FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 780
First Edition
2012-mm-dd
 
 Reference numbe r
FDUS EAS 780: 2012
© UNBS 2012
  
Fresh cassava leaves – Specification 
 FDUS EAS 780: 2012 
i i                 ©  U N B S  2012 - 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 2012 
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, in cluding 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 41 505 995 
Fax: 256 41 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 FDUS EAS 780: 2012 
© UNBS  2012 - All rights rese rved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry  of Tourism, Trade and 
Industry established under Cap 327, of the Laws of U ganda. 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 A limentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT/SPS Agr eements 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 gi ven field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academician s, manufacturers, governme nt and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committ ee 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 Final Draft Uganda Standard, FDUS EAS 780: 2012 , Fresh cassava leaves  – Specification, is identical 
with and has been reproduced from an East African Standard, EAS 780: 2012 , Fresh cassav a leaves –  
Specification,  and is bei
ng proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by Food and agriculture Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2).  
Wherever the words, “East African Standard" appea r, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
 
   EAS 780:2012
ICS 67.080.20
 
© EAC 2012                First Edition 2012  
 
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Fresh cassava leaves — Specification 
 
     
 
               
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY EAS 780:2012 9 
 
© EAC 2012 – All rights reserved               ii 
 Foreword 
 
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in East Africa. It is envisaged that through harmonized 
standardization, trade barriers which are encountered when goods and services are exchanged within the 
Community will be removed.   
In order to meet the above objectives, the EAC Partner  States have enacted an East African Standardization, 
Quality Assurance, Metrology and Test Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make provisions for ensuring 
standardization, quality assurance, metrology and testing of  products produced or originating in a third country 
and traded in the Community in order to facilitate industrial development and trade as well as helping to 
protect the health and safety of societ y and the environment in the Community. 
 
East African Standards are formulated  in accordance with the procedures established by the East African 
Standards Committee. The East African Standards Committe e is established under the provisions of Article 4 
of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006. The Committee is compos ed of representatives of the National Standards 
Bodies in Partner States, together with the repr esentatives from the priv ate sectors and consumer 
organizations. Draft East African Standards are circul ated 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 t he procedures of the Community.  
 
Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 provides that “Wit hin six months of the declar ation of an East African 
Standard, the Partner States shall adopt, without deviation from the approved text of the standard, the East 
African Standard as a national standard and withdraw any existing national standard with similar scope and 
purpose”.  East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefor e expected to ensure that they always hav e the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing.   
© East African Community 2012 — 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.each.int 
                                                      
* © 2012 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by an y means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs.  
 EAS 780:2012 
© EAC 2012 – All rights reserved                 iii 
 Acknowledgement 
This standard was devel oped with support from the Policy Analysi s and Advocacy Programme (PAAP) of the 
Association for Strengthening Agricult ural Research in Eastern and Cent ral Africa (ASARECA). This was 
possible through a grant by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This support 
was used in the process of formulation and mobilization of stakeholders to review the standard in national and 
regional fora. This support is hereby acknowledged. EAST AFRICAN STANDARD EAS 780:2012
 
1               © EAC 2012 – All rights reserved 
 Fresh cassava leaves — Specification   
1 Scope 
This East Africa Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for fresh 
cassava leaves of Manihot esculenta Crantz, for preparation before 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. 
EAS 38, General standard for labeling of prepackaged foods  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry – Code of practice  
EAS 103, Schedule for permitted food additives 
CAC/RCP 44, Code of practice for packaging and transport of fresh fruit and vegetables  
CAC/RCP 53, Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 
CODEX STAN 193 , Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
ISO 874, Fresh fruits and vegetables – Sampling    
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply. 
3.1 
fresh cassava leaves  leaves obtained  from a plant of the species Manihot esculenta Crantz having visual characteristics of 
colour, texture and firmness typical of  just har vested cassava leaves at the time of sale  
3.2 
sound/wholesome 
free from disease and physiological deterioration (such as but not limited to decay, breakdown, 
freezing damage) or adulteration/contamination, th at appreciably affects their appearance, edibility, 
the keeping quality of the produce or market value 
3.3 
clean practically free from dirt or staining and practically  no loose dirt or other foreign matter present on the 
product and in the packaging material EAS 780:2012 9 
3.4 
practically free 
without defects  in excess of those that can be ex pected to result from, and be consistent with good 
cultural and handling practices employed in the pro duction and marketing of the fresh cassava leaves 
3.5 
extraneous matter organic matter of plant origin other than the fresh cassava leaves 
3.6 
foreign matter organic and inorganic materials (such as sand, soil,  glass) other than extraneous matter in the leaves 
4 Quality requirements 
4.1 General requirements 
Fresh cassava leaves supplied to the market shall be:  
a) tender; 
b) fresh in appearance and smell; 
c) sound/wholesome; d) free of damage caused by unsuitable washing or soaking; 
e) practically free of any visible foreign and extraneous matter; and 
f) free of any foreign smell and odour. 
5 Presentation 
Fresh cassava leaves may be presented in one of the following forms: 
a) bundles firmly bound where stalks on the outsi de of each bundle correspond in appearance. 
Bundles shall be arranged evenly in the package,  each bundle may be protected by paper. In any 
one package, bundles shall be of the same length;  
b) arranged, but not bundled in the package;  
c) prepackaged units placed in another package; and d) macerated and packed. 
6 Food additives  
Fresh cassava leaves may be pres erved by use of food additives in accordance with EAS 103.  
 
© EAC 2012 – All rights reserved               2 
 EAS 780:2012 
7 Contaminants 
7.1 Pesticide residues  
Fresh cassava leaves shall c onform to those maximum residue limits for pesticide residues 
established by Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity. 
7.2 Other contaminants   
Fresh cassava leaves shall conform to those ma ximum levels of the Codex General Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193). 
8 Hygiene  
Fresh cassava leaves shall be handled in hygienic manner in accordance with the appropriate 
sections EAS 39 and CAC/RCP 53.   
9 Packaging 
Fresh cassava leaves may be sold packaged or lo ose.  Packaged fresh cassava leaves shall be 
packaged in such a way to protect the produce from mechanical, heat and frost damage.  
Fresh cassava leaves shall be packaged in food grade materials that will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional and organoleptic qualities of the produce. 
In order to maintain produce quality during transp ortation and marketing, fresh cassava leaves shall 
be packaged and transported in accordance with the appropriate sections CAC/RCP 44. 
10 Weights and measures 
Fresh cassava leaves shall be packaged in accordan ce with the weights and measures requirements 
in the destination country. 
11 Labelling  
11.1  In addition to the requirements of EAS 38, the following specific requirements shall apply and 
shall be legibly and indelibly marked:  a) name of the produce, “Fresh cassava leaves”;  
b) name and location address of the exporter and/or packer shall be declared; c) country of origin of the produce;  
d) commercial identification shall be declared:  
• net weight (in metric system);  
e) lot identification (batch number); 
f) declaration of preservatives, if used; 
© EAC 2012 – All rights reserved               3 
 EAS 780:2012 9 
 
© EAC 2012 – All rights reserved               4 
 g) date of harvest; 
h) packing date; 
i) storage conditions; and 
j) name of variety. 
11.2  When labelling non-retail packages, informati on for non-retail packages shall either be given 
on the packages or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the produce, lot 
identification and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the package. 
11.3  The following instructions shall also appear on the packaging: 
a) fresh cassava leaves shall not be eaten raw; and 
b) cooking or rinsing water shall not be consumed or used for other food preparation purposes. 
12 Sampling and test 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with ISO 87 4. Tests for pesticide residues, contaminants and 
toxins shall be conducted in accordance with the recommended methods of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission. 
13  Criteria for conformity  
A lot shall be declared as conforming to this standard if samples inspected or analysed for quality 
requirements conform to the provisions of this standard. EAS 780:2012
  
© EAC 2012 — All rights reserved