KENYA STANDARD          KS 1299: 2016 
           ICS 67.080.01 
 
 
 
   
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 Fresh bitter gourds (k arela) — Specification 
 
 
   
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
   
  ©KEBS 2016             Third  Edition 2006 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 1299: 2016  
                     © KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved ii 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION 
 The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee: 
:  
Agriculture Food and Fisheries Authority — Horticultural Crops Directorate Kenya Flower Council (KFC) 
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) 
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fi sheries — State Department of Agriculture 
Rapid Result Agricultural program 
Consumer Information Network Institute of Packaging 
Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya 
Kenya institute of food science and technology. 
University of Nairobi-Department of Plant science and crop protection 
AAA growers Hortimpact program-SNV 
Society of crop Agribusiness advisors  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat 
  
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS 
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome. 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2016 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of section 6 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of the Laws of Kenya, copyright subsis ts in all 
Kenya Standards and except as provided under section 7 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 M anaging 
Director. 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
© KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved           iii  
 
KENYA STANDARD                         KS 1299: 2016 
     ICS 67.080.01 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
Fresh bitter gourds (karela) — Specification 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS) 
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi-00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031 
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region    Lake Region         Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa-80100  P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu-40100       P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru-20100 Tel.: (+254 041) 229563, 230939/40               Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396       Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555 
Fax: (+254 041) 229448   Fax: (+254 057) 21814
 KS 1299: 2016  
                     © KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved iv  
 
 
Foreword 
 
This Kenya standard has been prepared by the Horticultural fresh produce technical 
committee and is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of standards. 
 
This standard has been developed in recognition of the contribution of the horticultural 
industry towards the Kenyan economy.It is expected that the standard will promote trade fair practices, safeguard the health and safety of the consumer and protect the environment. 
 
In the development of this standard reference has been made to the following document  
FAO/MOA handbook: Assistance in production of Asian vegetables. 
 Acknowledgement is made for the assistance received from these sources. 
© KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved          1  
                                                     KS 1299: 2016 
 
 
Fresh bitter gourds (karela) — Specification 
 
1 Scope 
 
This Kenya Standard specifies quality requirem ents for fresh edible fruits of bitter gourds 
(Mormodica charantia  L.) 
 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.  
 
CAC/RCP 53-2003, Code of hygienic practice for fresh fruits and vegetables   
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Specification  
 
ISO 874, Fresh fruits and vegetables – Sampling  
 ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of lead content — 
Flameless atomic  
 ISO 7558, Guide to the prepackaging of fresh fruits and vegetables 
 3. Application 
 The standard is to define the quality requirements for fresh green beans after preparation and packaging. 
However, if applied at stages after point of sale or following export, produce may show in 
relation to the requirements of the standard: 
i) a slight lack of freshness and turgidity 
ii)a slight deterioration due to their development and their tendency to perish.  
The holder/seller of produce may not display such produce or offer them for sale, or 
deliver or market them in any manner other than in conformity with this standard. The 
holder/seller shall be responsible for observing such conformity 
  
 4Terms and  Definitions   
 In addition to the terms and definitions contained  in KS 1559, the following shall apply:  
4.1  
clean 
free from dirt, dust, insect stains or other foreign substances 
 
4.2 
damage 
 KENYA STANDARD  
                     © KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 2any injury or defect caused by sunscald, low temperatures, yellowing, sun-burn, cuts, 
bruises, scars or insects, which affects the appearance and eating quality of fresh bottle 
gourds 
4.3 deformed 
the fresh bitter gourd is so  misshaped that the appearance does not fit the known 
characteristics of the variety 
 4.4 firm 
the fresh bitter gourd is crisp and should not be shriveled, limp or pliable 
 
4.5. 
fresh bitter fresh gourds whose quality has not deteriorated due to loss of moisture, discolouration, or injury through bruising  
4.6 
tender soft, succulent before maturity  
4.7 intact 
bitter fresh gourds with no parts removed and that have not suffered any damage making 
them incomplete 
 4.8 
length  
the greatest dimension of the fresh bitter gourd fruit measured from the stem end to the 
blossom end, including the stalk 
 
4.9 
moderately coloured  
fresh bitter gourds having at least half of the surface bearing the characteristic colour of the 
variety 
 
4.10 uniformly coloured  
fresh bitter gourds having at least three quarters (¾) of the surface bearing the characteristic 
colour of the variety 
  
 
 
2.11 
superior quality  
means fresh bitter gourds that are:  
 
i) well developed; 
ii) well shaped and practically straight; KS 1299:2006  
© KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved  3iii) free from defects including all deforma tions, particularly those caused by seed 
formation 
4.12 
good quality 
means bitter gourds that are:  
 
i) reasonably developed; 
ii) reasonably well shaped and practically straight 
 
5.0  Quality Requirements  
5.1 Minimum quality requirements  In all classes, subject to the special provisio ns of each class and tolerances allowed, the 
following shall be the minimum requirements for fresh bitter gourds:  
 
Fresh Bitter gourds shall:   
 
i)  firm and intact 
ii) fresh and clean 
iii)  tender 
iv) not overgrown 
v)  fairly well-formed 
vi)  characteristic colour of the variety vii)  free from pests, damage and diseases 
viii)  free from foreign smell and/or taste 
ix) have a stalk 50 mm  10 mm long 
 
The length and colour of the fruits shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1. 
 
Table 1 — Length and colour of fresh bitter gourd varieties 
  
Variety Length (mm) Colour 
 Long  100-120 Deep green 
 Short  70-100 Deep green 
 
5.2 Classification 
 
All fresh bitter gourds shall meet the minimum requirements  and shall be classified as 
follows:  
5.2.1Extra class   
 
This class consists of fresh bitter gourds which are uniformly coloured and are of superior 
quality in shape, appearance and development.  T hey shall be characteristic of the variety. 
  
                     © KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 4The difference in length between the shortest and the longest fresh bitter gourd within the 
same package shall not exceed 10 % of the average length of the lot. 
 
5.2.2 Class I   
 Fresh bitter gourds in this class shall be moderately coloured and of good quality.  
The difference in length between the shortest and the longest gourd within the same 
package shall not exceed 20 % of the average length of the lot.The following defects are 
allowed provided that they do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, 
the keeping quality and pres entation in the package:  
 
a) A slight deformation  
 
b) Slight defect in colouring, especially the light coloured part of the fruit where it 
touched the ground during growth. 
 
c) Slight skin blemishes or injury due to rubbing and handling or low temperature, 
provided that such blemishes have healed and do not affect the keeping quality. 
 5.2.3 Class II   
 
This class includes fresh bitter gourds, which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher 
classes but meet the minimum requirements. 
 
6 Tolerances  The following tolerances in respect of quality shall be allowed:  
6.1 Extra class   
 
A maximum of 5 % by mass of bitter gourds not complying with the requirements of the class 
but complying with the requirements of Class I shall be allowed.  
6.2 Class I   
 
 A maximum of 5 % by mass of bitter gourds not complying with the requirements of the 
class but complying with those class II shall be allowed.  
6.3   Class II  
 
 A maximum of 5 % by mass of bitter gourds not complying with the requirements of the 
class but complying with the minimum requirements in Clause 3 shall be allowed. 
 
7.0  Provisions concerning presentation 
 7.1 Uniformity The contents of each package (or lot for produce presented in bulk in the transport vehicle), 
must be uniform and contain only bitter gourds of the same origin, variety or 
commercial type and quality, and size (if sized). Biter gourd  in Class I must be uniform in shape and colour. 
However, a mixture of bitter gourds of distinctly different commercial types and/or 
colours may be packed together in a package, provided they are uniform in quality and, for KS 1299:2006  
© KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved  5each commercial type and/or colour concerned, in origin. 
Miniature bitter gourds must be reasonably uniform in size. They may be mixed with 
other miniature products of different species and origin. 
The visible part of the contents of the package (or lot for produce presented in bulk in the 
transport vehicle) must be representative of the entire contents. 
 Packages (or lots for produce presented in bulk in the transport vehicle) must be free of all 
foreign matter. 
 
 8 Contaminants  
 
8.1 Pesticide residues 
the produce covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits for 
pesticides established by the codex alim entarius commission for this commodity 
   
8.2 Other contaminants 
The produce covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum levels of the general 
standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed(CODEX STAN 193-1995). 
 9 HYGIENE  9.1  It is recommended  that the produce covered by the provisions of this Standard be 
prepared and handled in accordance  with  the appropriate  sections  of the General  
Principles  of Food  Hygiene  (KS CAC/RCP  1-1969), Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (KS CAC/RCP 53-2003), and other relevant texts such as codes of 
hygienic practice and codes of practice. 
 
9.2  The produce should comply with any microbiological criteria established in 
accordance with the Principles and Guidelines for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria related to Foods (KS CAC/GL 21-1997). 
 
10. Packaging The package used shall ensure product safety and integrity.  The packaging material that is in contact with the produce shall be of food grade, clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce. The use of materials, particularly of 
paper or stamps bearing trade specifications is allowed, provided the printing or labelling 
has been done with non-toxic ink or glue. Packages shall be free from any foreign matter and the material shall be recyclable 
12. labeling 
The following information shall be legibly and indelibly marked on the packets containing the 
produce 
i)Name of the produce i.e “bitter gourds” and/or commercial type if the contents are not visible from the outside. 
ii) Class 
iii) Size code: 
iv) name and physical address of the importer/packer/distributor;  
v) country of origin;  vi) net weight in kilograms;  
vii) identification code and/or batch number 
viii) name of the variety or commercial type;   
                     © KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 6ix) storage instructions.  
x)GMO status 
 
   
 
 
13.  Sampling   
 
Bitter gourds shall be sampled in accordance with the standard KS ISO 874-Fruits and 
vegetables-Sampling.