DRAFT KENYA STANDARD  DKS 1485: 2018  
                                                            ICS  
 
  
   
 
   
Flavoured Soft Drinks- Specification  
    
 
 
 
   
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  KEBS 2018     Second Edition 2018KS 1485: 2018 
ii         © KEBS— All rights reserved  
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION 
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical C ommittee: 
 Delmonte Kenya Ltd 
Gonas Best Ltd 
Kenafric Industries 
Aquamist Ltd 
PATCO Industries Ltd Kevian Kenya Ltd Coca-Cola Central East and West Africa Ltd 
Victoria Juice Ltd 
Kenya Industrial Research and D evelopment Institute (KIRDI)  
Government Chemist’s Department  
Consumer Information Network  Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology- Departm ent of Food Science 
and Post-Harvest Technology  
Agriculture and Food Authority 
Kenya Bureau of Standards- Quality Assurance 
Kenya Bureau of Standards- Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS 
 In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standar ds 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, 2017 
 Copyright.  Users are   reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of the 
Laws of Kenya, copyright subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 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 Managing Director
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    DRAFT KENYA STANDARD                           DKS 1485: 2018 
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved    
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Water- Based Flavoured Drink- Specification 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS) 
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi-00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350 , Fax: (+254 020)  604031 
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  DRAFT KENYA STANDARD                           DKS 1485: 2018 
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved    
  KS 1485: 2018   
v © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   
 
NATIONAL FOREWORD 
 
 
This Kenya Standard was developed by the Technical Committee on  Flavoured soft drink under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in acco rdance with the procedures of the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards.  
This standard covers all types of Flavoured soft drinks made fr om water, permitted sweetening agents either 
nutritive or nonnutritive sweeteners used singly or in combinat ion and permitted food additives, natural or 
synthetic colourings, flavouring emulsions, among other permitt ed ingredients. Flavour ed soft drinks shall be 
distinguished from carbonated soft drinks, fruit squashes, frui t juices fruit-based soft drinks and flavoured 
water through appropriate labelling.  
The standard stipulates the chemical, microbiological and other  quality limits for flavoured soft drinks.  
Labelling requirements of Water-Based flavoured drinks have bee n incorporated in this standard to prevent 
any misrepresentations of the products through, say, fruit pict orials on the labels.  
 
During the preparation of this s tandard, reference was made to the following documents:  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
 
  
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved    
 Water Based Flavoured dr ink -Specification 
 
 
1. Scope 
 
This Kenya Standard prescribes the requirements, methods of tes t and methods of 
sampling for water based flavoured drinks. 
 
1.2 Field of application  
 
This standard covers water based flavoured drinks made from nat ural or synthetic colourings, 
natural and artificial flavouri ngs, emulsions, water, sweetenin g agents and other optional permitted 
ingredients.  
 
2. Normative Reference 
 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a w ay that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references , only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced docume nt (including any amendments) 
applies.  
 
KS 224:2017 - Fruit drinks and squashes - Specification  
KS 77-2000- soft fruit juice- Specification  
KS EAS 38: 2014- Labelling of pre-packaged foods  
KS EAS 39: 2000- Code of practice- Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry  
CODEX STAN 192- General Standard for Food Additives 
KS EAS 29:2000- Carbonated (beverages) soft drinks - Specification . 
KS EAS 12: 2014- Potable Water- Specification  
KS EAS 770: 2012- Fortified sugar — Specification  
KS 660:2007- Guide to the safe use of food additives  
KS 1701-2009- Refined white sugar — Specification 
KS ISO 4831- Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs- Horizontal method for the detection 
and enumeration of Coliforms-Mos t probable number techniques 
KS ISO 4832 - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs- Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coliforms- Colony-count technique  
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   KS ISO 7251-  Microbiology of food and animal feeds- Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli- Most probable number technique 
KS 6561-1-  Fruits, vegetables and derived products- Determination of cadmium content- Part 1: 
Method using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry 
KS ISO 6888-1- Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs- Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) 
KS ISO 4833-1-  Microbiology of the food chain- Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms- Part 1: Colony count at 30°c by the pour plate technique. 
 
KS ISO 6579-1-  Microbiology of the food chain- Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration 
and serotyping of salmonella- Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  KS ISO 17239-  Fruits, Vegetables and derived products- Determination of arsenic content- Method 
using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometric  KS ISO 17240-  Fruits and vegetable products- Determination of tin content- Method using flame 
atomic absorption spectrometric 
 
KS ISO 12193:2004 - Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of lead by direct graphite 
furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy.  
  
 
3. Terms, definitions and abbreviation 
 
For the purposes of this standard, the following definitions sh all apply:  
 
3.1   Water Based flavoured drinks 
 
shall be the concentrated or ready-to-drink products prepared f rom water, sweetening agents, natural, nature 
identical or artificial fruit flavourings, permitted colourings  and other optional permitted ingredients 
 
3.2   Absence of defects  
these products shall be free from  foreign material such as grit  and dirt 
 
 
3.3 INS 
 
the International Numbering System used in identifying the appr oved food additive  
 
3.4 Portable Water 
 
shall be the product complying with KS EAS 12 
 
3.5 Food Additive 
 
means any substance not normally consumed as a food by itself a nd not normally used as a typical ingredient  
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   of the food, whether or not it has nutritive value, the intenti onal addition of which to food for a technological 
(including organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing , preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, 
transport or holding of such food results, or may be reasonably  expected to result (directly or indirectly), in it 
or its by-products becoming a component of or otherwise affecti ng the characteristics of such foods. The term 
does not include contaminants or substances added to food for m aintaining or improving nutritional qualities. 
(general standard for food additives Codex STAN 192) 
 
3.6 Concentrated Products 
 
A concentrate is a form of substance which does not have the ma jority of its base solvent, water.  
 
3.7 Ready to drink-define 
 
Ready to drink are packaged beverages that are those sold in a prepared form, ready for consumption. 
 
3.8 hermetically sealed  
A hermetic seal is the quality of a container or structure that  is airtight (excluding p assage of air, oxygen, or 
other gases).  
 
3.9 Uniform  
 
Not changing in form or characte r; remaining the same in all ca ses and at all time. 
 
4. Requirements 
 
4.1. General Requirements 
Flavoured soft drinks shall be prepared from portable water com plying with KS EAS 12, Refined white sugar 
complying KS 1701, KS EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods, permitted colourings, permitted flavourings 
and other optional permitted ingredients contained in the Food,  Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, Cap. 
254 of the Laws of Kenya and CODEX STAN 192, General Standard f or Food Additives. The mixing, 
processing and packaging of the Flavoured soft drinks shall be done in accordance KS EAS 39: Code of 
practice- Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry 
4.2. Degrees brix 
 
Water based flavoured drinks shall show a minimum reading of 30 ° Brix for the concentrated products and 
10° Brix for ready to drink products when measured at 20°C in a ccordance with the test methods stipulated 
in the Annex A of KS 224. Special dietary foods recommended for  calorie reduced diet shall be foods that 
contain not more that 50% of the  total calorie normally present  in foods of the same class 
 
Note: For example, for a 50% reduce calorie drink, the brix wil l be 15° Brix and 5 ° Brix for the concentrated and ready to 
drink, respectively.  
 
 
4.3. For special dietary water based drinks sweetened exclusively wi th permitted non-nutritive 
sweeteners the requirements stipulated in 4.2 shall not apply.  
 
  
 
5. Essential composition and quality factors  
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   5.1. Permitted Ingredients 
 
5.1.1. Food Colors 
Only permitted food colours in accordance with the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act shall be 
applied and codex General Standard for Food Additives.  
 
5.1.2. Sweetening Agents 
Sucrose, glucose (dextrose anhydrous) or fructose, natural swee teners and any other nutritive permitted 
nutritive sweeteners can be used. Non-nutritive sweeteners are prohibited unless clearly declared as a 
product for special dietary uses.  
 
5.1.3. Preservatives 
Only those preservatives permit ted by the Food, Drugs and Chemi cal Substances Act shall be applied and in 
amounts not exceeding the limit s in KS 660 and Codex General St andard for Food Additives.  
 
5.2. General requirements of finished products 
 
5.2.1.  The product shall  
i)  have a uniform color  
ii) shall possess a good body,  
iii) shall be free from defects  iv) shall possess normal characteristic taste and flavour.  
5.2.2. Absence of toxic substances  
Water based flavoured drink shall not contain any substances ha rmful or injurious to health.  
 
6. Food Additives 
 
The use of food additives is justified only when such use has a n advantage, does not present an 
appreciable health risk to consumers, does not mislead the cons umer, and serves one or more of 
the technological functions set out by the (Codex STAN 192). 
 
The product shall comply with the maximum use levels stipulated  in the Codex STAN 192, General 
Standard for Food Additives. Water based -flavoured drink shall  contain permitted food additives in 
accordance with the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, Ca p. 254 of the Laws of Kenya 
and Codex STAN 192). 
 
7. Contaminants 
7.1. Limits for heavy metals contaminants 
 
Water based -flavoured drink in solid form shall not contain he avy metal contaminants in excess of the limits 
given in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 – Limits for heavy metal contaminants in flavoured soft  drink  
 
 
SL. No. Contaminants Maximum level Test Method 
i)  Arsenic (As) 0.2 mg/kg ISO 17239 
ii)  Lead (Pb) 0.3 mg/kg KS ISO 9526 
iii)  Tin (Sn) 200 mg/kg KS ISO 2447  
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved    
7.2. Other Contaminants 
The products covered by the prov isions of this standard shall c onform to those maximum levels for 
contaminants established by the Codex Alimetarius Commision for  these products 
 
 
8. Hygiene 
 
8.1. Manufacturing Premises 
 
The product shall be manufactured in approved and licensed prem ises in accordance with the Food, Drugs 
and Chemical Substances Act, Cap. 254 and the Public Health Act  Cap. 242 of the Laws of Kenya. The 
product shall also be prepared in accordance with the requireme nts of KS 05-1500- KS EAS 38. 
 
8.2. Microbiological Limits  
 
The product shall be free from pathogenic organisms and shall c omply with the microbiological 
limits stipulated in Table 2.  
 
Table 2 – Microbiological limits for flavoured soft drink in so lid form  
 
SL. No. Micro-Organism Limit Test  Method 
i)  Coliforms,  per 100mL  Not detectable KS ISO 4831 or 
KS ISO 4832 
ii)  Escherichia coli, per 25g, (cfu/g), 
max Not detectable KS ISO 7251 
iii)  Yeast and moulds (cfu/g), max. 10 KS ISO 6881-1 
iv)  Staphylococcus .aureas, per 25g Not detectable KS ISO 6881-1 
v)  Shigella  per 25g Not detectable KS ISO 4833-1 
vi)  Salmonella, per 25g Not detectable KS ISO 6579-1 
vii)  Vibrio cholera, per 25g Not detectable KS ISO 6579-1 
 
 
7 Packaging 
 
7.1 The product shall be packed in food-grade packaging material wh ich is inert, water proof 
and hermetically sealed. 7.2 Where packaging has been done in cans, they shall be lacquered 
 
 
8 Labelling 
 
8.1 Labelling of flavoured soft drink in solid form shall be done i n accordance with the requirements on 
labelling KS EAS 38, Labelling of Prepackaged Foods, and CODEX STAN 1-1985- General Standard for the 
Labelling of Prepackaged Foods. 
 
Prepackaged food shall not be described or presented on any lab el or in any labelling in a manner that is 
false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an errone ous impression regarding its character in any 
respect and shall include the following:  
 
i) Name of product such as “Orange flavoured drink” or “Lemon f lavoured drink”;   
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved    
ii) List of all ingredients shall be listed in descending order  of ingoing weight (m/m) and it shall 
include specific names of additives and/or the INS number at th e time of the manufacture of the 
food. 
 
iii)  Name, physical location a nd address of manufacturer;  
 
iv) Net Volume in ml or L;  
 
v) Batch number;  
 
vi) Expiry date includi ng day, month and year;  
 
vii) Country of manufacture or “Made in Kenya” for locally manu factured products; 
 
viii) Storage conditions; 
 
ix) Directions of use stating t he recommended amount of the pro duct that should be applied in a 
stated volume of potable water; 
 
x) Cautionary statement that “upon opening a can of the product , contents should be consumed 
within a stated time period” 
 
9.2. Pictorial representations - Pictorial representations - The use of fruit pictorials in either 
form such as pictures, graphics are prohibited . 
 
9.3. Non- Nutritive sweeteners- The use of nonnutritive sweeteners shall necessitate the clear 
indication that the product is for special dietary uses.  
 
10.       Sampling 
 
The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall b e tested using appropriate 
standard methods declared in this standard. Other tests may be performed as per the 
methods given in the latest edition of AOAC/Codex/ISO and other  internationally 
recognized methods.