© KEBS 2006 — All rights reserved          1 KENYA STANDARD          KS 1298: 2016 
        ICS 67.080.01 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
Fresh bottle gourds (dudhi) — Specification 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ©KEBS 2016             Third Edition 2016 
 
 
 
  
 
 
    
 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. 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
     
 
 KS 1298:2016  
© KEBS 2006 — All rights reserved  3 
 
 
KENYA STANDARD                         KS 1298: 2016 
     ICS 67.080.01 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
Fresh bottle gourds (dudhi) — 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         North Rift 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
 
 
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 standards. 
 
UNECE STANDARD FFV-06  2010 
.  
Acknowledgement is made for the assistance received from these sources.   
 
 
 
                                                     KS 1298: 2016 
 
 
Fresh bottle gourd (dudhi) — Specification 
 1 Scope 
 
This Kenya Standard specifies   requirements   for fresh edible fruits of bottle gourds(dudhi) 
(Lagenaria siceraria ). 
 
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  
 KENYA STANDARD KS 1298:2016  
© KEBS 2006 — All rights reserved  5ISO 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 
 
 
 
4 Terms 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  
any injury or defect caused by sunscald, low temperatures, yellowing, sun-burn, cuts, 
bruises, scars or insects, which affects the appearance and keeping quality of fresh bottle 
gourds 
 
4.3  
deformed  the fresh bottle gourd is so  misshaped that the appearance does not fit the known characteristics of the variety 
 4.4  
firm  the fresh bottle gourd is crisp and should not be shriveled, limp or pliable  
4.5  fresh  
 bottle gourds that have been recently harvested and whose quality has not deteriorated due 
to loss of moisture, discolouration, or injury through bruising 
 
4.6   
 intact  
fresh bottle gourds with no parts removed and that have not suffered any damage making 
them incomplete  4.7  
length  
the greatest dimension of the fresh bottle gourd fruit measured from the stem end to the 
blossom end, including the stalk 
 
4.8  
overgrown  
the  fresh bottle gourd has developed beyond the be st stage of utilization.  The skin is hard 
and the fruits are pithy or fibrous.  The seeds are tough and the pulp in the seed cavity is 
usually watery or jelly-like 
 4.9 
uniformly coloured  fresh bottle gourds having at least three quarters (¾)of the surface bearing the characteristic colour of the variety KS 1298:2016  
© KEBS 2006 — All rights reserved  7 
4.10  superior quality  
means fresh bottle gourds that are: 
 
i) well developed;  
ii) well shaped and pr actically straight; 
 
iii) free from defects including all deform ities, particularly those caused by seed 
formation 
 
4.11  
good quality  means fresh bottle gourds that are:  i) reasonably developed; 
 
 ii) reasonably shaped and straight 
 
 
5.0 Quality Requirements  
5.1Minimum quality requirements 
 
In all classes, subject to the special provisio ns of each class and tolerances allowed, the 
following shall be the minimum requirements of fresh bottle gourds. 
 
Fresh bottle gourds shall be: 
 
i) firm and intact; 
ii)  fresh and clean; 
iii)  tender; iv) not  overgrown; 
v)  fairly well formed; 
vi) have a glossy skin; 
vii)  light green in colour; 
viii)  free from pests, damage and diseases; ix)  free from foreign smell and/or taste; 
x) not exceed 350 mm in length; 
xi) have a stalk 50 mm ± 10 mm long.  
5.2 Classification 
 
All fresh bottle gourds shall meet the minimum requirements and shall be classified as 
follows:   
 5.2.1 Extra Class    
 
This class consists of fresh bottle gourds which are  uniformly coloured and are of superior 
quality in shape, appearance and development.  They shall be characteristic of the variety. 
 
The difference in length between the shortest and the longest fresh bottle gourd within the 
same package shall not exceed 10 % of the average length of the lot. 
 5.2.2 Class I   
 Fresh bottle gourds in this class shall be uniformly coloured and be of good quality.  
5.2.2.1 The difference in length between the shortest and the longest fresh bottle 
gourd within the same package shall not exceed 20 % of the average length of the lot. 
 
5.2.2.2 The following defects are allowed provided that they do not affect the general 
appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package: 
 
a) A slight deformation,   
b) A slight defect in colouring, especially the light coloured part of the  fruit where it 
touched the ground during  growth. 
 
c) Slight skin blemishes or injuries 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 bottle 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:  
6.1 Extra Class  
 
A maximum of  5 % by mass of bottle gourds not complying with the requirements of this 
class but complying with the requirements of Class I.  
6.2 Class I  
 
A maximum of  5 % by mass of bottle gourds not complying with the requirements of this 
class but complying with those of Class II.  
6.3 Class II   
 
A maximum of 5 % by mass of bottle gourds not complying with the requirements of this 
class but complying with the minimum requirements. 
 
7.0  Provisions concerning presentation 
 KS 1298:2016  
© KEBS 2006 — All rights reserved  97.1 Uniformity 
The contents of each package (or lot for produce presented in bulk in the transport vehicle), 
must be uniform and contain only headed cabbages of the same origin, variety or 
commercial type, quality, and size (if sized). 
Bottle gourds  in Class I must be uniform in shape and colour. 
However, a mixture of bottle gourdsof dist inctly different commercial types and/or 
colours may be packed together in a package, provided they are uniform in quality and, for 
each commercial type and/or colour concerned, in origin. 
Miniature bottle 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. 
  
9 Contaminants  
 
9.1 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 
  
 
9.2 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). 
 10 HYGIENE 
 
10.1  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. 
 
10.2  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).  
 11. 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 “bottle gourd” and /or commercial type if the contents are not 
visible from the outside. 
ii) Class 
iii) Size code: 
vi) name and physical address of the importer/packer/distributor;  
vii) country of origin;  viii) net weight in kilograms;  
ix) identification code and/or batch number 
x) name of the variety or commercial type;  
xi) storage instructions.  
xii)GMO status  
 
 
 
  
13.  Sampling   
 
Bottle gourds shall be sampled in accordance with the standard KS ISO 874-Fruits and 
vegetables-Sampling.