DEAS 758:2018  
 
 
ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
DRAFT  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
 
 
Finger millet grains — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
Second Edition 2018  
 
  
DEAS  758:2018  
 
 
 
 
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DEAS 758:2018  
Contents  
 
Foreword   
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  1 
 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  1 
 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  1 
 
4 Quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  2 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
4.2 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  3 
 
5 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  3 
5.1 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  3 
5.2 Other contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 4 
 
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
 
8 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 4 
 
9 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 758:2018  
Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been 
necessitated by the need for harmonizing 
requirements governi ng 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 represe ntatives 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 
standardDRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD                                                                    DEAS 758:2018  
 
Finger millet grains — Specification  
 
1 Scope  
This East African Standard specifies the requirements sampling and test methods  for 
finger millet grains of varieties  (cultivars) grown  from Eleusine coracana  (L.) Gaertner 
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 ap plies. For undated references, the latest edition 
of the  document (including any amendments) applies .  
 
EAS 901, Cereal and Pulses - Test methods   
EAS 900 , Cereal and Pulses - Sampling  
  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Specifica tion  
EAS 39, Code of Hygiene Practice in Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry   
CODEX STAN 193 , Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved  
 
 
 
 
   
3 Terms and Definition  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 
finger millet grain  
grain having the characteristics of the species Eleusine coracana  (L.) Gaertner  
 
3.2 
foreign matter  
all o rganic and inorganic material other than maize grain, broken kernels and other grains  
 
3.2.1  
inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
 
3.2.2  
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds) other th an grain of maize, damaged 
maize grain, other grains, inorganic extraneous matter and harmful/toxic seeds . 
3.3 
filth  
impurities of animal origin  
 
3.4 
other edible grains  
edible grains (including oil seeds) other than finger millet  
 
3.5 
defective/ damaged  grains  
grains that are sprouted , pest or weather  damaged.   
 
 
 
 
  
3.6 
pest damaged grain  
grain which shows damage or owing attack by rodents, insects, mite s or other pests  
 
3.7 
harmful/noxious seeds  
 
seeds such as Jimson weed — Datura (D. fastuosa Linn and D. stramonium Linn.) corn  
cokle (Agrostemma githago L., Machai Lallium remulenum Linn.) Akra (Vicia species), Argemone 
mexicana, Khesari and other seeds  which can have a damaging or dangerous effect on health, 
sensory properties or technological performance  
 
 
3.8 
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 pr oduct  
 
3.9 
test weight  
density of a measured volume of grain expressed in kilograms per hectoliter.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved  
  
4 Quality requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Finger millet  grains  shall be:  
a) clean, wholesome, uniform in size and shape;   
 
b) well -filled grains  of uniform colour;  
 
c) free from musty  or other undesirable o dour . 
 
d) prac tically free from live pests;  
 
e) practically free from noxious or harmful seeds in amounts that could be harmful to 
human health.  
  
4.2 Specific requirements  
Finger millet shall comply with the limits given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the test methods specified therein . 
Table 1 — Specific requirements  
S/N Characteristic   Grade  Test Method  
 
  1 2 3  
i Foreign   Matter  % m/m  1.0 EAS 901, Clause 4  
ii Inorganic   % m/m  0.25 EAS 901, Clause 4  
iii Other Edible grains  % m/m  1.5 EAS 901, Clause 4  
iv Damaged grains  % m/m  5.0 EAS 901, Clause 4  
v Moisture content  % m/m  13.5 EAS 901, Clause 5  
vi Test weight kg/hl  75 -82 EAS 901, Clause 8  
viii Filth % m/m  0.1 EAS 901, Clause 4  
 
 
5 Contaminants  
5.1 Pesticide residues  
Finger millet 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  
Finger millet grains shall comply with those maximum limits for other contaminants 
established in CODEX STAN 193.  
 
5.2.1 Heavy metals  
Finger millet grain shall co mply with those limits for heavy metals specified in CODEX STAN 
193 established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved   
5.2.2 Mycotoxin  
Finger millet grain shall  comply with  the mycotoxin limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission as given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with the test methods 
specified therein  
 
Table 2 — Mycotoxins limits for Finger millet grains  
S/N Mycotoxin  limit  
 Test method  
i.  Total Aflatoxin 
(AFB1+AFB2+AFG1+AFG2), 
ppb, max  10 EAS901 , Clause  9 
or 10  
ii.  Aflatoxin B 1  ppb, max  5 
iii.  Fumon isins ppm, max  2 EAS901 , 10 or 11  
 
6 Hygiene  
Finger millet shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with the provisions of 
appropriate sections of EAS 39  
 
7 Weight and M easures  
Finger millet grains shall be packaged in accordance with the weights and measures regulations 
of the destination country.  
NOTE  EAC Part ner States are signatory to the International Labour Organizations (ILO) for 
maximum package weight of 50 kg where human loading and offloading is involved.  
 
8 Packaging  
8.1 Finger millet grains shall be packed in foo d grade packaging materials which will safeguard 
the hygienic, nutritional and organoleptic qualities of the product  
 
8.2  Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.  
 
 
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved   
 
 
9.0  Labelling  
9.1 In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package sh all be legibly and indelibly 
labelled with the following:  
a) product name as “ Finger millet grains ”; 
b) grade;  
c) name, address and physical location of the producer/packer/importer;  
d) lot/batch/code number;  
e) net weight, in kilograms;  
f) the declaration  “Food for Human Consumption’’;  
g) storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
h) crop year;  
i) packing date;  
j) instructions on disposal of used package;  
k) country of origin; and  
l) declaration on whether the Sorghum w as genetically modified, where applicable.  
 
9.2 Labelling of non -retail containers  
Information detailed in 10.1 shall be given either on the container or in accompanying 
documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification and the name and a ddress of 
the processor or packer as well as storage instructions, shall appear on the container.  
However, lot identification and the name and address of the processor or packer may be 
replaced by an identification mark provided that such a mark is clearly  identifiable with the 
accompanying documents.  
 
10  Sampling  
Sampl ing shall be done in accordance with the EAS 900.  
 
 
 
 
 
© EAC 2018  – All rights reserved