KS ISO 15323 ; Dried milk protein p roducts -- Determination of nitrogen solubility index  
KS ISO 5739; Caseins and caseinat es -- Determination of content s of scorched particles and of extraneous 
matter 
KS ISO 14674; Milk and milk powder -- Determination of aflatoxi n M1 content -- Clean-up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determinati on by thin-layer chromatograph 
KS ISO 5537 ; Dried milk -- Determ ination of moisture content ( Reference method) 
AOAC 942.17, Arsenic in foods Molybdenum blue method 
 
AOAC 999.10, Lead, Cadmium,Copper, Iron, and Zinc in f oods, 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 
 
   DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
7  
   
3 Product description 
 
Milk powders and cream powder are milk products which can be ob tained by the partial removal of water from 
milk or cream. The fat and/or protein content of the milk or cr eam may have been adjusted, only to comply with 
the compositional requirements in Section 4 of this Standard, b y the addition and/or withdrawal of milk 
onstituents in such a way as no t to alter the whey protein to c asein ratio of the milk being adjusted. 
 
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION  AND QUALITY FACTORS  
 
 4.1      RAW MATERIALS  
 
Milk and cream 
 
The following milk products are al lowed for protein adjustment purposes: 
 
 Milk retentate: Milk retentate is the product obtained by conc entrating milk protein by ultrafiltration of 
 milk, partly skimmed milk, or skimmed milk; 
 
 Milk permeate: Milk permeate is  the product obtained by removi ng milk proteins and milkfat from milk, 
 
 partly skimmed milk, or skimmed milk by ultrafiltration; and 
 
 Lactose 1.  
 
4.2 Permitted ingredients  
 
a) Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour pro ducing bacteria and cultures of other harmless 
microorganisms;  
b) Rennet or other safe and su itable coagulating enzymes;  
c) Gelatin and starches: These substances can be used in the sa me function as stabilizers, provided they 
are added only in amounts functi onally necessary as governed by  Good Manufacturing Practice taking 
into account any use of the stab ilizers/thickeners listed in Cl ause 5;  
d) Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as a salt substitute complying with KS CODEX STAN 150. 
e) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (ca lculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of 
the weight of the dairy ingredient s, used as a coagulation aid.  
f) Potable water; complying with KS EAS 12 g) Safe and suitable processing aids.  
h) Vinegar.  
 
 
4.3 Composition 
                                                                                                                                                      DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
8  
The Milk fat products shall comply with the compositional requi rements stipulated in Table 1: 
Table 1— Compositional Require ments for Milkfat products 
S/N Characteristic  
 Cream 
powder  
  
Whole milk 
powder Partly skimmed 
milk powder Skimmed 
milk powder TEST 
METHOD 
i. Minimum milkfat 
m/m 42%  26% and less than 
42%  More than 1.5% 
and less than 26%  1.5% m/m KS ISO 
1736:2008 
ii. Maximum water (a) 
m/m 5%  5%  5%  5% m/m  KS ISO 
660/ 
KS ISO 
5537 
iii. Minimum milk 
protein in milk 
solids-not-fat (a) m/m 34%  34%  34%  34% m/m KS ISO 
8968-1 
iv. Titratable 
acidity,max  18.0% 18.0% 18.0% KS ISO 
6092 or 
KS ISO 
6091 
 
v. Solubility index %, 
max 1.0  1.0 1.0 1.0 KS ISO 
15323 
vi. Scorched Particles, 
max  Disc B  Disc B Disc B KS ISO 
5739  
 (a) The water content does not i nclude water of crystallizatio n of the lactose; the milk  solids-not-fat content 
includes water of crystallization of the lactose. 
 
5 Food additives  
 
Only those food additives listed below may be used and only wit hin the limits specified.  
 
 
INS no.   
Name of additive  Maximum level  
 
Stabilizers  
331 Sodium citrates  5 000 mg/kg singly or in combination, expressed as 
anhydrous substances  332 Potassium citrates  
 
Firming agents  
508 Potassium chloride  Limited by GMP  
509 Calcium chloride  Limited by GMP    DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
9  
Acidity regulators  
339 Sodium phosphates   
 
 
 
5 000 mg/kg singly or in combination, expressed as 
anhydrous substances  340 Potassium phosphates  
450 Diphosphates  
451 Triphosphates  
452 Polyphosphates  
500 Sodium carbonates  
501 Potassium carbonates  
 
Emulsifiers  
322 Lecithins  Limited by GMP  
471 Mono- and diglycerides of 
fatty acids  2 500 mg/kg  
 
Anticaking agents  
170(i)  Calcium carbonate   
  
 
 
 
10 000 mg/kg singly or in combination  341(iii)  Tricalcium phosphate  
343(iii)  Trimagnesium phosphate  
504(i)  Magnesium carbonate  
530 Magnesium oxide  
551 Silicon dioxide, 
amorphous  
552 Calcium silicate  
553 Magnesium silicates  
554 Sodium aluminosilicate  265 mg/kg, expressed as aluminium  
 
Antioxidants  
300 Ascorbic acid, L-   
500 g/kg expressed as ascorbic acid  301 Sodium ascorbate  
304 Ascorbyl palmitate  
320 Butylated hydroxyanisole  100 mg/kg  
 
 
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 rele vant Kenya standards and regulations. The 
products should comply with any  microbiological criteria establ ished in accordance with KS CAC/GL 21 
                                                                                                                                                     DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
10 6.2   The products shall comply with any microbiological criteria es tablished in accordance with Table 4 below. 
 
 Table 4 ▬ Microbiological require ments for milk powder and cre am powder 
S/N Quality Requirements
Cfu/g Test method 
 Total plate count /g max  2 x 104  cfu/g KS  ISO 4833  
 Listeria monocytogenes 
 max,  Nil per gram KS  ISO 4833 
 Salmonella spp  
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
 Shigella 
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 KS 
ISO 21567 
 Clostridium botulinum    Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
 Staphylococcus aureus 
 Nil per 25g KS ISO 4833 
 E.coli  
 Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
 Faecal coliforms:, max Nil per gram KS  ISO 4832 
 Non-faecal coliforms, max 100cfu/g KS  ISO 4832 
 Yeast and m ould, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
 
  
7.1  Contaminants  
 
The products covered by this St andard 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 manufactur e 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 stan dard shall comply with the max imum limits in Table 5 
  
 Table 5 — Limits for heavy metal contaminants for milk powder and cream powder 
 
 
 
SL No   
Heavy metal   
MRL 
              (Max.)   
Test method  
i).  Arsenic (AS)  
                0.1 mg/kg  
  AOAC 942.17    DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
11 ii).  Lead (PH)  
 0.02 mg/kg 
 
 AOAC 972.25 / 
KS ISO 6733 
iii).  Mercury (Hg)                 1.0 mg/kg 
 
 
 AOAC 999.10 
iv).  Copper (Cu) 
 5.0 mg/kg 
 
         AOAC972.25 / 
KS ISO 5738 
v).  Zinc (Zn) 
 
  
50 mg/kg AOAC 999.10 
vi).   
Tin (Sn) 
                   250   mg/kg  AOAC 999.10 
vii).  Cadmium as Cd,  
 
                   1.5 mg/kg 
 
        AOAC 999.10 
 
viii).  Iron (fe),  
                    0.5 mg/kg AOAC 999.11/ 
KS ISO 6732 
  
 
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 6 below;  
 
Table 6- maximum residue limits fo r milk powder and cream powde r 
 
 
S/N Parameter Requirements Test method 
i ORGANOCHLORINE Group  0.01 ppm  KS ISO 3890-
1:2009 OR 
AOAC 970.52  
ii ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS 
Group  0.01 ppm  AOAC 970.52  
 
 
 
 7.3      Mycotoxin residues 
                                                                                                                                                     DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
12 Milk powder and cream powder s hall not have more than have 0.5 µg/kg aflatoxin M1 content when tested 
according toKS ISO 14674; Milk and milk powder -- Determination  of aflatoxin M1 content -- Clean-up by 
immunoaffinity chromatography and determination by thin-layer c hromatographic method 
 
7.4      Antibiotics 
Milk powder and cream powder s hall not have more than 10.0 ppb total antibiotic as (beta lactam) content when 
tested according to AOAC 962.16, B eta-lactam Antibiotics in mil k 
 
 
8        PACKAGING AND LABELLING 
 
 
8.1           Packaging 
 
The product shall be packed in f ood 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 shall apply:  
 
8.2.1  Name of the food 
 
The name of the food shall be: 
- Cream powder 
 - Whole milk powder; 
- Partly skimmed milk powder; 
 
- Skimmed milk powder; 
 According to the composition in Section 4.2 
 
Partly skimmed milk powder may be designated “Semi-skimmed milk  powder” provided that the content of 
milkfat does not exceed 16% m/m and is not less than 14% m/m. 
 If allowed by national legislation or otherwise identified to t he consumer in the country where the product is sold, 
“whole milk powder” may be desig nated “full cream milk powder” and “skimmed milk powder” may be designated 
“low fat milk powder”. 
 
8.2.2  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 pr oduct undergoes substantial trans formation in a second country, the country in 
which the transformation is performed shall be considered to be  the country of origin for the purpose of labelling. 
 
8.2.3 Declaration of milk fat content   DKS 2785: 2018              
 ICS 67.100.30  
 
13 If the consumer would be misled by the omission, the milkfat co ntent shall be declared in a manner found 
acceptable in the country of sale to the final consumer, either  (i) as a percentage by mass, or (ii) in grams per 
serving as quantified in the label provided that the number of servings is stated..  
 
8.2.4 Declaration of milk protein  
If the consumer would be misled by the omission, the milk prote in content shall be declared in a manner 
acceptable in the country of sal e to the final consumer, either  as (i) a percentage by m ass, or (ii) grams per 
serving as quantified in the label provided the number of servi ngs is stated. 
 
8.2.5 List of ingredients 
 Notwithstanding the provis ion of Section 4.2.1 of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods 
(CODEX STAN 1-1985), m ilk products used only for protein adjust ment need not be declared. 
 
8.2.6 Labelling of non-retail containers 
 
Information specified in Claus e 8.2 of this Standard and provis ions of KS EAS 38 and, if necessary, storage 
instructions, shall be given either on the container or in acco mpanying documents, except that the name of the 
product, lot identification, and the name of the manufacturer o r packer shall appear on the container, and in the 
absence of such a container, on the product itself. However, lo t identification and the name and address may be 
replaced by an identification mark, provided that such mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying 
documents.  
 
8.2.7 Date marking: 
 
      i )  Date of manufacture 
 
       ii) Expiry date; 
 
      ii)   Storage instructi ons and / or conditions 
  
 
8.2.86      Name and address of manufacturer 
 8.2.9     Net contents  
8.2.8 Lot identification 
 
  
9 Methods of Sampling and Analysis 
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall b e tested using recommended standard methods 
declared in this standard and as per the methods given in the l atest AOAC/ Codex/ ISO and other internationally 
recognized methods  relevant to t he provisions in this standard ,  
 
  
 
  
                                                                                                                                                     DKS 2785: 2018 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All ri ghts reserved 
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