EAS 109: 2013 
ICS 67.160.10  
© EAC 2013                                                                                                                        Second Edition 2013  
 
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
Potable spirit — Specification 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY EAS 109: 2013 
ii © EAC 2013 – All rights reserved
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Violators may be persecuted EAS 109: 2013 
© EAC 2013 – 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 109 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/TC 007, Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages . 
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition EAS 109:2000, which has been technically revised. 
 EAST AFRICAN STANDARD EAS 109: 2013
 
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved 1 
 Potable spirit — Specification  
1 Scope 
This East African Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for potable spirits. 
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. 
CODEX STAN 192, Codex general standard for food additives 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice 
EAS 103 , Schedule for permitted food additives  
EAS 100,  Food stuffs — Methods of determination of Lead  
EAS 123 , Distilled water — Specification 
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply. 
3.1 
potable spirit  
ethyl alcohol product obtained by distilling fermented carbohydrate material or mixing  neutral spirit with water 
in proportion suitable for human consumption  with or without flavour  
3.2 
alcohol 
as ethyl alcohol (C 2H5OH) 
3.3 
neutral spirit 
distillate obtained from fermented carbohydrate material, purified by fractional distillation with the removal of 
fusel oil and furfural  
4 quality requirements 
4.1 Ingredients 
4.1.1 The ingredients for potable spirit shall include the following: EAS 109: 2013 
2 © EAC 2013 – All rights reserved
 a) demineralised water or distilled water conforming to EAS 123  or demineralised water ; 
b) neutral spirit, if used for blending, conforming to EAS 144; and 
c) flavouring agents, if used, in accordance with CAC/GL 66 
4.2 General requirements 
Potable spirit shall: 
a) possess the characteristic aroma associated with the product;  
b) be clear, free of particulate matter and characteristic colour;  
c) have characteristic odour and free of foreign odour; and 
d) have characteristic taste and free of foreign taste. 
4.3 Specific quality requirements 
Potable spirits shall comply with the quality requirements specified in Table 1. 
Table 1 — Quality requirements for potable spirit 
 
5
 Heavy metal contaminants 
When tested in accordance with EAS 100 the level of lead shall not exceed 0.01 mg/L. 
6 Food additives 
Food additives may be used in the preparation of potable spirit in accordance with CODEX STAN 192. Characteristics Requirements Test method 
Alcohol, percent by volume at 20 
°C, min. 35 35  
EAS 104 Specific gravity at 20  ͦC 0.95631 - 0.93836  
Acidity, as acetic acid, mg/L 
absolute alcohol, max 12 
Aldehydes (as acetaldehyde), mg/L, 
max. 5 
Furfural  To pass the test  
Methanol content, mg/L, max. 50 
Higher alcohol (fusel oil) as amyl 
alcohol mg/L of absolute alcohol, 
max  30 
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Formatted:  UnderlineEAS 109: 2013 
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  3
 7 Hygiene 
Potable spirit shall be manufactured and handled in a hygienic manner in accordance with EAS 39. 
8 Weights and measures 
The volume and fill of potable spirit shall comply with the weights and measures regulations of Partner States 
or equivalent legislation 
9 Packaging  
9.1 Potable spirit shall be packaged   in suitable food grade containers.  
9.2 Potable spirit shall be packaged for bulk delivery and storage in containers that shall prevent 
contamination of the product and preserve its safety and quality. 
10 Labelling 
In addition to the requirements of EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly marked: 
a) common name as ‘Potable spirit’; 
b) name, physical location and address of manufacturer; importer/bottler  
c) ethyl alcohol content, % by volume; 
d) net content;  
e) a declaration by common name of any additives used; 
e) date of manufacture,  
f) batch identification number/code; 
g) country of origin ; and 
h) statutory warnings. 
11 Sampling and test  
Sampling and testing of potable spirit shall be done in accordance with EAS 104. EAS 109: 2013 
4 © EAC 2013 – All rights reserved
 Bibliography 
ES 8M 3 -250 -1974, Spirits – Specification  
 EAS 109: 2013  
 
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved