DRAFT KENYA STANDARD            DKS 2842: 2018  
                                                                                                               ICS 67.060  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fresh Arrowroots ( Taro) — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS  2018                              First Edition 2018 
 DKS 2842: 2018  
   ii TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
 
 
 The following organizations were represented on the National Technical Committee : 
University of Nairobi -Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology  
Agriculture and Foo d Authority - Food Cop directorate  
Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization  
Kenya Industrial Research & Development Institute  
National Potato Council of Kenya  
Propack Ltd.  
Graduate Africa Ltd 
Mhogo foods Ltd  
Food Science and Technology platform of Kenya  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast with the progress in the industry, Kenya standards shall be regularly reviewed. 
Suggestions for improvement of published standards are welcome and should be addressed to the Managing 
Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
©Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2018 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyr ight subsists in 
all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Standar ds 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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 DKS 2842: 2018  
   iv  
 
DRAFT KENYA STANDARD              DKS xxxx :2018 
                       ICS 67.060 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fresh Arrowroots ( Taro ) — 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          Rift Valley 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               
 
  
   v Foreword  
This Kenya standard was prepared by the tubers and tuber products technical committee under the guidance of 
the Standards Project Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards.  
Arrowroots have become common food in many households in Kenya due to its appreciable  nutritional  value.  
Arrowroot consumption in Kenya has been on the rise. However, the value chain actors lack appropriate 
standards to guide in  production and post handling of fresh  arrowroots. In order to assure quality and consumer 
safety, it is necessary  to develop a natio nal standard for fresh arrowroots. This first edition of the standard  thus 
intends to safeguard the interests of the stakeholders in the entire value chain, guarantee product quality and 
enhance safety of the consumers.  
In the preparation of this standard , reference was made to:  
Philippines  National Standard -  PNS/BAFS 126:2014 Fresh root vegetables – Arrowroots – Classification and  
grading  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DRAFT KENYA STANDARD        DKS 2842: 2018  
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Fresh arrowroots (Taro ) - specification  
 
1 Scope  
This Kenya  standard specifies the requirements  and methods of sampling and test  for edible varieties of 
arrowroots (also referred to as cocoyam or taro), Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott  of the Araceae family  intended 
for human consu mption.   
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 (includi ng any amendments) applies:  
 
EAS 38, General standard for labeling of prepackaged foods  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice   
EAS 103, Schedule for permitted food additives  
ISO 874, Fresh fruits and vegetables — Sampling   
CAC/RCP 1 , Recommended international code of practice general principles of food hygiene  
CAC/RCP 44,  Code of practice for packaging and transport of fresh fruit and vegetables  
CAC/RCP 53, Code of hygienic practice for fresh fruits and vegetables  
CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
AOAC 2013.06, Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury and Lead in foods  
 
 
3.0 Terms and definitions  
 
3.1 clean  
practically free from adhering soil, not smeared or caked with dirt or othe r foreign matter  
 
3.2 cut surface  
exposed surface of the corms  
 
3.3 firm  
not soft, flabby or shriveled  
 
3.4 fresh  
firm, or free from deterioration   
 
3.5 fairly well shaped  
characteristic of the variety  DKS 2842: 2018  
   2  
3.6 fully matured  
fully developed, firm with tough s kin and with no sprouting  
 
3.8 corm  
rounded underground storage organ of arrowroot  
 
3.9 wholesome / sound  
free from pests, diseases, serious deterioration (such as but not limited to decay, breakdown, freezing damage, 
or softness) or adulteration/contamin ation, that appreciably affects their appearance, edibility and the keeping 
quality of the produce or market value  
 
3.11 Lot  
a batch or consignment of arrowroots meeting similar characteristics  
 
3.12 defects  
Blemishes, scars / scrapes,  shape and colour tha t is not characteristic of the variety  
 
4 Requirements  
 
 
4.1 General requirements   
  
 Arrowroots shall be carefully harvested  when physiologically mature  and taking into account   the 
characteristics of the variety and/or commercial type and the area in wh ich they are grown  
 
4.2 Minimum requirements  
The arrowroot corms shall be: 
a) Wholesome / sound;  
b) clean;  
c) fresh;  
d) firm; 
e) practically free of pests  and disease  
f) practically free of damage caused by pests and disease  
g)  free of abnormal external moisture, except for c ondensation following removal from  
cold storage;  
h) free of any foreign smell;  
i) of colour, taste and te xture characteristic of variety  
j) practically free of mechanical damage and bruising;   
 
 
4.3 Quality requirements  
         DKS 2842: 2018  
 
   3 The quality requirements shall be  that: 
a) not more than 10% of arrowroots in a lot may fail the requirements.  
 
b) not more than 3 % of the arrowroots may  be affected by rot, mould or deterioration   
c) not more than 3 % of the arrowroots may be affected by damage caused by pests;  
 
 
5 Classification  
Arrowroot s shall be classified into: 
 
5.1 Extra class  
Arrowroots  in this class shall be of superior quality  and bear  the characteristics  of the variety . 
They shall be practically free from defects  
 
5.2 Class I  
Arrowroots  in this class shall be of good quality  and b ear the characteristics  of the variety ,  
  
The following slight defects, however, may be allowed, provided these do not affect the general  
appearance of the produce, packaging and storage quality:  
 
a) defects in shape not exceeding 10 % 
b) scarring  or scrap ed surfaces not more than 20% of the total surface area . 
c)   The defects must not, in any case, affect the flesh of the produce.  
 
5.3 Class II  
This class  of arrowroots  only satisfy the  minimum requirements specified in Clause 4. 2 above . However, a 
maximum  30% defects in shape, scarring and scrapes  of the total surface area  may be allowed.   
The defects must not, in any case, affect the flesh of the produce.  
 
 
6. Tolerances  
 
6.1 Class tolerance  
 
6.1.1 Extra class  
Five percent by number or weight of arrowroo ts not sa tisfying the requirements of th e class but meeting  
those of Class I, or exceptionally coming within the tolerances of that class is allowed . 
 
6.1.2 Class I  
Ten percent by number or weight of arrowroots  not satisfying the requirements of the class , but meeting  
those of Class II, or exceptionally coming within the tolerances of that class is allowed.  
 
6.1.3 Class II  
Ten percent by number or weight of arrowroots  not satisfying  neither the requirements of th e class nor the  
minimum requirements,  with th e exception of produce affected by rotting, is allowed.  
 
6.2   Size tolerance  
For all classes, 10% by number or weight of arrowroots corresponding to the size immediately below  DKS 2842: 2018  
   4 or above the size indicated on the package is allowed  
 
 
 
 
7 Provisions concerni ng sizing  
Size is determined by the weight of  individual  arrowroot s in grams, as presented in table 1.  
 
Table 1 – Size classification by weight (g) of arrowroots  
1 Very Small  50 – 149 
2 Small  150 – 250 
3 Medium  251 – 350 
4 Large  351 – 450 
5 Extra Large  > 450  
 
 
 
 8 Food additives  
 
Food additives may be used in the preparation of fresh arrowroots in accordance with EAS 103.  
 
9 Contaminants  
 
9.1 Heavy metals  
Limits of heavy metal shall comply  with maximum levels set in Table 2  
  
                            Table 2— Heavy metals limits for fresh arrowroots  
S/N Heavy metal   Maximum Limit  
mg/kg  Test method  
i.  Arsenic (As)  0.1 
AOAC 2013.06  ii.  Lead (Pb)  0.1 
iii.  Cadmium (Cd)  0.1 
 
iv.  Mercury (Hg)  0.1 
 
 
 
9.2 Pesticide residues  
Arrowroots  shall comply with those m aximum residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius  
Commission  
 
 
110 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 Recommended Code          DKS 2842: 2018  
 
   5 of Practice – General Principles o f Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1) and Recommended  Code of  
Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53),  
 
11 Provisions concerning presentation  
 
11.1 Uniformity  
The contents of each package shall be uniform  and contain only arrowroots  of the same origin, variety,  
quality and size. The visible part of the contents of the package shall be representative of the  
entire contents.  
 
11.2 Packaging  
11.2.1  Arrowroots  shall be pack aged in such a way as to protect the produce. The  materials used  
 shall be clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or  internal damage to the produce. The 
packaging material shall be food grade.  
11.2.2  Arrowroots  shall be pack aged  in compliance with the Recommended Code o f Practice  
for Packaging and Transport of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables ( KS CAC/RCP 44 -1995).  
 
11.2.1 Description of packing Containers  
The containers shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and resistance characteristics to  
ensure suitable handling, sh ipping and preserving of the arrowroots . Packages shall  be free of all  
foreign matters or smell.  
 
12 labeling  
 
12.1 In addition to the requirements of EAS 38, the following specific requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly  marked:   
a) name  of the produce to be shown on the label shall be “Fresh Arrowroots ”  
 
b) name and location address of the vendor and /or packer shall be declared;  
 
c) country of origin of the produce;  
 
d) commercial identification shall be declared by:  
 
 —   class  ( only when c lassified)   
 
 —   variety;  
 
 —   size (size code); and  
 
 —   net weight (in metric system).  
 
e) lot identification (batch number);  
 
f) declaration of preservatives, if used;  
 
g) date of harvest;  
 DKS 2842: 2018  
   6 h) pack aging date; 
 
i) storage conditions  
 
 
12.2 When labelling non -retail packages, information shall either be given on the packages or in accompanying 
documents, except that the name of the produc e, lot identification and the name and address of the producer or 
packer shall appear on the package . 
 
13 Sampling  
 
Sampling shal l be done in accordance with ISO 874.  
 
14 Criteria for conformity  
 
A lot shall be declared as conforming to this standard if samples inspected or analysed for quality requirements 
conform to the provisions of this standard.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         DKS 2842: 2018  
 
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