FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 756
First Edition
2011-mm-dd
 
 Reference numbe r
FDUS EAS 756: 2011
© UNBS 2011
  
Pigeon peas — Specification 
 FDUS EAS 756: 2011 
i i                 ©  U N B S  2011 - 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 2011 
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, in cluding 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 41 505 995 
Fax: 256 41 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 FDUS EAS 756: 2011 
© UNBS  2011 - All rights rese rved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry  of Tourism, Trade and 
Industry established under Cap 327, of the Laws of U ganda. 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 A limentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT/SPS Agr eements 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 gi ven field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academician s, manufacturers, governme nt and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committ ee 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 Final Draft Uganda  Standard, FDUS EAS 756: 2011 , Pigeon peas  — Specification, is identical with  and 
has been reproduced fr om an East African Standard, EAS 756: 2011 , Pigeon peas  — Specification,  and is 
being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by the Food and agricu lture Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2).  
Wherever the words, “East Africa Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard."  EAS 756:2011
ICS 67.060
 
© EAC 2011 First Edition 2011  
 
      
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Pigeon peas — Specification  
 
 
 
      
 
                     
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
HS 0713.39.90 [0713.90.10] [0713.90.91] EAS 756:2011  
 
 
Foreword 
 
Development of the East African Standards ha s been necessitated by the need for harmonizing 
requirements governing quality of products and services in East Africa. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers which are encountered when goods and services are 
exchanged within the Comm unity will be removed.  
 In order to meet the above objectives, the EAC Partner States have enacted an East African 
Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology an d Test Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make 
provisions for ensuring standardization, quality as surance, metrology and testing of products 
produced or originating in a third country and traded in the Community in order to facilitate industrial 
development and trade as well as helping to protect the health and safety of society and the 
environment in the Community. 
 
East African Standards are formulat ed in accordance with the proc edures established by the East 
African Standards Committee. The East Afri can Standards Committee is established under the 
provisions of Article 4 of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006. The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, t ogether with the representatives from the private 
sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards are circ ulated to stakeholders 
through the National Standards Bodies in the Pa rtner States. The comments received are discussed 
and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures of the 
Community.   Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 provides t hat “Within six months of the declaration of an 
East African Standard, the Partner States shall adopt, without deviation from the approved text of the 
standard, the East African Standard as a nationa l standard and withdraw any existing national 
standard with similar scope and purpose”. 
 
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.   
© East African Community 2011 — 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.each.int 
                                                 
* © 2011 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by an y means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs.  
 
ii © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 756:2011  
 
Introduction 
 
 
This standard has been developed to take into account:  
⎯ the needs of the market for the product;  
 
⎯ the need to facilitate fair domestic, regional and international trade and prevent technical barriers 
to trade by establishing a common trading language for buyers and sellers. 
 ⎯ the structure of the CODEX, UNECE, USA, ISO and other internat ionally significant standards; 
 
⎯ the needs of the producers in gaining knowle dge of market standards, conformity assessment, 
commercial cultivars and crop production process; 
 
⎯ the need to transport the product in a manner that  ensures keeping of quality until it reaches the 
consumer; 
 ⎯ the need for the plant protection authority to certif y, through a simplified form, that the product is 
fit for cross-border and international trade without carrying plant disease vectors; 
 ⎯ the need to promote good agricultural practi ces that will enhance wider market access, 
involvement of small-scale traders and hence farming a viable means of wealth creation; and 
 
⎯ the need to ensure a reliable production base of consistent and safe crops that meet customer 
requirements. 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved iii EAS 756:2011  
iv © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  
Contents 
 
 
 
1 Scope.................................................................................................................................1  
2 Normative references........................................................................................................1  
3 Terms and definitions........................................................................................................ 2 
4 Quality Requirements........................................................................................................2  
4.1 General requirements  ................................................................................................. 2  
4.2  Specific requirements ................................................................................................. 3  
5 Contaminants................................................................................................................... ...3 
5.1 Heavy metals  .............................................................................................................. 3  
5.2 Pesticide residues  ....................................................................................................... 4  
5.3 Mycotoxin limits  ........................................................................................................ 4  
6 Hygiene..............................................................................................................................4  
7 Packaging...........................................................................................................................4  
8 Labelling............................................................................................................................5  
9 Sampling methods..............................................................................................................5  EAS 756:2011  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Pigeon peas — Specification  
 
1 Scope 
 
This East African Standard specifies the requirements, methods of sampling and test for dry pigeon peas 
of the varieties (cultivars) grown from Cajanus cajan Linn. intended for human consumption.  
 
2 Normative references 
 
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text constitute provisions of this East African Standard  
 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
 
EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods — Specification  
 
EAS 79, Cereals and pulses as grain — Methods of sampling  
 
EAS 217, Methods for the microbiological examination of foods  
 
ISO 520, Cereals and pulses — Determination of the mass of 1000 grains  
 
ISO 605 , Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety — 
Test methods 
 
ISO 2164, Pulses — Determination of glycosidic hydrocyanic acid  
 ISO 2171, Cereals, pulses and by-products — Determ ination of ash yield by incineration  
 
ISO 4112, Cereals and pulses — Guidance on measurement of the temperature of grain stored in bulk  
 
ISO 4174, Cereals, oilseeds and pulses — Measurement of uni t pressure loss in one-dimensional air flow 
through bulk grain  
 
ISO 5223, Test sieves for cereals  
 
ISO 5526, Cereals, pulses and other food grains — Nomenclature  
 
ISO 5527, Cereals — Vocabulary  
 
ISO 6322-1, Storage of cereals and pulses — Part 1: General recommendations for the keeping of 
cereals  
 ISO 6322-2, Storage of cereals and pulses — Part 2: Practical recommendations  
 
ISO 6322-3, Storage of cereals and pulses — Part 3: Control of attack by pests  
 ISO 6639-1, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden  insect infestation — Part 1: General 
principles  
 ISO 6639-2, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 2: Sampling  
 
ISO 6639-3, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden insect infestation — Part 3: Reference 
method  
 
ISO 6639-4, Cereals and pulses — Determination of hidden in sect infestation — Part 4: Rapid methods  
 
ISO 13690, Cereals, pulses and milled products — Sampling of static batches  
 
ISO 16002:2004, Stored cereal grains and pulses — Guidance  on the detection of infestation by live 
invertebrates by trapping  
 
ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G 1 and 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  1 EAS 756:2011  
ISO/TS 16634-2, Food products — Determination of the total nitrogen content by combustion according 
to the Dumas principle and calculation of the crude protein content — Part 2:  Cereals, pulses and milled 
cereal products  
 
ISO 20483, Cereals and pulses — Determination of the ni trogen content and calculation of the crude 
protein content — Kjeldahl method  
 
 
ISO 24557, Pulses — Determination of moisture content — Air-oven method 
 
CODEX Stan 193, Codex general Standards for contaminants and toxins in Food and Feed  
3 Terms and definitions  
 For the purpose of this standard the followi ng definitions and grading factors shall apply: 
 
3.1 
pigeon peas 
dry mature seeds of Cajanus cajan  Linn 
 3.2 Broken pigeon peas  
pieces of pigeon peas that are less than  three-quarters the size of a whole seed 
 3.3 damaged  
whole or broken pigeon peas that are sprouted, fr ost damaged, heated, damaged by  insects, distinctly 
deteriorated or discoloured by weather or by disease, or that are otherwise 
 
3.4 
foreign matter 
any extraneous matter than pigeon peas or other food grains comprising of  
(a) "inorganic matter" includes metallic pieces, shal e, glass, dust, sand, gravel, stones, dirt, pebbles, 
lumps or earth, clay, mud and animal filth etc; 
(b) "organic matter" consisting of detached seed co ats, straws, weeds and other inedible grains etc. 
 3.5 poisonous, toxic and/or harmful seeds 
any seed which if present in quantities above permiss ible 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 
 
3.6 split  broken pieces of pigeon peas that are less than th ree-quarters of the whole se ed, and cotyledons that are 
loosely held together by the seed coat  
4 Quality Requirements 
 
4.1 General requirements 
 Pigeon peas shall meet the following general requ irements/limits as determined using the relevant 
standards listed in Clause 2. Pigeon peas; 
 
a) shall be the dried mature grains of Cajanus cajan Linn;  
 
b) shall be well-filled, clean, whol esome, uniform in size, and shape; 
 
c) shall be free from substances which render them unfit for human or animal consumption or 
processing into or utilisation thereof as food or feed; 
 
2 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 756:2011  
d) shall be free from abnormal flavours, musty, s our or other undesirable odour, obnoxious smell and 
discolouration;  
 
e) shall be free from micro-organisms and substa nces originating from micro-organisms, fungi or 
other poisonous or deleterious substances in amounts that may constitute a hazard to human 
health. 
 
4.2  Specific requirements 
 
4.2.1  Grading 
 
Pigeon peas shall be graded into three grades on the basis of the tolerable limits established in Table 1 
which shall be additional to the general requirements set out in this standard.  4.2.2 Ungraded pigeon peas 
 Shall be pigeon peas which do not fall within the requir ements of Grades 1, 2, and 3 of this standard but 
are not rejected pigeon peas.  
Note: For Tanzania and Burundi this requirement shall not apply.  
 
4.2.3 Reject grade pigeon peas 
 
Reject pigeon peas shall be peas which are musty, s our, heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which 
have any commercially objectionable odour; which cont ain insect webbing or filth, animal filth, any 
unknown foreign substance, broken glass, or metal fr agments; or which are other wise of distinctly low 
quality. The characteristics are not wi thin the parameters specified in Table 1. They cannot satisfy the 
conditions of under grade pigeon peas and shall be graded as reject pigeon peas and shall be regarded 
as unfit for human or animal consumption. 
 
Table 1 — Specific requirements 
 
Characteristics Maximum limits Method of 
test 
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3  
Foreign matter, % m/m 0.5 1 2 
ISO 605 Inorganic matter, % m/m 0.1 0.5 0.7 
Broken/split grains, % m/m 2 3 4 
Pest damaged grains, % m/m 2 3 6 
Rotten & Diseased grains, % m/m 0.5 0.5 1 
Discoloured grains, % m/m 1 1 3 
Immature/Shrivelled grains, % m/m 1 2 3 
Filth, % m/m 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Total Defective Grains, % m/m 3 5 8 
Moisture, % m/m 13.0 13.0 13.0 ISO 24557 
Total Aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 +AFG2)), 
ppb  10 
ISO 16050 Aflatoxin B1 only, ppb  5 
Fumonisin ppm  2 
 
 
5 Contaminants 
 
5.1 Heavy metals 
 
Pigeon peas shall comply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  3 EAS 756:2011  
5.2 Pesticide residues 
 
Pigeon peas shall comply with those maximum pe sticide residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity   
Note: where the use of certain pesticides is prohibited by some Partner States, then it shall be notified to all Partner States  
accordingly. 
5.3 Mycotoxin limits 
 Pigeon peas shall comply with those maximum mycoto xin limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity. In particular, total aflatoxin levels in pigeon peas for human consumption 
shall not exceed 10 µg/kg (ppb) with B
1 not exceeding 5 µg/kg (ppb) when tested according to ISO 16050. 
 
6 Hygiene 
 6.1 Pigeon peas  shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with the provisions of 
appropriate sections of EAS 39  
 
6.2 When tested by appropriate standards of samp ling and examination listed in Clause 2, the 
products: 
 
⎯ shall be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health and shall not 
exceed the limits stipulated in Table 2; 
 ⎯ shall be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health; and 
 
⎯ shall not contain any substance originating from  microorganisms in amounts which may represent a 
hazard to health. 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits 
 
 Type of micro-organism Limits Test method 
i)  Yeasts and moulds, max. per g 104  
 
EAS 217  ii) S.aureus  per 25 g Not 
detectable 
iii) E. Coli , max. per g Not 
detectable
iv) Salmonella, max. per 25 g  Not 
detectable
 
7 Packaging 
 
7.1 Pigeon peas shall be packed in suitable packages which shall be clean, sound, free from insect, 
fungal infestation and the packing material shall be of food grade quality. 
 
7.2 Pigeon peas shall be packed in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
technological and organoleptic qualities of the products. 
 
7.3 The containers, including packaging material, sha ll be made 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. 
 
7.4 Each package shall contain pigeon peas of t he same type and of the same grade designation. 
 
7.5  If pigeon peas are presented in bags, the bags shall also be free of pests and contaminants. 
 7.6 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed. 
 
 
4 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 756:2011  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  5 8 Labelling 
 
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the 
following: 
 
i) product name as “Pigeon peas”;  
ii) variety;  
 iii) grade; 
 
iv) name, address and physical locati on of the producer/ packer/importer; 
 v) lot/batch/code number;  
vi) net weight, in kg; 
 
Note: EAC partner states are signatory to the Internatio nal Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package weight 
of 50kg where human loading and offloading is involved 
 
vii) the declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’  
viii) storage instruction as “Store in a c ool dry place away from any contaminants’’; 
 
ix) crop year; 
 
x) packing date;  
xi) instructions on disposal of used package; 
 
xii) country of origin; 
 
xiii) a declaration on whether the pigeon peas we re genetically modified or not. 
 
9 Sampling methods 
 
Sampling shall be done in accor dance with the EAS 79/ISO 13690.  
 
 EAS 756:2011  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved