DEAS 27: 2018  
ICS 67.100.10  
 
© EAC 2018                                                                                                                               Third  Edition 2018  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
UHT milk — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 27: 2018  
ii © EAC  2018 – All rights reserved  
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 DEAS 27: 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 Commu nity 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, tog ether 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 groups , 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 standards, i n 
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 the y 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 docume nt 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 27: 2007 ), which has been technically revised.  
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 27: 2018  
 
© EA C 2018 – All rights reserved  1 
 UHT milk — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for UHT 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 
requirements of t his 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 At omic 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  
EAS 38 , Label ling of pre - packaged foods — General requirements  
EAS 803, Nutrition l abelling — Requirements  
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 techni que 
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  
ISO 5764 , Milk — determination of freezing point — Thermistor cryoscope method (Refe rence method)  
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp  
ISO 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk — Determination of total solids content  (Reference method)  
ISO 6888 -3, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 3: Detection and MPN 
technique for low numbers  
ISO 8 968-4, Milk and milk products — Determination of nitrogen content — Part 4: Determination of protein and 
non-protein nitrogen content and true protein content calculation (Reference method)  
ISO 14501, Milk and milk powder — Determination of aflatoxin M1 co ntent — Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography   
2 © EAC  2018 – All rights reserved  
 3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
cow 
lactating female of cattle ( Bos indi cus and Bos Taurus  or their crosses)  
3.2 
cow milk  
normal, clean and fresh secretion extracted from the udder of a healthy cow  but excluding that obtained  during 
the first seven days after calving  
3.3 
pasteurized milk  
milk which has been subjected to pasteu rization either by batch method, flash pasteurization or High 
Temperature Short Time method (HTST)  
3.4 
homogenization  
process by which milk fat globules are finely divided and interspersed to form a homogeneous product so as  
to prevent the fat from floatin g on the surface and adhering to the inside of the container  
3.5 
UHT milk  
milk that is treated under ultra -high temperatures (at 135 ° – 150° centigrade for 2 sec - 6 sec ), homogenized, 
filled and sealed aseptically into sterile retail containers in order t o maintain commercial sterility under room 
temperatures  
3.6 
commercial sterility  
condition achieved by application of heat sufficient, alone or in combination with other appropriate treatment to 
render food free from microorganisms capable of growing in th e food as normal non -refrigerated conditions at 
which the food is likely to held during distribution and storage  
3.7 
reconstituted milk  
product resulting from the addition of water to the dried or concentrated form of the product in the amount 
necessary to  re-establish the appropriate water to solids ratio.  
3.8 
recombined milk  
product resulting from the combining of milkfat and milk -solids -non-fat in their preserved forms with or without 
the addition of water to achieve the appropriate milk product composit ion. 
3.9 
toned milk  
product prepared by a mixture of cow milk with skimmed milk or powdered milk in the amount necessary to re -
establish the appropriate milk product composition.  
3.10 
pasteurized milk  
milk which has been efficiently heat treated at a suffi ciently high temperature for appropriate period of time to 
ensure complete destruction of all pathogenic organisms, so as to enable the product to be transported, 
distributed and consumed as liquid milk   
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  3 
 4 Requirements for UHT milk  
4.1 Raw materials  
Raw mat erials for UHT milk may include : 
a) raw milk;  
b) reconstituted milk ; 
c) recombined milk ; 
d) pasteurized milk; or  
e) toned milk  
4.1 General requirements  
UHT milk shall : 
a) be processed without affecting the composition of the product ; 
b) have characteristic of  texture and colou r; and  
c) be free from preservatives, off-flavours  and odour . 
4.2 Specific requirements  
UHT milk shall comply with the physico -chemical requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance 
with tests methods specified therein.  
Table 1 — Physico -chemical re quirements for UHT milk  
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  pH variation , max.  0.3 Annex A  
ii.  Titratable  acidity  variation, % lactic 
acid, max. 0.02 Annex B  
iii.  Density at 20 °C, g/ml  1.028 - 1.036  Annex C  
iv.  Milk fat content (%),  m/m 
ISO 2446  a) Whole  milk/full cream milk, min. 3.25 
b) Fat reduced milk/semi skimmed 
milk 1.51 - 3.24 
c) Low fat milk /skimmed milk  0.51 - 1.50 
d) Fat free milk , max.  0.50 
v.  Milk Solids Non -Fat, %, max . 8.5 ISO 6731  
vi.  Protein content, %, min.  3 ISO 8968 -4 
vii.  Freezing point, °C -0.550  to -0.525  ISO 5764  
  
4 © EAC  2018 – All rights reserved  
 4.3 Microbiological requirements  
UHT milk shall comply with microbiological requirements given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 2 — Microbiological requirements for UHT milk  
S/N Micro-organisms  Maximum limits  Test method  
i.  Total plate count, CFU/ ml 10 ISO 4833 -1  
ii.  Coliform, CFU/ ml absent  ISO 4832  
iii.  Staphylococcus aureus 
(coagulase positive) / ml absent  ISO 6888 -3 
iv.  Salmonella spp, per 25 ml  Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
 
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Pesticide residues  
UHT milk shall conform to maximum limits residues set by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
5.2 Veterinary drugs residues  
UHT milk shall conform to maximum tolerable residue limits for antibiotics  and other veterinary drugs set by 
Codex Alim entarius Commission.  
5.3 Heavy metals  
The level of Lead (Pb) shall not exceed 0.02 mg/kg when tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10.  
5.4 Mycotoxin  
When tested in accordance with ISO 14501 the level of Aflatoxin  M1 shall not exceed 0.50  µg/kg . 
6 Hygiene  
Raw milk shall be produced and handled in accordance with CAC /RCP 57 and CAC /RCP 1 . 
7 Packaging  
7.1 The packaging material used for UHT milk shall:  
a) be lightproof ; 
b) be gas proof ; 
c) be mechanically strong ; 
d) be non -toxic; 
e) not impart any off -flavour to the milk ;  
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  5 
 f) be able to withstand aseptic packaging pre -treatment procedure ; and 
g) allow hermetic sealing.  
7.2 The UHT milk shall be packaged aseptically into sterile packaging material and sealed hermetically.  
7.3 UHT milk packages shall not be deformed, creased, dented or have crushed corners . 
8 Labelling  
The containers shall be labelled in compliance with the requirements of EAS 38  and EAS 803 . In addition, the 
following particulars shall be legibly and indelibly labelled on the container:  
a) name of the product as  follows:  
i. UHT milk  (if raw milk or pasteurized milk are used as raw materials);  
ii. Recombined UHT milk ; 
iii. Toned UHT milk ; or 
iv. Reconstituted  UHT milk.  
b) fat content ; 
c) net content in  SI units ; 
d) name and physical address of manufacturer;  
e) batch or code number;  
f) the fat content ; 
g) nutritional information ; 
h) the date of manufacture and expiry date;  
i) instruction for storage  and use;  and 
j) country of origin;  
9 Sampling  
Sampling for UHT milk shall be done in accordance with ISO 707.  
  
6 © EAC  2018 – All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination of pH variation  
A.1 Appara tus 
A.1.1  Incubator adjusted at 55 °C ± 1 °C 
A.1.2  pH meter  
A.2 Procedure  
A.2.1  Determine the pH of 50 ml of the sample in the flask, with a glass electrode at 20 °C and note reading. 
Then incubate another 50 ml of the 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 contents is observed (coagulation with, 
or without exudation, grittiness, flocculation, formation of bubbles or scum peptonization or proteolysis) th e 
result of the test shall be considered positive and the sample as nonsterile.  
A.2.2  If no alteration takes place during the five days incubation at 55 °C ± 1 °C remove the sample from the 
incubator and cool to room temperature. Take a small portion of it  and measure the pH in the pH meter with 
glass electrode at 20 °C. From this pH value subtract the initial pH value (A.2.1).  
A.3 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 pH does not show a difference of more than 0.3 unit from the initial pH is considered sterile.   
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Determination of titratable acidity  
B.1 Apparatus  
B.1.1  Incubator  
B.1.2  Bure tte; with soda -lime guard tube  
B.1.3  Porcelain dishes ; white hemispherical of approximately 60 ml  
B.1.4  Stirring rods ; of glass, flattened at one end  
B.2 Reagents  
B.2.1  Standard sodium hydroxide solution  
Prepare concentrated stock solution of sodium hydrox ide 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  liquid 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.  
B.2.2  Phenolphthalein indicator solu tion 
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.  
B.2.3  Rosaniline Acetate Stock Solution  
Dissolve 0.121 g of rosaniline acetate in approximately 50 ml of rect ified spirit, containing 0.5 ml of facial 
acetic acid. Make up to 100 ml with rectified spirit.  
B.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 an d the bench solutions shall be stored in dark brown bottles securely stoppered with rubber bungs.  
B.3 Procedure  
B.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 bot h 10 ml of water and stir to disperse the sample. Prepare from one dilution a colour control by adding  
8 © EAC  2018 – All rights reserved  
 and stirring 2 ml dilute rosaniline acetate solution. Stir 2 ml phenolphthalein solution into the other dilution and 
while stirring vigorously, add as ra pidly 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.  
B.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 alteration 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 B.3.1.  
B.4 Calculation  
B.4.1  Acidity of fresh sample  
Titrata ble 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 B.3.1) 
M=is the molarity of the standard sodium hydroxide solution ( see B.3), and  
m=is the m ass in g of the sample taken for test ( see B.3.1). 
B.4.2  Acidity after incubation  
B.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 ( see B .2.1),  
M=is the molarity of the standard sodium hydroxide solution (see B.2.1),  
w=is the weight in g of the sa mple taken for the test (see B.2.1)  
B.4.2.2  Subtract the value obtained in B.4.1 from the value obtained in B.4.2 which would give increase i n 
acidity.  
B.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 steril e.  
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  9 
 Annex  C 
(normative)  
 
Determination of Density  in milk  
C.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 orde r 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 determination of the total dry 
extract.  
C.2 Equipment  
The following equipment shall be used:  
a) Thermolactodensimeter (TLD) ; and  
b) Test tube (250 mL)  
C.3 Methods  
The density determination is accomplished by the Thermolactodensimeter because the practicability o f this 
method.  
C.4 Procedure  
C.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.  
C.4.2  Immense TLD into the test tube and make i t rotate slowly on its own axis.  
C.4.3  Perform  the reading of both density and temperature of the  milk as soon as TLD stabilizes.  
C.4.4  Proceed to the correction of the influe nce from the temperature, by using an adequate scale. The 
result will correspond to the corrected milk density.  
 DEAS 27: 2018    
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved