DEAS 333: 2022 
ICS 21.060.20 
 
© EAC 2022                                                                                                                            Second  Edition 2022 
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Edible sesame (simsim) oil  — Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 DEAS 333: 2022 
ii © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
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 DEAS 333: 2022  
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated 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 exchanged within 
the Community will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and issue 
East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of r epresentatives of the National Standards Bodies 
in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector organizations  in the 
community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representati ve of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner 
States. The comments recei ved are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance 
with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
EAS 333 was prepared by Technical Committee EASC/ TC/015, Oil Seeds, Edible Fats and Oils.  
This second third edition cancels and replaces the first second edition (EAS 333:201300), which has been 
technically revised  
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 333: 2022 
 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  1 
 Edible sesame(simsim)  oil — Specification   
1 Scope   
This Draft East African standard specify the requirements, methods of sampling and test for virgin and refined 
sesame oil derived from the seed of Sesamum indicum L. intended for human consumption.  
2 Normative references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the 
latest edition of the reference d document (in cluding any amendments) applies . 
CXS 192 General Standard for Food additives  
CXG 66 Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — Specification  
EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene for food and drink manufact uring industries  
EAS 769, Fortified edible oils and fats — Specification  
EAS 804, Claims on foods —Requirements  
EAS 805, Use of nutritional and health claims — Requirement  
ISO 660, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of acid value and acidi ty 
ISO 661, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Preparation of test sample  
ISO 662, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
ISO 663, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of insoluble impurit ies content  
ISO 2590, General method for determining of arsenic — Diethyldithiocarbamate photometric method  
ISO 3596, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of unsaponifiable matter — Method using diethyl 
ether  
ISO 3657, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of saponification value  
ISO 3960, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of peroxide value — Iodometric (visual) endpoint 
determination  
ISO 3961, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of iodi ne value  
ISO 5555, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Sampling  DEAS 333: 2022 
2 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 ISO 6320, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of refractive index  
ISO 6883, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of conventional mass per volume (litre weight 
in air) 
ISO 8294, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of copper, iron and nickel contents — Graphite 
furnace atomic absorption method  
ISO 10539, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of alkalinity  
ISO 12193, Animal and vegetable fa ts and oils — Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy  
ISO 15305, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of Lovibond colour  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following  terms a nd definitions apply . 
3.1  
edible s esame  oil 
is edible oil derived from sesame seeds (seeds of Sesamum indicum L.) . 
3.2  
virgin s esame  oil 
edible oil obtained, without altering the nature of the oil, by mechanical procedures, for example, expelling or 
pressing, and the application of heat only. It may have been purified by washing with water, settling, filtering 
and centrifuging only . 
3.3  
refined (non –virgin) s esame oil 
edible oil obtained, by mechanical procedures and/or solvent extraction and subjected to refining processes . 
3.4  
cold pressed s esame  oil 
sesame oil obtained, without altering the nature of the oil by mechanical procedures, fo r example, expelling or 
pressing, without the application of heat. It may have been purified by washing with water, settling, filtering and 
centrifuging only . 
3.5  
food grade packaging material   
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for the intended use and which will not 
impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
Sesame  oil shall be  
a) be free from adulterants, sediments, and any other foreign matter ; 
b) have acceptable taste and odour; and  
c) be free from admixture with other oils . DEAS 333: 2022 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2 Specific requirements  
Edible s esame  oil shall comply with th e requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 1  ― Specific requirement s for sesame  oil 
S/No. Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Relative  Density  (20 C/ water  at 20 C) 0.915  – 0.924  ISO 6883  
ii.  Refractive Index  (at 40 oC) 1.465  – 1.469  ISO 6320  
iii.  Saponification  Value  (mg KOH/g  oil) 186 – 195 ISO 3657  
iv.  Iodine  Value  (Wij’s) g/100g  104 – 120 ISO 3961  
v.  Unsaponifiable  Matter,  g/kg,  max.  20 ISO 3596  
vi.  Acid Value,  mg KOH/g  oil, max.  Refined oil 0.6  
virgin  oil 4 ISO 660  
vii.  Peroxide  Value,  meq oxygen/kg  oil, max.  Virgin 15  
Refined 10  ISO 3960  
viii.  Moisture and matter volatile at 105 o C, 
% m/m, max  0.2 ISO 662  
ix.  Insoluble  impurities,  % m/m, max  0.05 ISO 663  
x.  Soap  content,  % m/m, max  0.005  ISO 10539  
xi.  Iron, mg/kg, max  Virgin  5 
Refined  1.5 ISO 8294  
xii.  Copper,  mg/kg, max  Virgin  0.4 
Refined  0.1 ISO 8294  
xiii.  Sesame  oil test (Baudouin)  Positive  Annex  B 
 
4.3 Fortification  of edible s esame  oil 
Edible s esame  oil may be fortified in accordance with EAS 769.  
5 Food additives  
5.1 Virgin or cold pressed sesame  oils shall not contain food additives  
5.2 Refined sesame  oil may contain  food additives as permitted in CXS 192  
6 Flavouring agents  
Flavouring used in refi ned edible sesame  oil shall comply with guidelines for use of flavourings CXG 66 -2008.  DEAS 333: 2022 
4 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 7 Hygiene  
Edible sesame  oil shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with EAS 39.  
8 Contaminants  
8.1 Pesticide residues  
Sesame  oil shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
8.2 Heavy metal contaminants  
Edible sesame  oil shall comply with the  maximum limits specified in Table 2.  
Table 2  ― Limits for heavy metal contaminants in edible sesame  oil 
S/No.  Contaminant  Maximum limit  Test method  
i.  Lead, mg/kg  0.08 ISO 12193  
ii.  Arsenic, mg/kg  0.1 ISO 2590  
 
9 Aflatoxin limits in virgin s esame  oil 
Aflatoxin limits in virgin edible sesame  oil shall be 10ppb for total aflatoxin and 5ppb for aflatoxin B 1. 
10 Packaging  
Edible sesame  oil shall be packaged in food grade containers and sealed in manner to ensure the safety and 
quality requirements specifi ed in this standard are maintained throughout the shelf life of the product.   
11 Labelling  
11.1 In addition to the labelling requirements in EAS 38 the name of the product shall be ‘s asame  oil’ or ‘simsim 
oil’ and with the description as either:  
a) virgin,  
b) refined or non -virgin  
11.2   Claims  
Where Health and nutrition claims  have been used, they  shall be done in accordance to EAS 804 and EAS 805  
12 Sampling  
Sampling shall be carried in accordance with ISO 5555 and samples prepared for testing according to ISO 661.  DEAS 333: 2022 
© EAC 2022 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex A  
(informative)  
 
GLC Fatty acid composition  
When required the fatty acid profile should be determined by Gas Liquid Chromatography. Ranges of fatty acids 
are given in Table A.1   
Table A.1 — GLC Fatty acid composition for sesame  oil 
Carbon  
Configuration  
C14 
C16:0  
C16:1  
 
C18:0  
C17:0  
C17:1  
C18:0  
C18:1  
C18:2  
C18:3  
C20:0  
C20:1  
C22:0  
C24:0  
Composition  % 0.1 7.9- 
12.0 0.2 3.5- 
6.0 <0.2 <0.1 4.5 – 
6.7 34.4- 
45.5 36.9- 
47.9 −  −  0.3 1.1  
 
  DEAS 333: 2022 
6 © EAC 2022– All rights reserved  
 Annex B 
(Normative)  
 
Test for the presence of sesame seed oil (modified baudiouin test)  
B.1 General  
The development of a permanent pink colour with furfural solution in the presence of hydrochloric acid indicates 
the presence of sesame seed oil.  
B.2 Reagents  
The reagents shall be of recognized analytical quality.  
B.2.1 Hydrochloric acid (36 -37%), spec ific gravity 1.19  
B.2.2 Furfural solution  
Two per cent (2%) of furfural distilled not earlier than 24 hours prior to the test in 90% (v/v) ethanol (specific 
gravity 0.832 to 0 835). The reagent is stable up to 3 months if kept in a refrigerator  
B.3 Proc edure  
B.3.1 Take 5 ml of the oil or melted fat in a 25 ml measuring cylinder (or test tube) provided with a glass stopper 
and add 5 ml of hydrochloric acid and 0.4 ml of furfural solution.  
B.3.2 Insert the glass stopper and shake vigorously for two minutes.  
A.3.3  Allow the mixture to separate.  
A.3.4  The development of a pink or red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of sesame seed oil.  
B.3.5 Confirm by adding 5 ml of water and shaking  again.  
B.3.6 If the colour persists, sesame seed oil is present. If the colour disappears, sesame seed oil is absent.  
 DEAS 333: 2022   
 
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