PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS DEAS 2 
Third Edition  
2016-mm- dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DEAS 2: 2016 
© UNBS 201 6 
  
Maize grains — Specification  
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 2:2016 
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 nece ssary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 20 16 
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 41 7 333 2 50/1/2/3  
Fax: +256 41 4 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DEAS 2:2016 
© 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 esta blished 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 Commiss ion 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 standar ds 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 
gener al 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 2: 2016, Maize grains — Specification , is identical with  and has 
been reproduced from a  Draft East African  Standard , DEAS 2: 2016, Maize grains — Specification , and is 
being proposed for adoption  as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was de veloped 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 2:2016 
ICS 67.060  
© EAS 2015                                                                                                                           Fourth Edition 2015  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
Maize grains — Specification 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 2:2016 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  ii 
 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 2015 — 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 2:2016 
© EAC 2015 – 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.  
EAS 2:2015 was prepared by Technical Committee EAS/TC 014, Cereals, Pulses and related products  
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (EAS 2:2013) which has been technically revised. 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD   DEAS 2:201 6 
 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  1 
 Maize qrains — Specification 
1 Scope 
This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for maize 
grains of varieties grown from common maize  grains, Zea Mays indentata  L., and/or Zea mays indurata  L., or 
their hybrids intended for human consumption. 
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 2001.04, Determination of Fumonisins B1 and B2 in corn and corn flakes —Liquid chromatography with 
immunoaffinity column cleanup  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Requirements  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
ISO 605, Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety — Test 
methods 
Replace   with ISO 6540 –( Analysts to validate) 
ISO 5223, Test sieves for cereals 
ISO 6579, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp. 
ISO 6888- 1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase-positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird-Parker agar medium 
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
ISO 16050, Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G 1 and G 2 in 
cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
ISO 21527, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of yeasts 
and moulds — Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0.95 
ISO 24333, Cereals and cereal products - Sampling 
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
3.1 
maize (corn) 
shelled grains or kernels of the species Zea mays indentata L, (dent maize) and/or Zea mays indurata  L, (flint 
maize), or their hybrids PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  2 
 3.2 
pest damaged  
grains which show damage or owing attack by rodents, insects, mites or other pests 
3.3 
stained  
kernels whose natural colour has been altered by external factors.  These include ground, soil or weather 
damaged kernels  which may have dark stains or discolouration with a rough external appearance. 
3.4 
rotten and diseased  
 grains affected by  mould growth  or bacterial decomposition, or other causes that may be noticed without 
having to cut the grains to examine them and renders it unsafe for human consumption rework 
 3.5 
discoloured  
Kernels which are  damaged, by heat, frost or ,water  
3.6 
mouldy  
grains with visible mycelial growth on its tip or surface 
3.7 
Immature and  shrivelled  
grains which are underdeveloped, thin  and papery in appearance  
3.8 
broken kernels 
pieces of maize which pass through a 4.50 mm round hole metal sieve  ISO  definition(move the sieve size to 
the specifics table) 
3.9 
other grains 
edible grains, whole or identifiable broken, other than maize (i.e., cereals, pulses and other edible legumes) 
 
3.10 
foreign matter 
all organic and inorganic material(such as sand, soil, glass)other than maize, broken kernels and other grains 
3.10. 1 
inorganic  matter 
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
3.10.2 
organic  matter 
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds)  other than grains of maize, damaged maize grains, 
other grains, inorganic extraneous matter and harmful/toxic matter  
3.11 
harmful matter/toxic matter 
any substances in maize grain that can have a damaging or dangerous effect on health 
 
3.12 
Harmful/noxious seeds 
seeds such as Crotolaria (Crotalaria spp.), Corn cockle (Agrostemma githago L.), Castor bean (Ricinus 
communis L.), Jimson weed (Datura spp.) which, can have a damaging or dangerous effect on health, 
sensory properties or technological performance 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  3 
 3.13 
filth 
impurities of animal origin    refer 
3.14 
defective/damaged  
pest damaged, discoloured, diseased, immature and shrivelled grains and broken grains 
3.14 
food grade packaging material 
 material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not impart any 
toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product 
4.0. Description 
Maize may be presented as yellow, white, or red, or a mixture of these colours 
i)yellow maize 
grains which are yellow and dark red in colour, provided the dark red colour covers less than 50 % of the 
surface of the grain. 
ii)White  maize 
grains which are white and/or light pink in colour are considered to be white maize. White maize also means 
maize grains which are white and pink in colour, provided the pink colour covers less than 50 % of the surface  
iii)Red Maize  
grains which are pink and white, grey or dark red and yellow in colour are considered to be red maize, 
provided the pink or dark red or yellow colour covers 50 % or more of the surface of the grain  
4.1 Quality requirements  
4.1.1 Maize may be presented as yellow, white, or red, or a mixture of these colours. 
4.1.2. Yellow maize shall contain not more than 5.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains 
which are yellow and/or light red in colour are considered to be yellow maize. Yellow maize also means maize 
grains which are yellow and dark red in colour, provided the dark red colour covers less than 50 % of the 
surface of the grain.  
4.1.3 White maize shall contain not more than 2.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains 
which are white and/or light pink in colour are considered to be white maize. White maize also means maize 
grains which are white and pink in colour, provided the pink colour covers less than 50 % of the surface of the 
grain. 
4.1.4  Red maize shall contain not more than 5.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize grains which 
are pink and white, grey or dark red and yellow in colour are considered to be red maize, provided the pink or 
dark red or yellow colour covers 50 % or more of the surface of the grain. 
4.2 classification requirements  
4.2.1 Maize may be presented as flint or dent or their hybrids or mixtures thereof. 
4.2.2Flint maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of flint 
maize. 
4.2.3. Dent maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of dent 
maize. PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  4 
 4.2.4 Flint and dent maize includes maize of any colour which consists of more than 5% but less than 95.0 
% of flint maize. 
4.3 General requirements 
 
Maize shall be practically free from foreign odours, moulds, live pests, , toxic or noxious weed seeds, other 
edible grains and other injurious contaminants as determined from samples representative of the lot. 
 
4.2 Specific requirements   
Maize grains shall be categorised into three grades on the basis of the tolerable limits established in Table 1. 
   Table1 ― Specific requirements  
5 Contaminants 
5.1 Pesticide residues 
Maize grains shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity  
NOTE Where the use of certain pesticides is prohibited by some Partner States, it should be notified to all Partner 
States accordingly. 
5.2 Other contaminants 
5.2.1  Maize grains shall comply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the codex 
alimentarius commission for this commodity. 
5.2.2 Maize grains shall comply with the maximum limits for mycotoxins as stipulated in table 2 below 
 S/N Characteristics  Maximum limits  Method of 
test 
Grade 1  Grade 2  Grade 3  
i)  Foreign matter, % m/m  0.5 1.0 1.5 
ISO 605  
 ii)  Broken kernels, % m/m  2.0 4.0 6.0 
iii)  Pest damaged grains, % m/m  1.0 3.0 5.0 
iv)  Rotten and Diseased gr ains, % m/m   (1)  (2)  (3) 
v)  Discoloured grains, % m/m  1.5 2.0 2.5   
vi)  Moisture, % m/m  13.5 ISO 6540  
vii)  Immature and shrivelled grains, % m/m  1.0 2.0 3.0 
ISO 605  
viii)  Filth, % m/m  0.1 
ix)  Total defective grains, % m/m  3.2 
 6.3 9.5 ISO 605  
NOTE 1  The paramete r, Total defective grains is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited to 70 % of the 
sum total of individual defects.  
NOTE 2  The parameter, Discoloured grains is limited to at least 25% discolouration on both sides of the kennel  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  5 
 Table 3 Mycotoxin limits for maize grain 
 
6 Hygiene 
6.1 Maize grains shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with the provisions of appropriate 
sections of EAS 39.  
6.2 When tested by appropriate standards of sampling and examination listed in Clause 2, the products 
shall: 
a) be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health and shall not exceed 
the limits provided in Table 4; 
b) be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health; and 
c) not contain any substance originating from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard 
to health. 
7 Packaging 
7.1  Maize grains shall be packed in food grade containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, and 
organoleptic qualities of the products. 
7.2 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed. 
8 Weights and measures 
Maize grain shall be package in accordance with the weights and measures regulations in the destination 
country. 
NOTE: EAC Partner States are signatory to the International Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package weight of 
50 kg where human loading and offloading is involved. 
9 Labelling 
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with the 
following: 
i) product name as “White Maize Grains, Yellow Maize Grains, Red Maize Grains or Mixed Maize Grains”;  
ii) grade; 
iii) name, address and physical location of the producer/ packer/importer; 
iv) lot/batch/code number; 
v) net weight, in kilograms; 
vi) the declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’;  
vii) storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  S/N Mycotoxin  Limit  Method of test  
i) Total aflatoxin (AFB 1+AFB 2+AFG 1 +AFG 2), µg/kg, max.  10 
ISO 16050  
ii) Aflatoxin B 1, µg/kg, max.  5 
iii) Fumonisi n, mg/kg, max.  2 AOAC 2001.04  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved  6 
 viii) crop year; 
ix) packing date; 
x) instructions on disposal of used package; 
xi)  country of origin; and 
xii) a declaration on whether the maize was genetically modified where applicable. 
10 Methods of sampling 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with the ISO 24333. 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDEAS 2:2015    
 
© EAC 2015 – All rights reserved