PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS DEAS 899 
First  Edition  
2016-mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DEAS 899: 2016 
© UNBS 201 6 
  
Tuna canned in oil  — Specification 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 899:2016 
ii                © UNBS  2016  - 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 2016 
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, including 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: 256 417 333 2 50/1/2/3 
Fax: 256 414 286 123 
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 899:20 16 
© UNBS  2016 - All rights reserved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  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 Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT Agreement 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 given field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academicians, manufacturers, government and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee 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 Draft Uganda Standard, DUS DEAS 899: 2016, Tuna canned in oil  — Specification,  is identical with  and 
has been reproduced from an Draft East African Standard , DEAS 899: 2016, Tuna canned in oil  — 
Specification,  and is being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard. 
This standard was developed by the Food and agriculture  Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2). 
Wherever the words, “ East African Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DEAS 899: 2016 
ICS 67.120.30  
© EAS 2016                                                                                                                              First Edition 2016  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
Tuna canned in oil — Specification 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTPUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016 
ii © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice 
This EAC document is copyright-protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community 2016  — 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.eac-quality.net 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be persecuted 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016  
© EAC 2016  – 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 Community will be removed.  
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated 
to develop and issue East African Standards.   
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together 
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. 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 standards, in accordance with the procedures 
of the Community. 
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.  
DEAS  899 was prepared by Technical Committee EAS/TC 003, Fish and fishery products.  
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTPUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 899: 2016  
 
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  1 
 Tuna canned in oil — Specification 
1 Scope 
This East African Standard specifies the requirements and the methods of sampling and test for tuna canned 
in oil 
2 Normative references 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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 952.13,  Arsenic in food — Silver diethyldibocarbamate method  
AOAC 972.23,  Lead in fish —– Atomic absorption spectrophotometric meth od 
AOAC 973.34 , Cadmium in food — Atomic absorption spectrophotometric method 
AOAC 977.13, Histamine in sea food — Fluorometric method 
AOAC 983.20,  Mercury (methyl) in fish and shellfish — Gas chromatographic method  
EAS 35, Edible salt — Specification 
EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods — Specification 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice 
EAS 321 , Edible fats and oils (general) — Specification  
EAS 803,  Nutrition labelling — Requirements  
EAS 804,  Claims on foods — Requirements  
EAS 805,  Use of nutritional and health claims — Requirements  
CAC/RCP 52, Code of practice for fish and fishery products  
CAC/GL 50,  General guidelines on sampling  
CODEX STAN 192,  General standard for food additives 
ISO 17240, Fruit and vegetable products — Determination of tin content — Method using flame atomic 
absorption spectrometry 
ISO 17919, Microbiology of the food chain — Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food-borne 
pathogens — Detection of botulinum type A, B, E and F neurotoxin-producing clostridia  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016 
2 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply  
3.1 
tuna canned in oil  
tuna which have been processed, preserved using oil and sealed in an airtight tin can subjected to heat.  
3.2 
solid (skin- on or skinless)  
fish cut into transverse segments to which no free fragments  are added.  
3.3 
chunk  
pieces of fish most of which have dimensions of not less than 1.2 cm in each  direction and in which the 
original muscle structure is retained  
3.4 
flake or flakes 
a mixture of particles and pieces of fish most of which have dimensions  less than 1.2 cm in each direction but 
in which the muscular structure of the flesh is retained  
3.5 
grated or shredded  
a mixture of particles of cooked fish that have been reduced to a  uniform size, in which particles are discrete 
and do not comprise a paste 
3.6 
commercial sterility 
conditions achieved by application of heat which renders such food free from microorganisms capable of 
growing in the food at temperatures at which the food is likely to be held during manufacture, distribution and 
storage 
4  Requirements  
4.1 General requirement 
4.1.1  Raw material 
The raw material used for preparation of canned tuna shall be fresh or frozen, sound,  wholesome fish, 
properly cleaned and free from entrails.  
4.1.2  Other ingredients  
All other ingredients used shall be of food grade quality and conforms to all applicable standards, which may 
include but not limited to the following: 
a) salt conforming to EAS 35 shall be used for canning at GMP levels; 
b) oil used shall conform to EAS 321 
4.2 Finished product 
Tuna canned in oil shall: 
a) have colour characteristic of the species which may be either white, pink or light brown.  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  3 
 b) have a reasonably firm texture 
c) have pleasant flavour and odour. 
d) not show any appreciable disintegration of the can contents on opening. 
e) be free from artificial colouring matter.  
f) Be presented with or without skin in either solid, chunk, flakes, grated or shredded  
4.2 Specific requirements 
4.2.1  Tuna canned in oil shall comply with specific requirements given in Table 1. 
Table 2 —Specific requirement for tuna canned in oil  
S/NO  Parameter  Limit  Test method  
i Vacuum,  mm H g, max  150  
ii Drained mass, %, m/m, max  70 Annex A  
 
4.2.2 When tested in accordance with AOAC 977.13, the level of histamine shall not exceed 20 mg per 100 
g 
5 Food additive  
Food additives may be used in tuna canned in oil in accordance with CODEX STAN 192 except colouring 
agents. 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Tuna canned in oil shall be produced and handled in a hygienic manner in accordance with EAS 39 and 
CAC/RCP 52.  
6.2 The product shall pass the commercial sterility test which is evidenced by bulging or swelling of the can 
at 37 0C for seven days. 
6.3 When tested as per ISO 17919, Clostridium botulinum  shall be absent in tuna canned oil. 
7 Contaminants 
Heavy metals 
Tuna canned in oil shall comply with the heavy metal limits given in Table 2. 
Table 2 —Heavy metal limits for tuna canned in oil  
S/N Contaminant  Maximum limit, 
mg/kg  Test method  
i  Arsenic  0.1 AOAC 952.13  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016 
4 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 ii  Lead  0.3 AOAC 972.23  
iii  Cadmium  0.3 AOAC 973.34  
iv  Mehtyl mercury  1.0 AOAC 983.20  
v  Tin (if tin plated can 
used)  250 ISO 17240  
8 Weights and measures  
The weight of the product shall comply with Weights and Measures regulations of the Partner States.  
9 Packaging  
Tuna canned in oil shall be packaged in food grade containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
and organoleptic qualities of the product  
10 Labelling  
9.1 In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and 
shall be legibly and indelibly marked: 
a) the name of the product shall be "tuna canned in oil" and may be followed by the comm on name of 
the species;  
b) the colour of the product, as "white" "light" "dark" and "blend";  
c) the red meat pieces of tuna, if canned separately from white pieces, shall be so labelled on the can;  
d) the form of presentation may be provided as solid, chunks, flakes, grated or shredded; 
e) date of manufacture;  
f) expiry  date” ; 
g) name and address of the manufacturer; 
h) drained weight in metric units; 
i) batch or lot number;  
j) the packing medium used; and  
k) list of ingredients. 
9.2  Nutrition labelling and health claims  
Nutritional labelling, nutrition and health claims may be made in accordance with EAS 803, EAS 804 and EAS 
805 
11 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with CAC/GL 50. 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  5 
  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016 
6 © EAC  2016  – All rights reserved  
 Annex A  
(normative) 
Determination of drained weight 
A.1 Apparatus  
A.1.1  Test sieve 200 (Aperture 2.00 mm) — BS Sieve 8 or Tyler Sieve 9 or ASA Sieve 10 (same as ASTM 
Test Sieve), may also be used.  
A.2 Procedure  
A.2.1  Carefully weigh the clean and dry sieve and transfer the contents of the can to the sieve. Allow to 
drain for five minutes and weigh the sieve with the contents. The difference between the two weights gives the 
drained weight. Calculate the drained weight as percentage of the water capacity of the can. Retain the 
residue on the sieve as well as the drained liquid.  
A.2.2  Determine the water capacity of the can by the procedure given in A.2.2.1 to A.2.2.4.  
A.2.2.1  Cut out the lid without removing or altering the height of the double seam. 
A.2.2.2  Wash, dry and weigh the empty can.  
A.2.2.3  Fill the container with distilled water at 20 °C to 4 mm vertical distance below the top level of the 
container and weigh.  
A.2.2.4  Subtract the weight in A.2.2.2 from the weight in A.2.2.3. The difference shall be considered to be 
the weight of water required to fill the container. 
 
 
 
 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016  
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex B 
(informative) 
 
Product definition 
Canned Tuna and Bonito are the products consisting of the flesh of any of the appropriate species listed 
below, packed in hermetically sealed containers. 
 
1. Euthynnus alletteratus (little tunny)  
2. Euthynnus lineatus (little tunny or black skipjack)  
3. Euthynnus yaito or Euthynnus affinis (kawakawa or little tuna)  
4.       Katsuwonus pelamis (skipjack) 
5. Neothunnus macropterus or Thunnus albacares (yellow -fin tuna)   
6. Thunnus tonggol or Neothunnus rarus (longtailed tuna or northern bluefin tuna)  
7. Para thunnus mebachi or Thunnus obesus (big-eyed tuna)  
8. Thunnus atlanticus (black-fin tuna)  
9. Thunnus germo or Thunnus alalunga (albacore)  
10. Thunnus maccoyii (southern bluefin tuna)  
11. Thunnus orientalis (oriental tuna)  
12. Thunnus thynnus (bluefin tuna) 
 
The species of fish Sarda chiliensis , Sarda lineolata  or Sarda sarda  after it has been canned, shall be 
designated as "Bonito" or "Bonito Tuna". 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bibliograbhy 
IS 4304:1976(R2005), Specification for Tuna Canned in Oil   
 
 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTPUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 899: 2016    
 
© EAC 2016  – All rights reserved