DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS DEAS 144 
Third Edition  
2017-mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DEAS 144: 2017 
© UNBS 2017 
   
Neutral spirit — Specification  
 
 DUS DEAS 144: 2017 
ii                © UNBS  2017 - 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 2017 
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: +256 417 333 250/1/2/3 
Fax: +256 414 286 123 
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 DUS DEAS 144: 2017 
© UNBS  2017 - All rights reserved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  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 Agreement 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 Draft Uganda Standard, DUS DEAS 144: 2017, Neutral spirit — Specification, is identical with and has 
been reproduced from an International Standard, DEAS 144 : 2017, Neutral spirit — Specification , and is being 
proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard. 
This standard was developed by the Subcommittee on Water and alcoholic beverages, SC 16, under the Food 
and agriculture Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2 ). 
Whereve r the words, “ East African Standard " appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
This standard cancels and replaces US 144: 2014 , Neutral spirit — Specification (2nd Edition ), which has been 
technically revised. EAS 144:2017
ICS67.160.10
© EAC 2017 third Edition 2017
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Neutral spirit ― Specification
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITYEAS 144:2017
ii © EAC 2017 –All rights reservedCopyright notice
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by
participants in the EAC standards development process is permit ted 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 fo r 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 persecutedDEAS 144:2017
©EAC 2017 –All rights reserved iiiForeword
Development of the East African Standards has been n ecessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchange d
within the Community will be removed.
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated
to develop and issue East African Standards.
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National S tandards 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.
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East
African Standards are th erefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards
they are implementing .
FDEAS 144was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/TC007, Alcoholic and non -alcoholic beverages .
This second edition cancels and replaces the fir st edition EAS 144:2013,of which has been technically
revised.EAST AFRICAN STANDARD EAS 144:2017
© EAC 2017 –All rights reserved 1Neutral spirit ― Specification
1Scope
This final draft East African Standard specifies the requirements and method of sampling and test for neutral
spirit intended for use in the manufactur e or blending of alcoholic beverages.
2Normative 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.
EAS 12, Drinking (potable) water —Specification
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods —Specification
EAS 39, Hygiene in food and drink manufacturing industry —Code of practice
EAS 100, Food stuf fs—Methods of determination of Lead
3Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.
3.1
alcohol
as ethyl alcohol (C 2H5OH)
3.2
furfural
aldehyde with the chemical formula C 4H3OCHO, is one of t he by products of alcohol fermentation of
carbohydrate material by microorganism present
3.3
fusel oil
complex mixture of higher alcohols containing principally amyl alcohols (pentanols), butyl alcohols (butanols),
propyl alcohols (propanols) and traces of capryl alcohol (octan -2-ol), hexyl alcohols (hexanols), or heptyl
alcohols (heptanols), esters, aldehydes and terpenes. It is a product of alcoholic fermentati on obtained during
distillation
3.4
neutral spirit
distillate obtained from fermented carbo hydrate material, purified by fractional distillation with removal of fusel
oil and furfural2 © EAC 2017 –All rights reserved4Requirements
4.1 General requirements
Neutral spirit shall :
a)be derived from carbohydrate materials of agricultural source ;
b)be clear, colourless and free from an y suspended matter even when diluted to 20 % by volume with
distilled water ;
c)have only the odour of pure ethyl alcohol and no secondary odour ; and
d)have only the characteristic taste of pure ethyl alcohol.
4.2 Specific quality requirements
Neutral spirit s hall comply with the quality requirements specified in Table 1.
Table 1 ―Quality requirements for neutral spirit
Sl No Characteristic Requirement Test m ethod
ii) Ethanol content, percent byvolume at
20C, min.96
EAS 104v) Volatile acids as acetic acid, mg/L
absolute alcohol, max.20
vi) Total solids ,%mg/L , max. 30
vii) Methanol content, mg/L, max. 50
viii) Higher alcohols (fusel oils) as amyl
alcohol, mg/L of absolute alcohol, max.10
ix) Furfural content To pass the test
x) Aldehydes (as acetaldehyde), mg/ L,
max.5
5Heavy metal contaminants
When tested i n accordance with EAS 10 0,the level of lead shall not exceed 0.01 mg/L.
6Hygiene
Neutral spirit shall be manufactured and handled in a hygienic manner in accordance with EAS 39.
7Weight sand measures
The volume and fill of neutral spirit shall comply with the weights and measures regulations of Partner States
or equivalent legislation.©EAC 2017 –All rights reserved 38Packaging
8.1 Neutral spirit shall be packaged in suitable food grade containers.
8.2 Neutral spirit shall be packaged for bulk delivery and storage in containers th at shall prevent
contamination of the product and preserve its safety and quality.
9Labelling
The containers in which neutral spirit is packaged for storage or transport shall be marked in accordance with
the provisions of EAS 38.
Markings indicative of the inflammable nature of the material shall be clearly displayed on such containers.
10Sampling and test
Sampling and test ingofneutral spirit shall be done in accordance with EAS 104.DEAS 144:2017
© EAC 2017–All rights reserved