PUBLIC REVIEW 
DRAFT  DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
 DUS 153 6 
First Edition  
2013 -03-13 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 1536 : 2013  
© UNBS 2013   
  
Code of P ractice for Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A  
Contamination in C offee  
 DUS 1536: 2013  
ii © UNBS 2013  – 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 con tract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2013   
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 a nd 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 41 4 505 995  
Fax: 256 41 4 286 123  
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 153 6:2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents   Page 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... 1 
4 Pre-harvest  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .......3 
4.1 General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 3 
4.2 Recommended practices to reduce the development and spore load from OTA -producing 
fungi on coffee plants and beans  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....3 
5 Harvest  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 3 
5.1 General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 3 
5.2 Harvesting systems  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 4 
5.3 Gleaning (sweeping) ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 4 
6 Post -harvest  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....5 
6.1 General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 5 
6.2 Dry Processing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .5 
6.4 Wet processing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .5 
6.5 Drying of Processed Coffee beans  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..6 
7 Coffee cleaning and sorting  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 7 
8 Storage ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 8 
9 Transportation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..9 
A.1 Coffee Cherry ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 11 
A.2  Dry processing flow  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  12 
A.3 Wet processing flow  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  13 
 
 DUS 1536: 2013  
iv © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 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.  UNBS is mandated to co -ordinate the 
elaboration of standards a nd 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/SPS Agreements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The w ork 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, gove rnment 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.  
Committee membership  
The following organisations were represented under the sub -committee SC 14 - Tea, Coffee, Cocoa and 
related products of the Food and Agriculture standards Technical Com mittee, UNBS/TC 2, during the 
development of this standard:  
 
 
 
. DUS 153 6:2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  v 
 Acknowledgement   
This standard was developed with support from Agribusiness Initiative Trust in collaboration with Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards  This support is hereby acknowledged  DUS 1536: 2013  
vi © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 Introduction  
Coffee is the leading agricultural export commodity and foreign exchange earner in Uganda providing income  
and livelihood to  a significant number of  households. . The major varieties grown are Robusta coffee ( Coffee 
canephora ) ( in low altitude ar eas of upto 1,200 meters above sea level and Arabica Coffee ( Coffee Arabica )in 
the high altitude areas mostly between  1,500 – 2,300 above sea level   
Coffee is a popular beverage consumed both locally and in the internationally. Good Agricultural Practices  and 
post harvesting handling of coffee along the value chain are vital for the production of safe and quality coffee. 
a Good post harvest handling practices  also prevent contamination of coffee with OTA,  
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a form of mycotoxin produced mainly by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium 
verrucosum (OTA) which are mould forming fungi in coffee . The moulds can impart a mouldy smell and off 
flavor taste  which affect s the quality  of the coffee  and contaminate the coffee with OTA . When  OTA is 
ingested or absorbed it is known to cause kidney diseases, have toxic effects on the immune system in 
addition  to being a possible carcinogen . The effect of OTA contamination on the quality and safety in coffee 
has economic implications which may include disc ounted prices and rejection of coffee in the market. I t is 
therefore neccesary  to reduce the occurrence of mould formation to a level that is as lo w ‘as reasonably 
achievable.    
OTA contamination is the primary food safety issue in the production, processi ng and handling of green coffee 
beans. Codex alimentarius set a maximum level of Ochratoxin A in foods and feed of 5ug/kg. (This  code of 
conduct provides guidelines of good practice in the prevention and reduction of OTA along the Coffee value 
chain.  
 
 COMMITTEE  DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 153 6: 2013  
 
© UNBS 2013 – All rights reserved  1 
 Code of P ractice for Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A 
Contamination in Coffee  
1 Scope  
This draft Code of practice provides recommended practices for the  prevention and reduction of Ochratoxin A 
in Coffee (intended for human consumption ) during  produ ction, processing , storage, and transportation  
2 Normative references  
The following reference s 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.  
US 201  Drinking (potable) water — Specification  
ISO 6673; Green coffee ─ determination of the loss in mass at 105 °C  
ISO 3509 ; Coffee and coffee products -- Vocabulary  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply . 
3.1  
coffee Cherry  
fresh, c omplete fruit of the coffee tree  
3.2 
bean 
seed of the coffee fruit 
3.3 
parchment  (endocarp )  
the coffee fruit endocarp located between the fleshy part (pulp) and the silver skin. It is a thin, crumbly paper -
like covering left on wet -processed beans after p ulping and fermentation, removed during hulling.  
3.4 
endosperm  
the material inside the developing cherry  which ultimately forms the coffee beans.  
3.5 
epicarp/Exocarp/  skin 
a mono cellular layer of the cherry  covered with a waxy substance ensuring protecti on of the cherry  
3.6 
Floating/ floats coffee  
coffee cherry  of low density, buoyant in water    
2 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 3.7 
Mesocarp  
intermediate layer of tissues between the epicarp and the parchment . It consists mainly of pectinaceous 
mucilage and pulp  
3.8  
mucilage  
slimmy layer fo und between the pulp and adhering to the parchment inside a coffee cherry, but not removed 
by pulping.  
3.9 
naked beans  
parchment coffee that has been partly or entirely peeled of its parch during pulping and/or washing  
3.10 
pulp 
fleshy outer layer of the  mesocarp, directly beneath and including the skin, removed with a pulping machine  
3.11 
defects  
undesirable particles found in bulk green coffee. Defects may include various types of beans, or parts of 
beans, cherry  tissue and foreign matter . 
3.12 
gleanin g or sweeping  
a collection of coffee cherry  found lying on the ground beneath coffee bushes, having either become detached 
during harvest or abscised during development.  
3.13 
selection  
a technological operation intended to sort coffee cherries to size, den sity and degree of maturity  
3.14 
dry processing  
treatment consisting of drying  coffee cherries to give husk coffee ,(Kiboko)  followed by mechanical removal of 
the dried pericarp to produce green coffee.  
3.15 
wet process  
treatment of coffee cherries, consis ting of mechanical removal of the exocarp in the presence of water,  
removal of all the mesocarp by fermentation or other methods, and washing followed by drying to produce  
parchment coffee which is subsequently stripped of its parchment to produce green co ffee 
3.16 
pulping  
treatment used in wet processing to remove the exocarp and as much as possible of the mesocarp by 
mechanical means  
3.17 
Fermentation process  
treatment intended to digest the mucilaginous mesocarp adhering to the parchment of the pulped c offee, 
allowing its elimination by washing. The fermentation process can be replaced by a mechanical demucilaging 
system to remove the mucilage by friction.   
3.18 
Green coffee,  
the dried seed of coffee plant separated from non food tissues of the fruit.  DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  3 
 4 Pre-harvest  
4.1 General  
Infection of the seed by OTA -producing fungi can take place in the garden  and grow enough to pro duce OTA 
by the time of harvest. The  infection on the plant may involve  two different contamination routes which may be 
either through t he flowers without visible sign s, or that is brought about as a result of  insect invasion such as 
the coffee berry borer (CBB) (Hypothenemus hampei),  that can carry spores to the cherry  by making holes in 
the cherries and one or more  tunnels in the beans l eaving visible signs.  
4.2 Recommended practices to reduce the development and spore load from OTA -
producing fungi on coffee plants and beans  
4.2.1 Good Agricultural practices   
4.2.1.1 Keep coffee plants vigorous through regular use of Good Agriculture Pra ctices such as good seed 
bed preparation, weeding; irrigation, pruning; fertilization,  mulching,  pest and disease control .  
4.2.1.2 In selecting a pruning system, its impact on leaf area should not be  neglect ed. This impact should be 
high since self -shadin g and high photosynthetic potential improves vigor in coffee.  
4.2.2  Coffee production by - products  
4.2.2.1  The by-products  may be used but shall first be composted until the material has reached a friable 
condition, requiring 3 -6 months depending on temp erature and moisture conditions.  
4.2.2.2  Avoid applying coffee  by-products  during or just prior to flowe ring. 
4.2.3  Overhead  irrigation  
Overhead irrigation sh ould not be used during  the flowering period  as this  could enhance  normal spore 
dispersal rates a nd increase the chance of infection of beans  
4.2.4  Cleanliness of garden  
4.2.4.1  Clean the garden  of fallen cherries , especially in the off -season . 
4.2.4.2  Un-composted coffee waste, household waste, waste from staple crops that may also be produced 
on th e farm or animal feed in or around the garden, seed and seed -associated material should not be 
deposited in the garden  since they may  encourage  proliferation of OTA producers.  
4.2.4. 3 Deploy alcohol traps for coffee berry borer  control especially in the ru n-up to and throughout 
harvesting and processing.  
4.2.4. 4 Promote p rograms of integrated pest management (IPM)  
5 Harvest  
5.1 General  
The harvesting method is dictated by a combination of the requirements of the processing method, economic 
considerations a nd availability of labour.  Coffee cherries should be processed as soon as possible after 
harvesting so as to bring the coffee to a more stable dry state . The harvesting rate, processing performance 
and labour availability must follow the  pace of the drying  rate.  
4 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 5.2 Harvesting systems  
Harvesting systems to be used may include : 
a) multi -pass selective picking (finger picking) where the picker takes only ripe cherries;  
b) multi -pass stripping where whole bearing shoots are stripped off only if bearing predominantl y ripe 
cherr ies;  
c) single -pass stripping where everything is stripped off as the workers get through the garden ;  
d) mechanical harvesting where mac hines, sometimes hand -operated and use vibration to knock the 
cherry  from the trees.  
Note: selective picking is  recommended for good quality coffee.  
5.3 Gleaning  (sweeping)   
5.3.2 Collecting Berries  that fall onto the ground sh ould be avoided  as fungal growth may occur  which can 
give rise to OTA  especially in humid conditions . However, brief contact with the ground  is not problematic but 
can become so if the contact period lengthens  in wet or humid climates, collection of coffee berries from the 
ground on the same day should be considered acceptable.  
5.3.3  Cherries  that have fallen onto the ground should be picked,  handled and stored  separately until they 
are processed to avoid the risk of contaminating the rest of the crop.  
5.3.4 Fallen berries that are collected should be rapidly subjected to processing  and drying since they have 
a higher likelihood of fungal grow th. 
5.3.5 Coffee that had been in contact with the farm soil for a collected longer period should be  destroyed  
5.4 Precaution s to be taken before and after harvest  
Harvest ing sh ould be started as soon as there are sufficient ripe berries for it to be econo mically viable. When 
the right time to commence harvest is decided,  the following  should be carried out:  
a) Removal of bush, fallen cherries and high weeds from the proximity of the trees  
b) where possible p lace picking mats , tarpaulins  or any other suitable ma terials beneath the trees  to 
protect the harvested berries  from contamination by old fallen berries and to improve harvesting 
efficiency  
c) Exercise appropriate selection , in accordance with sub section i or subsection ii below,  at the picking 
stage or befor e further processing or both to remove inferior cherry  from the main production chain as 
is suited to the processing method : 
i. Where coffee berry disease or Phoma commonly attack the cherry , only sorting by hand is done  to 
remove diseased and immature or ove r-mature cherry  from the main harvest . 
ii. Sorting using  buoyancy in water conveniently separates cherri es with one or more diseased seeds, 
some multi -hole CBB attacked cherri es and tree -dried cherry , all of which float, from a 
combination of ripe and immature  cherry , which sink.  
d) Establish c lear routines for processing and handling secondary products that arise from sorting or 
separation procedures in your production system . 
Note: It’s important to take harvested coffee promptly through the processing steps wit hout delay . In general, coffee is 
better left on the tree for a few days, rather than harvested and retained awaiting processing.  DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  5 
 6 Post -harvest  
6.1 General  
Changes start occurring once the coffee fruit is  detached from the plant . The  post harvest period is 
characterized by initial, transitional and final phases.   
The initial phase  begins with harvest. The product is in an  unstable state, and spoilage can be controlled 
through competitor micro -organisms , restricting oxygen and reducing the time which is cr itical in this state. In 
wet processing the high moisture phase may be extended and controlled through  fermentation, but it is 
desirable to reduce this time.   
The transitional phase  is the least stable and most difficult to predict . Spoilage  can only be co ntrolled by time 
limitation. Turning or stirring of the coffee is essential to promote uniform drying.  
The final phase  starts at the end of drying and continues until  roasting. The product is in a stable condition 
and control is necessary to prevent  water  re-introduction or redistribution in the bulk coffee. At some point 
during drying,  there is no further growth as the product reaches the low moisture phase  (moisture content 
below 13%)  
6.2 Dry Processing  
6.2.1 In dry processing system the whole harvested fruit is dried. Although it is a simpler process compared 
to wet processing, a good quality finished product may only be obtained through the application of good 
practices and proper management.  
 6.2.2 Drying of freshly  picked cherries should  start on the same day In some instances, the harvested 
cherry  is retained in bags or heaps for up to a week  leading to high temperatures and quick fermentation  
hence lo ss of quality and increas ed risk  of OTA in the product.  This practice should be avoided by farmers.  
6.2.3 Prior to drying, the harvested cherry  should be sorted to remove immature and over  mature cherries,  
and cherries damaged to CBD (coffee berry disease). Sorting may  be done either visually, or in combination 
with water floatation.   
6.3 Wet processing  
6.3.1 General  
Wet or washed processing requires a raw material composed of only ripe  cherries that have been selectively 
picked or are mechanically separated in the  process itself. Green immature cherries and dried cherries  are 
removed in a water  separator.  The mucilage is removed, either by fermentation, mechanically or using  
chemicals.  
In the fermentation process, the mucilage is broken down by fermenting the beans in water at ambient 
tempe rature (using microorganisms ) between 12 and 36 hours  (This time co uld even be as short as 6 hours in 
some hot region s therefore t he fermentation time of an area has to be determined ).The fermentation process 
should  be carefully monitored to ensure that the coffee does not acquire undesirable (sour) flavours. After 
fermen tation is complete  ( when parchment stops being slimy and gets gritty) , the coffee beans are washed in 
clean water tanks or in special washing machines.  
 
6.3.2 Recommended Control Procedures  for wet processing  
a) Wet processing equipment should  receive regula r maintenance, to reduce the possibility  of failures 
which could delay processing and compromise coffee quality and  safety.  The following procedures 
should be observed   
6 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 i. Before the beginning of the crop season: clean, reassemble and lubricate the processing equipment; 
inspect the installation and check  if it is operational, so that there is enough time for repairs if any 
problem occurs.  
ii. At the end of the crop season: clean, repair, lubricate, dust all equipment and protect from water. 
Check pulping surfaces f or wear . 
b) Provide proper orientation/training to the workers  on operation, care and maintenance  of wet 
processing equipment  and define their  responsibilities.  
c) Potable water  complying to US 201  should be used for processing, as dirty water could lead to 
conditions favourable to OTA production.  
d) Fermentation should be as short as  possible (6hr to 48 hr) to get the mucilage degraded and the 
beans washable. Monitoring procedures and frequencies should be established as well as the type 
and level of inoculums  (in the in -coming cherry) and ambient temperature.  
e) Fruit-flies should be monitored, as high populations can affect fermentation.  
f) Secondary coffee cherry, which can be defined as products separated by  sorting or other procedures 
and are  returned to the process ing, should have a specific control program (good drying practices 
should be applied, such as maintenance of separate facilities for drying).  
6.4 Drying of Processed Coffee beans  
6.4.1 Drying methods   
6.4.1.1 Sun drying . The coffee beans are spread on surf aces including but not limited to tarpaulin, 
plastic canvas, bamboo and sisal mats, raised tables covered in wire mesh or fish farm netting. In sun -drying, 
energy for the evaporation of water from coffee beans is provided by the sun and is expedited by air  
circulation   
6.4.1.2 Mechanical drying.  is used after pre -drying in the sun to a moisture content of about 40%. The 
main concerns with mechanical drying is excessive inlet of temperature generating black beans from 
immature beans and over drying causing a  loss of value, through weight loss, for the producer  
6.4.1.3 Solar dryers . a solar dryer is a proper drying tool that allows regular turning of the coffee beans; 
ensures good ventilation and protects coffee from foreign matter on the ground and re -wettin g from rain.  
6.4.2 Recommended practices  for wet processing  
6.4.2.1 The drying yard sh ould be located away from contaminant sources  and should  receive maximum 
sun exposure and air circulation, during most of the day, to speed u p the drying of the beans. Sh aded  and low 
areas should be avoided.  
6.4.3.2 The surface for the drying yard should be chosen according to the climate of the region, cost and 
quality of the dried product, as any type of surface has advantages and disadvantages  as shown below:  
a) Bare soil  should  not be used as it encourages other forms of contaminations  
b) Plastic canvas becomes  humid under the coffee layer, promoting fungal growth. In rainy or wet 
regions coffee should  be covered and re -spread, once the surface has dried.  
If parchment coffe e is to be dried, ensure that the drying surface is cleanable, in order to avoid picking up 
taints.  DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  7 
 6.4.2.3 Plan to harvest based on the processing/drying yard capacity and the average required residenc e 
time for drying. In addition,  a contingency plan should be in place  since poor weather can occur and increase 
drying yard residence time.  
6.4.2.4 The pace and total time of the harvest sh all be based on the available area of the drying yard and 
the average time necessary for drying, considering both good an d bad weather.  
a. Coffee c ommitted to the drying yard should  be carefully managed to make the most of prevailing 
conditions, on the one hand, and to avoid adverse possibilities that could occur in any outdoor 
process. The princip al parameters available to con trol this process include:  
b. Keep different types of coffee  and different da y’s harvests separate and use an identification system.  
c. Dry coffee only in thin layers, 3 to 5 cm in depth which is equivalent to 25 to 35 kg/m2  of fresh 
parchment or coffee cherry . In some cases where there is low air humidity, good air circulation and 
sun intensity, or in usually dry regions, thicker layers may be used.  Different regions could apply 
different norms based on climatic differences  
d. Turn over the coffee layer constantly  during the day time to allow faster drying, to reduce the risk of 
fungi growing and help to produce a better quality product.  
e. Allow for the appropriate ventilation of the wet coffee during the night in order to avoid condensation. 
After one day of drying for parchment and three days for coffee cherry , the coffee can be heaped and 
covered at night or during rainy weather, to avoid re -wetting.  
f. Protect the drying yard area from animals, which can be a source of biological contamination for the 
drying coffee.  
g. Regularly monitor CBB populations on the drying yard, during cherry drying. The thickness of coffee 
layers during drying should be controlled (not more than 4cms) so as not to make it a conducive 
environment for CBB infestation and mould growth  
h. Monitor the  drying process regularly . Start taking samples from different points of each lot, two or 
three days before it is expected to be fully dry and continue re -evaluating it daily until it reaches the 
desired moisture content  (<13% for both parchment and coffee  cherry) . Biting or shaking, can be 
effective in this assessment but stronger measures to ‘verify’ these measures against a reliable 
instrument should be undertaken. Moisture content  measures shall be adopted and practiced at field 
level. Moisture meter sh all be shall be calibrated to ISO 6673 standard .  
i. Avoid rewetting the beans because it favours rapid fungal growth and the possibility of OTA 
production.  
j. Provide a clear and practical training for drying yard worker s, including adequate use of moisture 
measuring equipment.  
k. After the harvest season, clean and protect the drying surface and equipment as appropriate.  
l. Before drying commences, inspect, repair, clean and commission the equipment and the on -farm 
store. This  includes easily over -looked items such as baskets, tarpaulins, rakes, barrows, sacks, and 
stitching  cord. Develop a checklist.  
m. Once dry, store the dry produc t in food grade  materials and in appropriate storage conditions  
7 Coffee cleaning and sorting  
7.1 Carry out operations that add value t o the traded coffee , before it is sold and sent for roasting . These 
operations may include; post-cleaning, sorting, grading into size classes, re -bagging, sometimes re -drying, 
storage and transport   
8 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 7.2 This process should not physically damage the product as this  will make it more susceptible to 
contamination/deterioration nor introduce  new contamination and should assure reduction of undesirable 
materials to  acceptable pre -determined levels.  This can be achieved through  the following recommendations;  
i. Ensur e the facilities and equipment are regularly inspected, maintained and cleaned, through 
implementation of cleaning and maintenance programmes.  
ii. When storage is combined with cleaning and sorting, attention is required to avoid contamination of post -
cured co ffee with the curing by -products of dust and foreign matter, (e.g. through the use of partition walls 
or extractor fans).  
iii. Remove defects from main -crop production, discarding or screening them before their inclusion into the 
food chain. There is no uniform  distribution of defects within the classes of beans separated from bulk 
coffee and evidence shows that defective beans and husk s (also a defect) sometimes contain higher OTA 
levels than sound beans. Based on further investigations of OTA contamination of defects authorities 
should provide clear guidance to the stakeholders.  
8 Storage  
7.1 Properly identified lots of dried cherries or the dried parchment coffee should be  stored, at the farm or in 
out-of-farm warehouses, in bulk or in clean bags under  approp riate storage conditions.  At all stages during 
storage, m inimum hygiene requirements and a rapid assessment method (including a sampling method with 
representative sub -sample of the in -coming lot for moisture content determination, defect levels, general 
physical quality assessment and  visual or smell signs of mouldiness) should be established.  
7.2 During the entire process, the coffee should be protected from re -wetting, degradation and cross -
contamination. In long term storage conditions, humidity should be kept under strict control  in the range  of 
60% to 80%. the coffee will start to absorb water.  
Note: Moisture in the storage place can originate from damp floors and walls, rain, dead air, and the mixing of dry with wet 
coffee. Appropriate storage facili ties, the use of good storage practice and regular monitoring can prevent or reduce 
problems.  
7.3 In lower grade coffee, it has been observed that  beans  with black and sour defects  more likely 
contained the highest levels of OTA. Tolerance for such defects  in sorted green  beans  should be low and the 
out-sorted defective beans should not be re -blended  into clean coffee or sold directly to roasters unless 
representative sampling plan  and direct OTA analysis has shown them to be acceptable.   
7.4 Storage standa rds should be maintained at all levels along the value chain.  
7.5 Do not expose stored coffee to direct sunlight nor store it near heating  sources, to avoid the possibility 
of temperature differentials and water  migration.  
7.6 A Good storage management sys tem should  allow the best execution  of receiving, sale and value -
added operations that will preserve the coffee quality until it is sold to the next stakeholder in the value  chain. 
The main recommendations are:  
i. Record initial condition and age of the recei ved stocks , label  and stack  according to product type . 
ii. Arrange the coffee bags on pallets and away from walls, to allow good air circulation.  
iii. Implement cleaning and maintenance programmes in order to ensure that storage facilities are 
periodically inspecte d, cleaned and renewed.  
iv. Check coffee weevil in the warehouse, using integrated pest management.  
v.  A coffee store should not be used to store other materials such as household items, food, b icycles, 
animals, firewood.  DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  9 
 7.7 The warehouse design and structure s hould be adequate to maintain dryness  and uniformity of the  
stored c offee and its desirable characteristics are:  
i. Cement floor with a damp proof course;  
ii. not subject to flooding;  
iii. water pipelines properly located to avoid wetting  coffe e in case of plumbing pr oblems;  
iv. water proof windows and roof and  
v. a high ceiling to allow good air circulation.  
9 Transportation  
Coffee  in Uganda can be transported using but not limited to vehicles, bicycles and animals  
Temperature fluctuations during the transportation time can cause condensation of the remaining water 
present even in well -dried beans) and local re -wetting. The redistribution of water can lead to fungal growth, 
with the possibility of OTA production.  Transport of coffee also requires the adoption of practices to  avoid re -
wetting, to maintain temperature as uniform as possible , and to prevent contamination by other materials . 
The Recommended practices before and during transportation are as follows;  
a) The Transport means should be cleaned to remove residues of the p revious cargo;  
b) In case of vehicle transport, it should have floor, side walls and the ceiling (in closed vehicles) 
checked for the presence of points where exhaust fumes or water from rain can be channelled into the 
coffee cargo.  
c) Tarpaulins and plastic c anvas used to cover the cargo should also be regularly checked to ensure 
they are clean and without holes.  
d) The transport mean should also receive regular maintenance to be kept in good condition and reliable 
transport service -providers that adopt the recom mended good transportation practices should be 
selected by operators.  
e) Cover coffee loading and unloading areas to protect against rain.  
f) Check coffee lots from the point where the coffee leaves the loading area to the point at which the 
coffee is unloaded, stored and/or subjected to other processing procedures such as roasting, to 
ensure that they are clean dried and below 13% moisture content, free from foreign matter and 
respecting the established defect levels  
g) to ensure that they are uniformly dried and b elow 13% moisture content, free of foreign matter and 
respecting the established defect levels.  
h) Check containers, before loading, to ensure they are clean, dry and without structural damage that 
could allow water to enter into the container.  
i) Bags should be  well stacked and crossed over for mutual support in order to avoid the formation of 
empty vertical columns (chimneys). The ceiling  and sides of the container should be covered with 
materials that can absorb condensed water, such as silica gel or cardboard  for protection against the 
growth of fungi that could result in OTA production. For coffee in bulk a sealable plastic liner (e.g. big 
bag which allows aeration) is desirable and this should be kept away from the roof of the container.   
10 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 j) Choose an appropriat e place, not d irectly exposed to the weather aboard the transport means  to 
reduce the possibility of undesirable situations mentioned that can lead to OTA contamination.  
k) Keep the ventilation holes in the containers free.  
l) Avoid putting bags directly  on the deck (top layer) and store  away from boilers and heated tanks or 
bulkheads.  
m) Coffee consignments should not be mixed with non coffee products during transportation  DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  11 
  Annex  A 
(informative)  
 
 
A.1 Coffee Cherry  
 
 
 
 
 
  
12 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 A.2  Dry processing flow   
 DUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  13 
 A.3 Wet proce ssing flow   
  
14 © UNBS 2013  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] CAC/RCP 69  -2009 ; code of practice for the prevention and production ochratoxin a contamination in 
coffee   
[2] FAO,  Guidelines for the Prevention of Mould Formation in Coffee  
[3] Codex stan 193 -1995; Codex General Standard fo r contaminants and toxins   in food and feed  
[4] CAC/RCP 51 -2003 ; Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin Contamination in 
Cereals  including annexes on ochratoxin a, zearalenone, fumonisins and tricothecenes  
 WDUS  1536: 2013  
© UNBS 2013 – All rights reserved  15 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunde r. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product  is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continual ly checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 CDUS 153 6: 2013    
 
ICS 67.160.20  
Price based on nn pages  
© UNBS 2013 – All rights reserv ed