G/TBT/N/MWI/4  
 
28 September 2017  
(17-5187) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member: MALAWI   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Malawi Bureau of Standards  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Pepper of 
the genus Piper; dried or crushed or ground fruits of the genus Capsicum or of the genus 
Pimenta. (HS 09 04). Spices and condiments (ICS 67.220.10).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: DMS 1289 -
1:2016, Pepper ( Piper nigrum  L.), whole or ground – Specification, Part 1: Black pepper 
(11 page(s), in English)    
6. Description of content: This part of MS 1289 specifies requirements for black pepper 
(Piper nigrum  L.) (see MS 1068), whole or ground at the following commercial stages:  
(a) pepper sold by the producing country without cleaning or after a partial cleaning, 
without prepar ation or grading, called "non -processed (NP) or semi -processed (SP) 
pepper" in this part of MS 1289;  
(b) pepper sold by the producing country after cleaning, preparation and/or grading, called 
"processed (P) pepper", which can, in certain cases, be re -sold directly to the consumers.  
When the term "black pepper" is used alone, it means that the specification applies to both 
types described, without distinction.  
This part of MS 1289 is not applicable to black pepper categories called "light".  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection; Protection of human health or safety; Quality requirements  
8. Relevant documents :  
1. MS 19, Labelling of pre -packed foods – General standard;  
2. MS 21, Food and food processing units – Code of hygienic conditions;  
3. MS 139, Spices and condiments – Determination of extraneous matter and foreign 
matter content;  
4. MS 141, Spices and condiments – Determination of total ash;  G/TBT/N/MWI/4  
 
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  5. MS 142, Spices and condiments – Determination of filth;  
6. MS 918, Spices and condiments – Determination of moisture content – 
Entrainment method;  
7. MS 919, Spices and condiments – Determination of acid -insoluble ash;  
8. MS 920, Spices,  condiments and herbs – Determination of volatile oil content.  
9. MS 922, Spices and condiments – Determination of non -volatile ether extract;  
10. MS 1068, Spices and condiments – Botanical nomenclature;  
11. ISO 948, Spices and condiments – Sampling;  
12. ISO 5564, Black pepper and white pepper, whole or ground – Determination of 
piperine content –Spectrophotometric method; and  
13. ISO 5498, Agricultural food products – Determination of crude fibre content – 
General method.  
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined  
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/MWI/17_4366_00_e.pdf