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ICS 67.060             DMS 1840:2022   
    First  Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
MALAWI STANDARD  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dry split peas  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: This is a draft Malawi standard and shall neither be regarded nor used as a Malawi standard  
 
 ICS 67.060         DMS 1840 :2022  
                                                                                                                                       Fisrt  Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dry split peas  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Obtainable from the  
Malawi  Bureau of Standards  
Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road  
P O Box 946  
BLANTYRE  
 
 Tel: +265 1 870 488  
Fax: +265 1 870 756  
 E-mail: mbs@mbsmw.org  
Website: www.mbsmw.org  
 
Price based on 4  pages  
© Copyright reserved   
i TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 
Contents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  Page  
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  ii 
Technical Committee  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  ii 
Notice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. ii 
Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
Quality requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  2 
Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  3 
Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  4 
Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
ii FOREWORD  
 
This draft Malawi standard has been prepared by MBS/TC 16, the Technical Committee on Cereals, pulses, 
legumes and their products to provide requ irements for dry split peas . 
 
In preparing this standard, reference was made to the following standard : 
 
African Standard AR S 871 :2022, Dry split peas  – Specification . 
 
Acknowledgement is made for the use of the information.  
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
 
This draft Malawi standard has been prepared by MBS/TC 16, the Technical Committee on Cereals, pulses, 
legumes and their products and the following companies, organizations and institutions were consulted:  
 
Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation;  
Agricultural Co mmodity Exchange;  
Consumers Association of Malawi;  
Export Trading Limited;  
Grain Traders Association of Malawi;  
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources;  
Ministry of Agriculture – Department of Crop Development;  
Ministry of Health – Department of Nutrition and HIV and AIDS;  
Ministry of Trade and Industry;  
National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi;  
Rab Processors Limited; and  
University of Malawi.  
 
 
NOTICE  
 
This standard shall be reviewed every five years, or earlier when it is necessary, in order to keep abreast of 
progress. Comments are welcome and shall be considered when the standard is being reviewed.   
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                DMS 1840 :2022  
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Dry split peas  – Specification  
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft Malawi standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for dry split peas of 
varieties (cultivars) grown from Pisum sativum L.  and Pisum sativum var. arvense L.  intended for human 
consumption.  
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
 
The following standards contain provisions, which through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this 
Malawi standard. All standards are subject to revision an d, since any reference to a standard is deemed to be 
a reference to the latest edition of that standard, parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged 
to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent edition of the standards indicated below . Information on 
current valid national and international standards can be obtained from the Malawi Bureau of Standards.  
 
MS 19: Labeling of prepacked foods – General standard;  
 
MS 21: Food and food processing units – Code of hygienic conditions;  
 
MS 145: Cereals an cereal products – Sampling;  
 
MS 243: Dry garden peas – Specification;  
 
MS 302: Contaminants and toxins in food and feed – General standard;  
 
MS 1779: Pulses – Determination of moisture content – Air oven method;  
 
MS 1796: Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety — 
Test methods;  
 
ISO 16050:  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B 2, G 1  
and G 2 in cereals, nuts and derived products — High performance liquid chromatographic method;  and 
 
AOAC Official Method 2001.04: Determination of Fumonisins B 1 and B 2 in corn and corn flakes — Liquid 
chromatography wit h immunoaffinity column cleanup.  
 
 
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this draft Malawi standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1  
bleached split peas   
green -coloured varieties which are bleached distinctly yellow in colour or split peas of yellow -coloured 
varieties which are bleached distinctly green in colour  
 
3.2  
contrasting split peas   
split peas which are of a colour contrasting with the predominating class of split pea s 
 
Note:  Bleached split peas of the predominating class shall not be considered as contrasting split peas.  
 
  
2 3.3  
damaged split peas  
split peas which are distinctly damaged by frost, weather, disease, heat (other than to a material extent), 
or other causes (except  weevil or material heat damage), or are distinctly soiled or stained by nightshade, 
dirt, or toxic material  
 
3.4  
defective split peas   
weevil -damaged split peas, heat -damaged split peas, damaged split peas, contrasting split peas, whole 
peas, white caps,  and bleached split peas  
 
3.5 
food grade packaging material  
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will 
not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  
 
3.6  
foreign matter   
all organic and inorganic material (such as plant parts, sand, soil, glass, filth) other than peas  
 
3.7  
poisonous, toxic and/or harmful seeds  
any seed which if present in quantities above permissible limit may have damaging or dangerous effect 
on health, organoleptic properties or technological performance such as Jimson weed — Datura ( D. 
fastuosa  Linn and D. stramonium  Linn.) corn cokle ( Agrostemma githago  L., Machai Lallium remulenum  
Linn.) Akra (Vicia  species), Argemone mexicana , Khesa ri and other seeds that are commonly recognized 
as harmful to health  
 
3.8  
split peas   
threshed seeds of the garden type pea plant (Pisum sativum L. and Pisum sativum var. arvense L.) , which 
have been split into halves or smaller pieces  
 
3.9  
white caps  
split peas with seed coats attached  
 
 
4 QUALITY REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1 Raw materials  
 
Dry split peas shall be made from peas complying with MS 243.  
 
4.2 General requirements   
 
Dry split peas shall be : 
 
a) Hard, clean and uniform in colour ; 
 
b) Free from substances which render them unfit for human consumption ; 
 
c) Free from abnormal flavours, musty, sour or other undesirable odour, obnoxious smell and 
discolouration;  and 
 
d) Free from micro -organisms and substances originating from micro -organisms, or other poisonous or 
deleterious substances in amounts that may constitute a hazard to human health.  
 
4.3 Specific requirements  
 
Dry split peas  shall comply with the specific requirements in Table 1  when tested in accordance with the 
methods of test therein.  
  
3 Table 1: Specif ic requirements for dry split peas  
 
S/N Characteristic  Grade  Method of 
test 1 2 3 
1 Moisture, % m/m , max 13 13 13 MS 1779  
2 Purity, % m/m , min. 99 99 99 
MS  1796  3 Foreign matter, % m/m , max 0.2 0.3 0.5 
4 Inorganic matter, % m/m , max 0.1 0.2 0.3 
5 Whole peas, % m/m , max 0.5 1.0 2.0 
6 Pest damaged peas, % m/m , max 0.5 1.0 1.5 
7 Heat damaged peas, % m/m , max 0.2 0.5 1.0 
8 Contrasting peas% m/m , max 0.5 1.0 2.0 
9 White caps peas% m/m , max 1.5 3.0 5.0 
10 Total defective peas, % m/m , max 3 5 7 
11 Bleached peas% m/m , max 1.5 3.0 5.0 
12 Filth, % m/m , max 0.1 0.1 0.1 
13 Total Aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 
+AFG2)), ppb , max m  10 ISO 16050  
18 Aflatoxin B1 only, ppb max  5 
19 Fumonisin, ppm max  2 AOAC 
2001.04  
Note  1: The parameter, total defective grains is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited to 70% 
of the sum total of individual defects.  
 
Note2: Dry split peas destined for processing baby foods shall have total aflatoxin level  of not more than  4 ppb.  
 
 
5 CONTAMINANTS  
 
5.1 Heavy metals  
 
Dry split peas  shall be free from heavy metals in amounts which may represent a hazard to human health and 
shall comply with maximum limits indicated in MS 302.  
 
5.2 Pesticides residues  
 
Dry split peas  shall conform to the Maximum Residue Limits for  pesticides  established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission.  
 
 
6 HYGIENE  
 
Products covered by the provisions of this draft Malawi standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance 
with the appropriate cla uses of MS 21.  
 
 
7 PACKAGING  
 
7.1  Dry split peas shall be packaged in suitable food grade packaging materials which shall be clean, 
sound, free from insect, fungal infestation and the packaging material shall be of food grade quality and shall 
be securely  closed and sealed.  
 
7.2  Dry split peas shall be packaged in food grade packaging materials which will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional, technological and organoleptic qualities of the products.  
 
7.3  Each package shall contain dry split peas of the sa me type and of the same grade designation.  
 
 
 
  
4 8. LABELLING  
 
8.1 Labelling of retail containers  
 
The following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be legibly and indelibly marked in 
accordance with the requirements  of MS 19 : 
 
8.1.1 Product name as “Dry split peas” ; 
 
8.1.2 Variety;  
  
8.1.3 Grade;  
 
8.1.4 Name, address and physical location of the producer/ packer/importer;  
  
8.1.5 Lot/batch/code number;  
 
8.1.6 Net weight in Kg;  
 
8.1.7 The declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’  
 
8.1.8 Storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
 
8.1.9 Crop year;  
 
8.1.10 Packing date;  
 
8.1.11  Best before date;  
 
8.1.12 Instructions on disposal of used package;  
 
8.1.13 Country of origin; and  
 
8.1.14 A declaration on whether the pearl millet was genetically modified or not.  
 
8.2 Labelling of non -retail containers  
 
Information detailed in clause 8.1 shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except 
that the name of the product, lot identification and the name and address of the processor or packer as well 
as storage instructions, shall appear on the container.  
 
For products purchased for use by the buyer/retailer, at least the name of producer, lot number and/or ‘crop 
year’ shall be indicated on the container.  
 
Lot identification and the name and address of the processor or packer may be replaced by an identification 
mark pr ovided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.  
 
 
 
9 SAMPLING  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with the MS 145.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
ICS 67.060                 DMS 1840 :2022  
                                                                                                                                        First  Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MALAWI  BUREAU OF STANDARDS              CERTIFICATION MARK SCHEME  
The Malawi Bureau of Standards is the 
standardizing body in Malawi under the aegis 
of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.  Set up in 
1972 by the Malawi Bureau of Standards Act 
(Cap: 51:02), the Bureau is a parastatal body 
whose activities aim at formulating and 
promoting the general adoption of standards 
relating to structures, commodities, materials, 
practices, operations and from time to time 
revise, alter and amend the same t o 
incorporate advanced technology.  To bring the advantages of standardization 
within the reach of the common consumer, the 
Bureau operates a Certification Mark Scheme. 
Under this scheme, manufacturers who 
produce goods that confor m to national 
standards are granted permits to use the 
Bureau’s “Mark of Quality” depicted below on 
their products.  This Mark gives confidence to 
the consumer of the commodity’s reliability. 
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