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ICS 67.060             DMS 1836:2022   
         First  Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
MALAWI STANDARD  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lentils  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: This is a draft Malawi standard and shall neither be regarded nor used as a Malawi standard  
 
 ICS 67.060         DMS 1836 :2022  
                                                                                                                                       Fisrt  Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lentils  – 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  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  3 
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 lentils . 
 
In preparing this standard, reference was made to the following standard : 
 
African Standard AR S 870 :2022, Lentils  – 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 1836 :2022  
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Lentils  – Specification  
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft Malawi standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for shelled whole 
lentils of varieties (cultivars) grown from Lens culinaris Medic. Syn. Lens esculenta Moench . 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 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 standards indicated below. Information on 
current valid national and international standards can be obtained fro m 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 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  
damaged lentils   
whole and pieces of lentils which are distinctly damaged by frost, weather, disease, heat (other than to a 
material extent), immature, or other causes, except weevil or material heat damage or are distinctly soiled 
or stained by nightshade, dirt, or toxic material or other wise damaged in a way w hich materially affects 
quality  
 
Note:  Kernels that are deformed are considered sound unless there is another reason for the damage beyond the deformity . 
 
3.2  
defective lentils (total)  
weevil  damaged lentils, heat -damaged lentils, damaged lentils, and split lentils  
  
2 3.3  
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  
 
3.4  
foreign matter   
all organic and inorganic material (such as plant parts, sand, soi l, glass, filth) other than lentils  
 
3.5 
immature lentils  
lentils  that do not have a traditional lens shaped profile due to immaturity. Immature lentils are 
characterized as having a thin or flat (wafer -like), wrinkled, and misshapen appearance. Lentils may also 
be discoloured  
 
3.6 
lentils  
threshed  seeds of the lentil plant (Lens culinaris Medic. Syn. Lens esculenta Moench)   
 
3.7 
peeled, spli t lentils  
lentils which are otherwise sound but which are less than three -quarters of whole seeds or where less than 
one-half of the seed coat is intact   
 
Note:  Lentils with cracked or clipped seed coats are considered sound when the cotyledons are firmly held together.  
 
3.8 
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 , Khesari and other seeds that are commonly recognized 
as harmful to health  
 
3.9  
whole lentils   
lentils with one -fourth or less of the cotyledons removed and with the remainder of the cotyledons firmly held 
together  
 
 
4 QUALITY REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1 General requirements   
 
Dry split peas shall be : 
 
a) Mature dry seeds obtained from the plant botanically known as Lens culinaris Medic. Syn. Lens 
esculenta Moench ; 
 
b) Clean, well -filled, wholesome, uniform in size, shape, colour;  
 
c) Free from substances which render them  unfit for human consumption;  
 
d) Free from abnormal flavours, musty, sour or other undesirable odour, obnoxious smell and 
discolouration;  
 
e) Free of pests, live insects, animal droppings, fungus infestation, added colouring matter, moulds, 
impurities of plant and animal origin including insects, rodent hair and excreta and shall meet any 
other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements;  and 
 
f) Free f rom toxic or poisonous or harmful seeds that are commonly recognized as harmful to health.  
 
  
3 4.2 Specific requirements  
 
Lentils  peas  shall comply with the specific requirements in Table 1  when tested in accordance with the methods 
of test therein.  
 
Table 1: Specif ic requirements for dry split peas  
 
S/N Characteristic  Grade  Method of 
test 1 2 3 
1 Moisture, % m/m , max 14 14 14 MS 1779  
2 Foreign matter, % m/m , max 0.2 0.5 1.0 
MS1796  3 Inorganic matter, % m/m , max 0.1 0.2 0.5 
4 Broken/split lentils, , % m/m , max 2 3.5 5 
5 Pest damaged lentils , % m/m , max 0.3 0.5 0.6 
6 Rotten & Diseased lentils, % m/m , max 0.2 0.5 0.5 
7 Discoloured lentils, % m/m , max 1 2 3 
8 Immature/shrivelled grains, % m/m , max 1 2 5 
9 Filth, % m/m , max 0.1 0.1 0.1 
10 Total defective lentils, % m/m , max 2 3.5 5 
Note  1: The parameter, total defective lentils is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited to 70% 
of the sum total of individual defects.  
 
 
 
5 CONTAMINANTS  
 
5.1 Heavy metals  
 
Lentils  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  
 
Lentils  shall conform to the Maximum Residue Limits for  pesticides  established by the C odex Alimentarius 
Commission.  
 
 
6 HYGIENE  
 
Products covered by the provisions of this draft Malawi standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance 
with the appropriate clauses of MS 21.  
 
 
7 PACKAGING  
 
7.1  Lentils  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  Lentils  shall be packag ed in food grade packaging materials which will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional, technological and organoleptic qualities of the products.  
 
7.3  Each pack age shall contain lentils  of the same type and of the same grade designation.  
 
 
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 : 
  
4 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 conta minants’’;  
 
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 identific ation 
mark provided 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 1836 :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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