FOR COMMENTS ONLY FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 788 
First  Edition  
2013-mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
FDUS EAS 788: 2013 
© UNBS 201 3 
  
Synthetic detergent paste — Specification  
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYFDUS EAS 788: 2013 
ii                © UNBS  2013 - 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 2013 
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, including 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  
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYFDUS EAS 788: 2013 
© UNBS  2013 - All rights reserved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and 
Industry established under Cap 3 27, of the Laws of Uganda. 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 Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT/SPS Agreements 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 given field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academicians, manufacturers, government and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee 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 788: 2013 , Synthetic detergent paste — Specification , is 
identical with  and has been reproduced from an East African  Standard, EAS 788: 20 13, Synthetic detergent 
paste — Specification , and is being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by the Chemicals and environment Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 
5). 
Wherever the words, “ East African Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 FOR COMMENTS ONLY EAS 788:2013 
ICS: 71.100.40  
 
1 
© EAC 2013                                                                                                                 First Edition 2013  
 
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Synthetic detergent paste — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013 
ii © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice 
This EAC document is copyright-protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community 2013 — 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.eac-quality.net 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be persecuted 
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013 
© 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 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 society 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 Committee is established under the provisions of Article 4 
of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006. 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.  
Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 pro vides that “Within six months of the declaration 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 therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing.  
EAS 788 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/TC 074, Surface active agents .  
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYFOR COMMENTS ONLYEAST AFRICAN STANDARD  EAS 788:2013  
 
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  1 
 Synthetic detergent paste — Specification  
1 Scope 
This East African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for synthetic 
detergent pastes based predominantly on alkyl aryl sulphonates for hand and machine wash. 
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. 
ISO 673, Soaps — Determination of content of ethanol insoluble matter 
ISO 862, Surface active agents — Vocabulary  
ISO 2271, Surface active agents — Detergents  — Determination of anionic active matter by manual or 
mechanical direct two -phase titration  procedure  
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purposes of this standard terms and definitions given in ISO 862 apply. 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements 
The active ingredients used may include, besides salt of alkylaryl sulphonic acid, soap and non-ionics. The 
active ingredient used shall be biodegradable. The formulation may contain one or more of the builders or 
additives given in Annex A.  
The detergent shall be free from foreign matter and the components shall be homogeneously dispersed and 
shall not be separated.   
The detergent shall not give any unpleasant odour and shall have good cleaning and lathering properties.  
4.2 Specific quality requirements 
The detergent shall comply with the specific quality requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance 
with the corresponding test method. FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
2 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 Table 1 — Specific quality requirements for synthetic detergent paste  
S/No. Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Active ingredient, %, m/m, min.  18.0 ISO 2271  
ii.  Moisture and volatile matter content at 105 °C, %, m/m, 
max.  65 Annex B 
iii.  Matter insoluble in ethanol , % m/m, max.  80.0 ISO 673  
iv.  Matter insoluble in water, % by mass, max  5.0 Annex C 
v.  pH of 1 % solution (m/v) at 25  °C   2 °C 9 - 11 Annex  D 
vi.  Non-Detergent Organic Matter (NDOM), %, m/m, max.  1.0 Annex E 
NOTE  Due to the fact that detergent powder can absorb or lose moisture during storage, the 
analytical results should be expressed on dry weight basis.  
 
5 Packaging and marking 
5.1 Pack aging 
The detergent shall be supplied in suitable well-closed containers/packages .  
5.2 Marking 
The container/package shall be securely closed and marked legibly and indelibly with the following 
information:   
a) name of the product as “detergent paste” ; 
b) manufacturer’s name and physical address  
 NOTE The name, physical address of the distributor/supplier and trade mark may be added as required 
c) batch or code number; 
d) net weight; 
e) country of origin;  
f) declare if antibacterial agent is incorporated; 
g) instructions for use (which shall be in either English, Kiswahili or French or in combination as agreed 
between the manufacturer and supplier); and 
h) date of manufacture and best before date. 
6 Sampling 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with Annex F. FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  3 
 Annex A 
(informative) 
 
List of suggested builders and additives 
The following is a list of suggested builders and additives:  
a) sodium carbonate; 
b) sodium sulphate; 
c) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose; 
d) sodium silicate; 
e) optical brighteners; 
f) lather boosters; 
g) hydrotropes; 
h) perfume;  
i) preservatives; 
j) chelating agents (sequestering agents); 
k) colourants; 
l) perborates; 
m) enzymes; 
n) bactericides; 
o) common salt; 
p) magnesium sulphate; 
q) Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP); 
r) zeolites; and 
s) any other internationally accepted builder cleared by respective partner states bureaux of standards.  FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
4 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 Annex B 
(normative) 
 
Determination of moisture and volatile matter content 
B.1 Principle  
The moisture and volatile matter content is determined by oven method. 
B.2 Apparatus 
B.2.1 Porcelain or silica dish,  6 cm to 8 cm in diameter and 2 cm to 4 cm in depth 
B.2.2  Desiccator,  containing an efficient desiccant, such as phosphorus pentoxide 
B.2.3  Air-oven , preferably electrically heated, with temperature control device 
B.3 Procedur e  
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the material into a dry tarred dish, and dry to constant mass in air-oven at a 
temperature of 105 C 1 C.  Cool in a desiccator and weigh.  Constant mass shall be considered to have 
been attained when successive heating for one-hour period shows a difference of not more than 5 mg in the 
net loss in mass. 
B.4 Calculation 
The moisture and volatile matter content is expressed as follows:  
Moisture and volatile matter content (at 105 C), percent by mass =  
100
01 0
mm m  
where 
m0 is the mass, in grams, of the material taken for test, and 
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the material upon drying FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex C 
(normative) 
 
Determination of matter insoluble in water 
C.1 Apparatus 
C.1.1 Beaker, 150-mL capacity 
C.1.2 Steam bath  
C.1.3  Buchner flask,  500-mL capacity, fitted with sintered glass filter funnel (porosity 4) 
C.1.4 Air-oven,  preferably electrically heated, with temperature control device 
C.2 Reagents 
C.2.1  Ethyl alcohol,  freshly boiled, 96 % or higher (by volume) 
C.2.2  Distilled water 
C.3 Procedure 
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the material into a beaker, and digest with 50 mL of ethyl alcohol by heating on 
a steam bath for about 2 min. Stir and break up any hard lump with a glass rod flattened at one end. Allow the 
solid matter to settle and decant the hot alcoholic solution through a sintered glass filter funnel fitted to a 
Buchner flask to which suction is applied. Repeat the alcoholic digestion in a similar manner with five further 
consecutive 30 mL portions of boiling ethyl alcohol. Filter each extract in turn through the same sintered glass 
funnel and, finally, wash the residue several times with hot ethyl alcohol to remove all the alcohol soluble 
matter.  
Even after digestion with five 30 mL portions of boiling ethyl alcohol, the alcohol insoluble portion may 
sometimes be found to be sticky. In that case treat it further with more boiling ethyl alcohol until it is free from 
active matter and the alcohol insoluble portion is no longer sticky 
After filtering and washing the residue thoroughly with hot ethyl alcohol, change the receiver, extract the 
residue with successive portions of distilled water at about 60 °C, and wash the residue several times to 
remove all the water solubles. Dry the sintered glass funnel with the residue in an air-oven at a temperature of 
105 °C ± 2 °C until a constant mass is obtained. 
C.4 Calculation 
The m atter insoluble in water is expressed as follows:  
Matter insoluble in water, % by mass = 100
mm1  
where 
m1 is the mass, in grams, of matter insoluble in water; and FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
6 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 m is the mass, in grams, of material taken for the test. 
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex D 
(normative) 
 
Determination of pH 
D.1 General 
pH determination shall be made in an acid free atmosphere.  
D.2 Apparatus 
D.2.1  pH meter, any standard electrometric instrument, equipped with a low sodium error glass electrode. 
The instrument shall be calibrated and standardized with standard buffer solution before use.  
D.2.2  Volumetric flask , 100-mL capacity 
D.3 Reagents  
D.3.1 Distilled water  
Distilled water shall be boiled thoroughly or purged with carbon dioxide free air to remove carbon dioxide, and 
shall be protected with soda lime or soda asbestos while cooling and in storage. The pH of this water shall be 
between 6.2 and 7.2 at 30 °C. The residue on evaporation when heated at 105 °C for one hour shall not 
exceed 0.5 mg/L.  
D.3.2 Standard buffer solution 
Any two suitable buffer solutions within the pH range of 9 to 11 at 30 °C for calibrating the pH meter 
D.4 Procedure 
Weigh 10 g  0.001 g material and transfer to a 1-L volumetric flask. Partially fill the flask with distilled water 
and agitate until the sample is completely dissolved. Adjust the temperature of the solution and the distilled 
water to 30 °C  0.5 °C, and fill to the calibration mark with distilled water. Stopper the flask, mix thoroughly, 
and allow the solution to stand at a temperature of 30 °C for 2 h prior to measuring the pH. Measure the pH of 
the solution using a glass electrode at 25 °C ± 2 °C. FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
8 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 Annex E 
(normative) 
 
Determination of N on-Detergent Organic Matter (NDOM) 
E.1 General 
The term non-detergent organic matter includes hydrocarbons, fatty alcohols and perfumes. Using petroleum 
ether and under the conditions prescribed, non-detergent organic matter only is extracted leaving any 
alkylolamide present in the material. 
E.2 Apparatus 
E.2.1 Evaporating basin 
E.2.2 Separating funnels , 1 000-mL capacity. 
E.2.3 Wide mouthed flat-bottomed flask , 200-mL capacity 
E.2.4 Buchner flask , 500-mL capacity, fitted with a sintered glass filter funnel (porosity 4) 
E.3 Reagents 
E.3.1 Ethyl alcohol, 50 %, 70 %. 90 % and 96% (by volume) 
E.3.2 Petroleum ether,  boiling range 40 °C to 60 °C non-volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001% 
E.3.3  Acetone,  non-volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001 % 
E.4 Procedure  
E.4.1 For the removal of inorganic salts, weigh accurately about 5 g of the material in a 150-mL squat 
beaker. Extract with 50-mL of hot 90 % ethanol by heating on the steam bath for about 2 min stirring and 
breaking up any hard lumps with a glass rod flattened at the end. 
Allow the solid matter to settle and decant the hot aIcoholic solution through a sintered glass filter funnel 
(porosity 4) fitted to a 500-mL Buchner flask to which suction is applied. Repeat the extraction in a similar 
manner with five further consecutive 30-mL quantities of boiling 90 % ethanol. Pass each extract in turn 
through the filter into the flask. 
E.4.2  Transfer quantitatively all the combined filtrate from the Buchner flask to a 1-L separating funnel and 
rinse the flask four times with 40-mL quantities of distilled water, transferring each wash in turn to the 
separating funnel. Add 100-mL of petroleum ether, swirl gently to ensure adequate mixing and allow the two 
phases to separate. Run off the aqueous alcoholic layer into a second separating funnel, and extract with 75-
mL of petroleum ether. Repeat the extraction of the aqueous alcoholic phase in the third separating funnel 
with a further 75-mL of petroleum ether. Combine the three ether extracts in the first separating funnel. Rinse 
each of the two empty funnels with a few millilitres petroleum ether and add the rinsing to the combined ether 
extracts. FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  9 
 E.4.3  Wash the combined ether extracts and rinsing (see E.4.2) with four successive 50-mL portions of 70 
% ethyl alcohol, shaking and removing the alcoholic phase each time. Transfer the ether layer in stages to a 
tared flask and evaporate off the solvent. Add 10-mL of acetone and evaporate off the solvent. Rotate the 
flask on a steam bath during the operation. Cool the flask to about 60 °C to 65 °C, gently blow out the last 
traces of solvent with a current of dry air, cool in a desiccator and weigh. 
E.5 Calculation 
The n on- detergent organic matter shall be expressed as follows: 
Non- detergent organic matter, %, by mass = 
mm1100  
where  
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the non-detergent organic matter in the flask; and 
m is the mass, in grams, of the material taken for the test. 
 
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
10 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 Annex F 
(normative) 
 
Sampling procedure for detergent paste 
F.1 General requirements 
F.1.1  In drawing preparing, storing and handling samples, the precautions in F.1.2 – F.1.7 shall be 
observed. 
F.1.2 Samples shall not be taken from places exposed to damp air, dust or soot. 
F.1.3 The sampling instruments shall be clean and dry when used. 
F.1.3 The samples, the material being sampled, the sampling instruments and the containers for samples 
shall be protected from adventitious contamination. 
F.1.5 The samples shall be placed in clean and dry glass containers. The sample containers shall be of 
such a size that they are almost completely filled by the sample. 
F.1.6 Each container shall be sealed airtight after filling, and marked with full details of sampling which 
include, date of sampling, batch or code number, name of manufacturer, and other important particulars of the 
consignment. 
F.1.7 The samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the material does not vary 
unduly from the normal temperature, and that they are protected from light. 
F.2 Scale of sampling 
F.2.1 In a single consignment, all the packages containing non-soapy detergents of the same type and 
form, and drawn from the same batch of manufacture, shall constitute a lot. If the consignment consists of 
packages containing non-soapy detergents of different types and forms, then the packages containing non-
soapy detergents of the same type form and batch of manufacture shall be grouped together, and such group 
shall constitute a separate lot. 
F.2.2 For ascertaining the conformity of the lot to the requirements prescribed in this standard, tests shall be 
carried out on each lot separately. The number (n) of packages to be selected for drawing the samples shall 
depend upon the size (N) of the lot and shall be in accordance with Table F .1 
Table.1 — Scale of sampling 
No. of pa ckages in the lot  
(N) No. of packages to be selected  
(n) 
4 to 15  3 
16 to 40  4 
41 to 65  5 
66 to 110  7 
111 and above  10 
NOTE  When the size of  the lot is three  packages or less, the number of containers to be selected and 
the criteria for judging the co nformity of the lot to the specifications should be as agreed on between the 
purchaser /inspector  and the supplier.  FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved  11 
 F.2.3 The packages shall be selected at random and to ensure randomness of selection, a random number 
table shall be used. In case such tables are not available, the procedure given below may be adopted. 
Starting from any package, count all the packages in one order as 1, 2, 3,…, up to r and so on, where r is the 
integral part of N/n, (N being the lot size and n the number of packages to be selected). Every rth package thus 
counted shall be withdrawn to give a sample for the purposes of test. 
F.3 Preparation of gross samples, test sample and reference sample 
F.3.1 Gross sample 
From each one of the packages selected as in F.2.2, draw at random one or more containers. The material in 
the containers so chosen shall be nearly thrice the quantity required for purposes of test as indicated in F.4. 
The material from the containers selected in F.3.1.2 shall be mixed by thoroughly to give the gross sample for 
the package. 
F.3.2 Test sample 
F.3.2.1  Segregate carefully the gross samples of paste. From the gross representing each form of 
synthetic detergent take a small but equal quantity of material and mix thoroughly into a composite sample 
which should be of a size sufficient to carry out triplicate testing for all the characteristics specified under F .4. 
The composite samples representing each form and type of synthetic detergent shall be divided into three 
equal parts, one for the purchaser/inspector , another for the supplier, and the third for the reference. 
F.3.2.2  The remaining portion of the material in each of the gross samples shall be divided into three 
equal pans, each forming an individual sample. One set of individual samples, representing the n selected 
packages shall be for the purchaser/inspector, another for the supplier, and the third for refere nce. 
F.3.2.3  AII the composite and individual samples shall be transferred to separate containers. These 
containers shall then be sealed airtight with stoppers, and labelled with full particulars of identification given in 
F.1.6. 
F.3.3 Refere nce samples 
F.3.3.1  The refere nce samples shall consist of a composite sample and a set of individual samples. All 
the containers shall bear the seals of both the purchaser/inspector and the supplier, and shall be kept at a 
place agreed to between the two parties. 
F.3.3.2  Refere nce samples shall be used in case of any dispute between the purchaser/inspector and the 
supplier. 
F.4 Number of tests 
F.4.1 Tests for the determination of active ingredient shall be performed on each of the individual samples. 
F.4.2 Tests for the determination of other requirements specified in Table 1 shall be conducted on the 
composite sample. FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013  
12 © EAC  2013  – All rights reserved  
 F.5 Criteria for conformity 
F.5.1 For individual samples 
F.5.1.1  For the characteristic, which has been determined on the individual sample, the mean (X) and the 
range (R) of test results shall be calculated as follows: 

resultstestof Numberresultstestof SumMean X
 
Range ( R) is the difference between the maximum and the minimum value of test results. 
F.5.1.2  If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a minimum, the value of the expression 
(
X- KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F .5.1.5) . If the value so obtained is greater 
than or equal to the minimum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the 
characteristic. 
F.5.1.3  If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a maximum, the value of the expression 
(
X+ KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F .5.1.5) . If the value so obtained is less 
than or equal to the maximum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the 
characteristic. 
F.5.1.4  If the characteristic has two-sided specification limits, then the values of the expression (
X  ± KR) 
shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F .5.1.5) . If the value so obtained lies between the 
two specification limits, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic. 
F.5.1.5  The value of the factor K referred to in F.5.1.2 - F .5.1.4 shall be chosen in accordance with Table 
F.2, depending upon the acceptable quality level, that is, the percentage, of non-conforming packages that 
may be tolerated reasonably. 
Table F .2 — Value of 'K' for achieving different acceptable quality levels 
Acceptable quality level  Value of 'K'  
Not more than 3.0 % defectives  0.4 
Not more than 1.5 % defectives  0.5 
Not more than 0.5 % defectives  0.6 
 
F.5.2 For composite sample 
For declaring the conformity of the lot to the requirements of all the remaining characteristics determined on 
the composite sample, the test results for each one of the characteristics shall satisfy the relevant requirement 
given in Table 1 of this standard.  
 FOR COMMENTS ONLYEAS 788:2013    
 
© EAC 2013  – All rights reserved