a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ICS 67.160                         DMS 1529:2020  
       First  edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kombucha  drink – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE – This is a draft standard  and shall neither be used nor regarded as a Malawi standard  
 
 
  
  ICS 67.160                 DMS 1529:2020
                First edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kombucha  drink – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Obtainable from the  
Malawi Bureau of Standards  
Moirs Road  
P O Box 946  
BLANTYRE  
 
                                                                               Tel:  +265 1 870 488  
                                                                              Fax:  +265 1 870 756  
                                                                          E-mail:  mbs@mbsmw.org  
                                                                      Web -site:  www.mbsmw.org  
 
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 i TABLE OF CONTENTS  
  
Contents                                                                                                                                                     page  
Foreword ……………………………… …………………………………..………………………………………… … ii 
Technical committee …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii 
Notice ……………………………..……………………………………………………………………………… …….... ii 
Scope ………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………..  1 
Normative references ……………………………………………………………………………………………………  1 
Terms and definitions ..…………………………………… …………………………………………………………….  1 
Essential composition and quality factors …………………………………………………………………………….. 1 
Food additives………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... 2 
Contaminants …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  3 
Hygiene ………………..………………………………………………………………………………….. ...................  3 
Packaging and l abelling ……………………..……………………………………………… ………………………….  3 
Methods of test …………………………………………… ……………………………………… ……………………..  4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 ii FOREWORD  
 
This draft Malawi standard  was prepared by MBS/TC 11, the Technical Committee on  Alcoholic and non -
alcoholic b everages , to provide requirements for kombucha drinks .   
 
In preparin g this draft Malawi standard reference was made to  the following standard : 
 
Uganda  Standard,  US 2037:2018 , Kombucha  drink – Specification . 
 
Acknowledgement is made for the use of the above standard . 
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
 
This draft Malawi s tandard was pre pared by MBS/TC 11 , the Technical Committee on Alcoholic and non -
alcoholic b everages , and the following companies, organizations and institutions were represented:  
 
Castel Malawi Brewery Limited;  
Chibuku Products Limited;  
Competition and Fair Trading Commi ssion;  
Consumer Association of Malawi;  
Environmental Affairs Department;  
Immortals Limited;  
Lilongwe Dairy (2001) Limited;  
Malawi Environment Protection Authority;  
Malawi Revenue Authority;  
Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences;  
Ministry of He alth; 
Ministry of Local Government;  
Ministry of Trade and Industry;  
Rab Processors Limited;  
Shoprite Limited;  
Universal Industries Limited; and  
University of Malawi.  
 
 
NOTICE  
 
This draft standard shall be reviewed every five years, or earlier when ever it is necessary, in order to keep 
abreast of progress. Comments are welcome and shall be considered when the standard is being reviewed .1 
 DMS 1529 :2020  
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Kombucha  drink – Specification  
 
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft Malawi  standard specifies the requirements and the methods of sampling  and test for kombucha 
drinks .  
 
 
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 r evision and, 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 standard s indicated below. 
Information on current valid national and international standards can be obtained from the Malawi Bureau of 
Standards.  
 
MS 19:  Labelling of prepacked foods – General standard;  
 
MS 21:  Food and food processing unit s – Code of hygienic conditions ; 
 
MS 107 : Alcoholic beverages   ̶  Methods of test ;  
 
MS 214:  Drinking water – Specification;  
 
MS 237: Food additives – General standard;  
 
MS 302:  Contaminants and toxins in foods – General standard.  
 
ISO 4832: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the  enumeration of 
coliforms – Colony -count technique;  
 
ISO 4833 -2: Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms – 
Part 2: Colony count at 30 °C by the surface plating ; 
 
ISO 6579:  Microbiology of food and animal fee ding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp; 
 
ISO 7251: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli – Most probable number technique; and  
 
ISO 21527 -1: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
yeasts and moulds – Part 1: Colony count technique in products with water activity greater than 0.95.  
 
 
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purposes of this draft standard , the following te rms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 
kombucha  
fermented beverage made from sugar, malt or malt substitutes, tea, coffee and other ingredients with a 
symbioti c culture of bacteria  and yeast  
 
3.2 
SCOBY  
symbiotic culture of bacte ria and yeast use d in the production of Kombucha  
  
2 
 3.3 
extraneous matter  
includes inorganic matter such as sand, glass, metal, gravel, dirt, pebbles, stones, lumps of earth, clay and 
mud and organic matter such as chaff, straw, weed seeds and grains of crop s, insects or insects fragments, 
rodent hairs or any other foreign matter  
 
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
 
4.1 Quality of raw materials  
 
The raw materials used in the production of kombucha drink shall be clean, sound and complying with 
relev ant Malawi standards.  
 
4.2 Essential ingredients  
 
The following ingredients shall be used in the preparation of kombucha drinks.  
 
4.2.1  Coffee, tea or malt complying with relevant Malawi standards.  
 
4.2.2  Sugar complying with relevant Malawi standards.  
 
4.2.3 Bacterial and yeast culture (SCOBY).  
 
4.2.4  Potable water, complying with MS 214.  
 
4.3 Other ingredients  
 
Other ingredi ents used in the production of k ombucha shall be wholesome and complying to relevant Malawi 
standards.  
 
4.4 General quality requireme nts for kombucha  
 
4.4.1 Kombucha shall be practically free from off -odours and off - flavours . 
 
4.4.2 Kombucha shall be pra ctically free from extraneous  matter.  
 
4.4.3  The appearance and consistency of Kombucha shall be uniform and characteristic of the pro duct.  
 
4.5 Specific quality requirements  
 
Kombucha  shall conform to the compositional requirement s in Table 1 . 
 
Table 1 – Composition al requirements for kombucha  
 
S/N Characteristic  
 Requirement  
 Test 
methods  Non-alcoholic  
kombucha  Alcoholic  
kombucha  
1 Alcohol content, %, (v/v)  ˂ 0.5 0.5 - 15  
 
MS 107  2 Acidity as acetic acid, g/l  max 2 2 
3 Acidity as lactic acid, g/l  4 – 15 4 – 15 
4 Total sugar as invert sugar, g/l  max 50 50 
 
4.2.5 Kombucha  shall comply with limits for microorganisms  specifi ed in Table 2 . 
 
Table 2  – Microbiological limits for  kombucha  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/N Characteristic  Limit (cfu)  Test methods  
1 Total aerobic count, per ml, max.  100 ISO 4833 -2 
2 Total coliforms, per 100 ml  Absent  ISO 4832  
3 E. coli,  per 100 ml  Absent  ISO 7251  
4 Yeast and mould count, per ml, max.  10 ISO 21527 -1 
5 Salmonella spp . per 25 ml  Absent  ISO 6579  
  
3 
 5 FOOD ADDITIVES  
 
Only those food additives listed under this product in MS 237, may be used and only within the limits 
specified.  
 
 
6 CONTAMINANTS  
 
6.1 Heavy metals  
 
The products covered by this draft standard shall comply with the maximum levels of heavy metals and toxic 
substances prescribed in MS 302.  
 
6.2 Pesticide residues  
 
All the raw material s used i n the production of kombucha  shall comply with the m aximum residue limits for  
pesticides as established by the  Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
 
7 HYGIENE  
 
The product  covered by the provisions of this draft standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance 
with the requirements set out in MS 21.   
 
 
8 PACKAGING AND LABELLING  
 
8.1 Packaging   
 
8.1.1  Kombucha  shall be packaged in containers, which  will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
technological, and organoleptic qualities of the product . 
 
8.1.2  The containers, including packaging material, shall be m ade of substances, which  are safe and 
suitable for their intended use. They shall not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to 
the product.  
 
8.2 Labelling  
 
In addition to provisions prescribed in MS 19, the following information shall be marked or labelled indelibly 
and legib ly on the kombucha  packages : 
 
8.2.1  Name of the product.  Name of the product shall be  ‘’Non-alcoholic Kombucha ’’ or ‘’Alcoholic 
Kombucha ’’.  
 
8.2.2  Net content. The net contents shall be declared in the metric (SI)  units by volume.  
 
8.2.3  Name, address and physical location of the manufacturer. The full name and street address of 
the manufacturer or seller or franchiser or entity on whose behalf the product has been manufactured shall 
be included on the label.  
 
8.2.4 Date of manufacture. The date of manufacturer shall be declared and legibly printed.  
 
8.2.5  Best before date. The best before date shall be declared and legibly printed.  
 
8.2.6  List of ingredients. List of ingredie nts used to prepare kombucha  shall be de clared in descending 
order of proportion.  
 
8.2.7  Name of the flavour used , where applicable . 
 
8.2.8  Ethyl alcohol content, %  by volume.  
  
4 
 8.2.9  A statement “Sale to and consumption by persons under 18 years of age is prohibited” or use 
relevant symbols e.g.  +18 years to represent the statement;  
 
8.2.10  Storage conditions or conditions for use . 
 
8.2.11  Batch number.  
 
 
9 SAMPLING AND METHODS OF TEST  
 
Sampling and t esting of kombucha  shall be done in accordance with the pro cedures stipulated in MS 107 . 
 
 
  
 
ICS 67.160          DMS 1529 :2020
             First edition  
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MALAWI B UREAU 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 Ind ustry .  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, operat ions and from time to time 
revise, alter and amend the same to 
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, manufact urers who 
produce goods that conform 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.