KENYA STANDARD              DKS  2683 : 2016 
ICS 67.100.10  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brie Cheese  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 20 16          First Edition  2016  DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
                             KEBS 20 16 — All rights reserved  ii TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Tec hnical Committee:  
 
Kenya Dairy Board  
Ministry of Health — Public Health Department  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries — State Department of Livestock  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries — Department of Veterinary Services  
Egerto n University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Technology  
Government Chemist’s Department  
National Public Health Labs  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Consumer Information Network  
New Kenya Creameries Cooperative (NKCC)  
Brookside Dairy Ltd.  
Eldoville Dairies Limited  
Githunguri Dairy  
USAID - KAVES  
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 wi th the progress in the industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. 
Suggestions for improvement s to published sta ndards , addressed  to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of 
Standards , are welcome . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 10 
 
Copyr ight. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 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 writing from the Managing 
Director . 
  
KEBS 2015 — All rights reserved    iii KENYA STANDARD                        
DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
ICS 67.100.10  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brie Chees e— Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031  
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Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
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Fax: (+254 041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814               
  DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
                             KEBS 20 16 — All rights reserved  iv Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Committee under the guidance of 
the Standards Project Committee and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards.  
 
Cheese is a very nutritious food which consists of a concentration of the constituents of milk, principally fat, 
casein and insoluble salts, together with water, in which small amounts of soluble salts, lactose, and albumin 
from milk are coagulate d. 
 
There are various types of cheese that are produced and marketed worldwide. This Kenya Standard specifies 
the requirements for the type of soft ripened  cheese  being marketed in Kenya as Brie cheese.  
 
This standard includes a list of food additives, ter minology and classification of cheeses, amongst other technical 
requirements which are important in checking cheese under the regulatory system to prevent adulteration.  
 
In the preparation of this standard useful information was derived from members of the  technical committee , 
Codex general standard for Brie cheese (CODEX STAN 277 -1973) and local manufacturers  KENYA STANDARD                           
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Brie Cheese — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard Prescribes the requirements and test methods for  Brie cheese  intended for direct 
consu mption or for further processing, in conformity with the description in Clause  3 of this standard.   
 
This Kenya Standard applies to Brie cheese  made from cow’s milk  
 
 2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the appl ication of this standard. For dated references, 
only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including 
any amendments) applies.  
 
CODEX STAN 208, Codex Standard for cheese in brine  
KS CAC/GL 21, recommended  international code of hygienic practice for foods for infants and children  
KS CAC/GL 23, Guidelines for use of nutrition claims  
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  
KS EA 69; Pasteurized Milk - Specification  
KS EAS 49 ; dried  whole milk and ski mmed milk powder ⎯ Specification  
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  
CAC/MRL 2  Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food   
AOAC 962.16 Beta -lactam Antibiotics in milk  
AOAC 980.21, Aflatoxin M1 in milk and cheese -thin layer chromatographic method  
AOAC 980.21, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in milk a nd milk products  
KS 2455, General Standard - Food Safety  
KS 1552: 2016; Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products  
KS 2455, General Standard - Food Safety  
KS 2194:2009 – Good Manufacturing practice guide lines and the Dairy industry  
KS EAS 69, Past eurized milk - Specification  
KS ISO 707, Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling  
KS ISO 1735, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determination of fat content  Gravimetric method 
(Reference method)  
KS ISO 2962, Cheese and processed cheese products   Determination of total phosphorus content  
Molecular absorption spectrometric method  
KS ISO 5534, Cheese and processed cheese  Determination of the total solids content (Reference method)  
KS ISO 5943, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determinati on of  Sodium  chloride content  
Potentiometric titration method  
KS ISO 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk - Determination of total solids content (reference method)   DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
 
 
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KS ISO 6732; Milk and milk products -- Determination of iron content -- Spectrometric m ethod (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 products -Enumeration of presumptive escherichia coli - Part 2: Co lony-co 
KS ISO 11866 -1:2005 (IDF 170 -1:2005) ; Milk and milk products -- Enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli -
- Part 1: Most probable number technique  using 4 -methylumbelliferyl -beta-D-glucuronide (MUG.  
KS ISO 6579:2002 Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp  
KS ISO 11866 -2, Milk and milk products -Enumeration of presumptive 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 milks -- Determination of titratable acidity -- Potentiometric method  
KS ISO 14501:2007 Milk and milk powde r - Determination of aflatoxin M content - Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
KS ISO 16649 -1:2001 ; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of beta -glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli -- Part 1: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 
membranes and 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucur onide  
KS ISO 4833 -1:2013 ; Microbiology of the food chain -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms 
-- Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C b y the pour plate technique  
KS ISO 5738:2004 (IDF 76:2004) ; Milk and milk products -- Determination of copper content -- Photometric 
method (Reference method ) 
KS ISO 5546:2010 (IDF 115:2010) ; Caseins and caseinates -- Determination 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 stuffs -- Horizon tal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) -- Part 1: Technique using Baird -
Parker agar medium  
KS ISO 8968 -1:2014 (IDF 20 -1:2014) ; Milk and milk products -- Determination of nitrogen content -- Part 1: 
Kjeldahl principle and crude protein calculation  
 
 
3 Product Description  
 
Brie is a soft surface white mould ripened cheese in conformity with th e General  standard for  Cheese ( KS 28 -1), 
which has a shape of a flat cylinder or sectors thereof. The body has a near white through to light yellow colour 
and a soft textured (when thumbs pressed), but not crumbly texture, ripened from the surface to the c enter of the 
cheese. Gas holes are generally absent, but few  openings and splits  are acceptable. A rind is to be developed 
that is soft and entirely covered with white mould but may have red,  brownish or orange coloured spots. Whole 
cheese may be cut or fo rmed into sectors prior to or after the mould  development.  
 
4 Essential composition and quality factors  
 
4.1 Raw materials  
 
Cow’s milk and products obtained from cow milks complying with  the relevant Kenya Standards          
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4.2  Permitted ingredients  
-Starter cu ltures of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour producing bacteria and cultures of other harmless  
microorganisms, including either of the following ; Geotrichum  candidum , Brevibacterium linens,  Penicillium 
candidium and/or Penicillium camembertii and Penicil lium caseicolum and yeast  
- Rennet or other safe and suitable coagulating enzymes;  
- Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as a salt substitute;  complying with KS CODEX STAN 150 . 
- Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as an hydrous calcium chloride) of the 
weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid.  
- Potable water;  complying with KS EAS 12  
–Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process;  
–Safe and suitable processing aids;  
– Rice, corn and potato f lours and starches: Notwithstanding the provisions in the General Standard for Cheese 
(CODEX STAN 283 -1978), these substances can be used in the same function as anti -caking agents for 
treatment of the surface of cut, sliced, and shredded products only, pr ovided they are added only in amounts 
functionally necessary as governed by Good Manufacturing Practice, taking into account any use of the anti -
caking agents listed in section 5. 
 
4.3  compositional requirements  
Table 2: compositional requirements for Brie 
 
Milk 
constituent  Minimum content 
(m/m)  Maximum 
content (m/m)  Reference 
level (m/m)  Methods of Analysis  
 
Milkfat in dry 
matter:  
  
 
40%  
 
Not restricted  
  
 
45 % to 5 5% 
  
 
 
KS ISO 1735  
Dry matter  
(Total Solids ): content (m/m) Maximum content (m/m) Referenc e 
level (m/m)  
Depending on the fat in dry matter content  according 
to the table below  
  
KS ISO 5534  
                                                
Fat in dry matter 
content (m/m ) :) Corresponding minimum 
dry matter content  
(m/m  
 
Equal to or above 
40% but less than 
45% 42% 
Equal to or above 
45% but less than  
55%:  
 43% 
Equal to or above 
55% but less than 48%  DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
 
 
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 60%:  
Equal to or above 
60%:  51% 
Moisture%, 
Max 56.0 %     KS ISO 5534 or AOAC  977.11 
/AOAC 969.19  
Salt %  Max 3% KS ISO 5943 or  
AOAC 97 5.20 
 
 
3.4 Essential sizes and shapes   
 
Maximum height: approx. 5 cm;  
Weight: Whole cheese of flat cylinder: approx. 500 g to 3 500 g  
 
 
 
6 Food additives  
 
Only those additives classes indicated as justified in the table below may be used for the product categories 
specified. Within each additive class, and where permitted according to the table, only those food additives listed 
below may be used and only within the functions and limits specified.  
 
 
Table 2 
 
 
 
  Justified use:  
Additive functional class:   Cheese mass  Surface/rind treatment  
Colours:  X(a)  
Bleaching agents:    
Acidity regulators:  X  
Stabilizers:    
Thickeners:    
Emulsifiers:    
Antioxidants:    
Preservatives:    
Foaming agents:    
Anti-caking agents:    
a)  Onl y to obtain the colour characteristics, as described in Section 2.  
X   The use of additives belonging to the class is technologically justified.  
–    The use of additives belonging to the class is not technologically justified.  
 
 
 
Table 3 
 
         
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 INS no.  Name o f additive  Maximum level  
 
Colours  
160a(i)  Carotene, beta -, synthetic   
 
35 mg/kg  
singly or in combination  160a(iii)  Carotene, beta -, Blakeslea trispora  
160e  Carotenal, beta -apo-8’- 
160f Carotenoic acid, ethyl esters, beta -apo-8’- 
160a(ii)  Carotenes , beta -, vegetable  600 mg/kg  
160b(ii)  Annatto extracts – norbixin based  25 mg/kg  
 
Acidity regulators  
575 Glucono delta -lactone  Limited by GMP  
 
 
 
5.          Hygiene Requirements  
 
5.1 It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this sta ndard be prepared and handled 
in accordance with the appropriate sections of (codex)  and other relevant Kenya standards and 
regulations.  The products should comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with 
KS CAC/GL 21  
 
5.2   The pro ducts shall comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with Table 2 below.  
 
 
 Table 4 ▬ Microbiological requirements fo r Brie cheese  
S/N Quality  Requirements  Test method  
 Total plate count /g , Max  20000 cfu/g  KS  ISO 4833  
 Listeri a monocytogenes  
 max,  Nil per gram  KS  ISO 4833  
 Salmonella spp  in 
25g or  (ml)  Nil  KS ISO 4833  
 Shigella  in25g or  (ml)  Nil  KS ISO 21567  
or 
KS ISO 4833  
 Clostridium botulinum     Nil per gram  KS ISO 4833  
 Staphylococcus aureus  in 25g 
or  (ml)  
 Nil  KS ISO 4833  
 E.coli in25g or  (ml)  
 Nil  KS ISO 4833   DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
 
 
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  Faecal coliforms:, max  Nil per gram  KS  ISO 4832  
 Non-faecal coliforms, max  10 cfu/g  KS  ISO 4832  
 
 
 
 
 
 
7 Contaminants  
 
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels of C ODEX STAN 193 and the 
maximum residue limits for pesticides  and veterinary drugs established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(CAC  
 
 
 
7.1  Heavy metals  
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum limits in Table 5  
  
 Table 5 — Limits for heavy metal contaminants for Brie cheese  
 
 
SL No   
Heavy metal   
MRL  
              (Max.)   
Test method  
i).  Arsenic (AS)  
                0.1 mg/kg  
  AOAC 942.17  
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  
 
         AOAC 972.25 / 
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  
         
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viii).  Iron (fe) ,  
                    0.5 mg/kg  AOAC 999.1 1/ 
KS ISO 6732  
  
 
 
7.2 Pesticide residues  
In addition to the maximum  pesticide residue  limits in table 6 below; the products covered by the provisions of 
this standard shall conform to those maximum limits for Pesticide  residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for these products in codex Stan 193;  
 
Table 6 - Maximum  pesticide residue limits for Brie cheese  
 
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  
 
Brie cheese shall not have more than 0.5ppb aflatoxin m1 content when tested according to KS ISO 
14501:2007/ AOAC 974.17 and AOAC 980.21  , Aflatoxin M1  in milk and cheese -thin layer chromatographic 
method s 
 
7.4        Total Antibiotic residues  
 
Brie cheese shall not have more than 10.0 ppb total antibiotic residues as (beta lactam) content when tested 
according to AOAC 982.14, 15, 16, 17  and18  and AOAC 9 62.14, Beta-lactam Antibiotics in milk  
 
 
7.5            Veterinary Drug  Residues      
In addition to the  maximum  veterinary drug residue  limits in table 6 below; the products covered by the 
provisions of this standard shall conform to those maximum limits for veterinary drug residue limits established 
by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for these products in codex Stan 193;  
 
 Table 7- maximum veterinary drug residue Limits for Brie cheese  
 
 
S/N Parameter  Requirements/ 
MRL  Test method  
i ChloramPhenical  ND AOAC 972.17  
ii Nitrofunas(including ND AOAC   DKS 2683 : 201 6 
 
 
 
 
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 metabolites)  
 Ronidazole  ND AOAC  
 Metronidazole  ND AOAC 991.17  
 Fenbendazole  100ppb  AOAC 991.17  
 Albendazole  100ppb  AOAC 991.17  
 Phenylbutazone  ND   AOAC 
991.17  
 
 
 
8        PACKAGING AND LABELLING  
 
 
8.1           Packaging  
 
The product 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, the following specific provisions apply:  
 
 
8.2.1 Name of the food  
 
The na me Brie may be applied in accordance with KS  EAS 38 , provided that the product is in conformity with 
this standard.  
 
The use of the name is an option that may be chosen only if the cheese complies with this standard. Where the 
name is not used for a chees e that complies with this standard, the naming provisions of the KS 28 , General 
standard for cheese shall apply.  
 
 
The designation of Brie in which the fat content is below or above the reference range but above the absolute  
minimum specified in section 3. 3 of this Standard shall be accompanied by an appropriate qualification  
describing the modification made or the fat content (expressed as fat in dry matter or as Percentage  by mass 
whichever is acceptable in the country of retail sale) . 
 
 
 
The designation may also be used for cut, sliced, shredded or grated products made from cheese which cheese 
is in conformity with this Standard.  
 
8.2.2 Country of origin  
 
The country of origin (which means the country of manufacture, not the country in which the name orig inated) 
shall be declared. When the product undergoes substantial transformation 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  labeling .         
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8.2.3 Declaration of m ilkfat content  
 
The milk fat content shall be declared in a manner found acceptable in the  country of retail sale, either;  
 
i) as a percentage by mass,  
 
ii) as a percentage of fat in dry matter, or  
 
iii) in grams per serving as quantified in the label, p rovided that the number of servings is stated.  
 
 
 
8.2.3  Nutrient  Declaration  
 
Nutritional  claim  shall be made  in accordance with the Guidelines for the Use of Nutritional Claims  
(CAC/GL 23 -1997)  
 
8.2.4  Date marking:  
        
       i)  Date of manufacture  
 
       ii) Expiry date;  
 
      ii)   Storage instructions and / or conditions  
 
8.2.5     Name and address of manufacturer  
 
8.2.6     Net weight content  
 
8.2.7     Brand name of the product  
 
8.2.8     Batch or code number  
 
8.2.9  Labelling of non-retail  containers  
 
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 of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the 
container, and in the absence of such a container, on the product itself. However, lot identification and the name 
and address may be replaced by an identification mark, provided that such mark is clearly identifiable with the 
accompanying documents.  
 
9 Methods of Analysis and Sampling  
 
The methods of sampling and analysis shall be those provided in the normative references listed in Clause 2 of 
this standard.  
 
 
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ANNEX  A 
(Informative )  
 
The additional information below does not affect the provisions in the preceding sections which are those that 
are essential to the product identity, the use of the name of the food and the safety of the food.  
 
1. Method of manufacture  
 
1.1 Fermentation procedure: Microbiologically derived acid development.  
 
1.2 Type of c oagulation:  
Coagulation of the milk protein is typically obtained through the combined action of  microbial acidification and 
proteases (e.g. rennet) at an appropriate coagulation temperature  
 
1.3 Essential ripening procedure  
 
Rind formation and maturation (proteolysis) from the surface to the centre is predominantly caused by 
Penicillium candidium and/or Penicillium camembertii and Penicillium caseicolum