DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 1598 
First Edition  
2015-mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS  1598: 2015 
© UNBS 2015  
    
Spirit-based ready to drink alcoholic beverages  — Specification   
 DUS  1598: 2015 
ii © UNBS 2015 – 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 20 15 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
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permission from UNBS.  
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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 1598:2015 
© UNBS 2015 – All rights reserved  iii 
 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 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/S PS Agreements 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 representative s 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 has been developed as a result of a need to provide guidance to industry in 
produc tion and regulation of  Ready to Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage  by subcommittee  on Drinks, 
Water a nd related Beverages  (SC16)  of the Food and Agriculture standards Technical C ommittee (TC 2)  
 
. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS  1598: 2015 
 
© UNBS 2015 – All rights reserved  1 
 Spirit-based read y to drink alcoholic beverages — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft Uganda Standard specifies  the requirements ,  method of sampling and test for  Ready to Drink Spirit 
Based Alcoholic Beverage s (RTD) . 
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. F or dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
US 28 Code of practice for hygiene  in the food and drink manufacturing industry  
US EAS 12:2014, P otable water — Specification  
US217 -1/EAS 217 -1, Methods for the microbiological examination of foods — Part 1 -1: General procedures 
and techniques   
US EAS 38:2013, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
US EAS 104:2014, Alcoholic beverage s — Methods of sampling and test  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
3.1  
Ready To Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage s (RTD)  
these are low strength carbonated and  pasteurized  or as eptically packaged  alcoholic beverages derived from 
blending of neutral spirits as base with permitted foodadditives .  
4 Requirements   
4.1 General quality requirements  
4.1.1 The product shall be free from sediments or su spended foreign matter  except for the components 
incorporated in colloidal suspension and roughage from fruit/juice.  
4.1.2  The product may contain permitted food colors  and additives as defined by Codex Alimentarius  
Commision . (bring GMP from codex)  
4.1.3 The product shall possess the characteristics taste and aroma associated with respective base spirit. 
To enhance the characteristics flavor  of the product, permitted flavors  may be used.  DUS  1598: 2015 
2 © UNBS 2015 – All rights reserved  
 4.1.4 The product shall be carbonated with carbon dioxide  
4.1.6 The water used in the manufac ture of the product shall be po table complying with US  EAS12  
4.2 Specific q uality requirements  
Ready To Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage s shall comply with the compositional requirements indicated 
in Table 1 when tested in accordance with US EAS 104 . 
Table 1 ― Quality requirements for Ready to Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage s 
S/N 
 Characteristic  Requirement limits  
   
ii. pH 2.7.00 – 4.5.00 
iii. Total acidity g/L, as citric  2.00 – 7.00 
iv. Volatile acidity  g/L, max.  0.5 
v. Ethyl alcohol content %, v/v  3.00 – 8.00 
vi Carbon dioxide %, v/v max  2.7 
vii Sugar, % (m/v) max. (g/L)  20 ( look at codex limit for 
food additive)  
viii Methyl alcohol  (mg/L)  30  
5 Contaminants  
The maximum limits for heavy metal contaminants  in Ready to Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage  shall 
comply with the requirements in Table 2  when tested in accord ance with  USEAS 104  
Table 2 ― Contamina nts limits for Ready to Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage  
S/No  Contaminant   
 Maximum limit 
(mg/L) 
i.  Copper (as Cu) ,  2 
ii.  Lead (as Pb) , 0.1 
iii.  Arsenic, as arsenic ,  0.1 
iv.  Zinc,. 5 (cross check zn 
amd Cu with WHO 
requirements)  
6 Microbiological limits  
The maximum limits for m icrobiological contaminants in ready to drink spirit based alcoholic drink shall comply 
with the requirements in Table 3  when tested in accordance with US217 -1/EAS217 -1 
Table 3 ― Microbiological limits for ready to drink spirit based alcoholic drink  
S/No  Type of microbe  Limit (mL ) 
i.  Acetic acid bacteria  Shall be absent  
ii.  Lactic acid bacteria  Shall be absent  DUS  1598: 2015 
© UNBS  2015 – All rights reserved  3 
 iii.  Hydrogen sulphide producing bacteria   Shall be absent  
iv.    
7 Hygiene  
Ready To Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage  shall be produced  in accordance with US  28. 
8 Weights and measures  
e The ready to drink Alcoholic beverages shall be packaged in accordance to the weights and measures act 
(check Year)  
9 Packaging and labelling  
9.1 Packaging  
Ready To Drink Spirit B ased Alcoholic Beverage  shall be packaged in food grade containers, which protect 
the product from damage.  
9.2 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements of the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre -packaged Foods,  US EAS 38 , 
the following specific prov isions apply:  
i. Name of the product  shall be “Ready to Drink Spirit Based Alcoholic Beverage s” in close proximity to 
the brand name  
ii. Name, physical location and address of manufacturer;  
iii. Ethyl alcohol content, % by volume;  
iv. List of ingredients in descending ord er of proportion by mass;  
v. Net contents in accordance with the weights and measures Act (  ) requirements;  
vi. Date of manufacture,  
vii. Best before  date;  
viii. batch identification number/code;  
ix. Country of origin.  
x. Statutory warnings  
xi. Storage condition  
and 
xii. A statement “Not for sale to persons  under 18 years”  DUS  1598: 2015 
4 © UNBS 2015 – All rights reserved  
 9.3 Sampling and methods of test  
Sampling and t esting shall be carried out in accordance with USEAS 104  
. DUS  1598: 2015 
© UNBS  2015 – All rights reserved  5 
 Bibliography  
[1] REGULATION (EC) No 110/2008 OF THE EURO PEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 
January 200 8 
[2] KS 2150, Spirit -based ready to drink alcoholic beverages – Specification, 2008  
. DUS  1598: 2015 
© UNBS 2015 – All rights reserved  7 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standar ds 
(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 
thereunder. 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 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and co nditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 DUS  1534 : 2015   
 
ICS 67.160.10  
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© UNBS 2015– All rights reserved