UGANDA STANDARD
 
  US ISO 2256
     First Edition
        2009-09-04
 
Reference numbe r
     US ISO 2256:1984
 © UNBS 2009
  
Dried mint (spearmint) (Mentha spicata  Linnaeus syn. Mentha 
viridis  Linnaeus) — Specification  
 US ISO 2256:1984 
 
© UNBS  2009 – All rights reserved ii 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 2009 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
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permission from UNBS. 
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The Executive Director 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
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Kampala  
Uganda 
Tel: 256 41 505 995 
Fax: 256 41 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
      US ISO 2256:1984  
© UNBS  2009 - 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 Uganda Standard, US ISO 2256, Dried mint (spearmint) (Mentha spicata Linnaeus syn. Mentha viridis
Linnaeus) — Specification,  is identical with and has been reproduced from an International Standard,
ISO 2256:1984,  Dried mint (spearmint) (Mentha spicata Linnaeus syn. Mentha viridis Linnaeus) — 
Specification, and adopted as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by the Food and agricu lture Standards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2).  
Wherever the words, "International Standard" a ppear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 International Standard 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATlON.MEIKJJYHAPO,!JHAR OPTAHM3AUMR IlO CTAH~APTM3A~MM~ORGANlSATlON INTERNATIONALE DE NORMALISATION 
Dried mint (spearmint) (/Went/b spicata Linnaeus syn. 
Mentha viridis Linnaeus) - Specification 
Menthe verte ou menthe douce (Mentha spicata Linnaeus syn. Mentha viridis Linnaeusl s&Me - Spkcifkations 
First edition - 1984-09-01 
E UDC 633.882 Ref. No. IS0 2256-1984 (E) - 
Descriptors : agricultural products, seasonings, spices, spearmint, specifications, packing, marking, storage, transportation. 
Price based on 3 pages Foreword 
IS0 (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of 
national standards bodies (IS0 member bodies). The work of preparing International 
Standards is normally carried out through IS0 technical committees. Every member 
body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has 
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, govern- 
mental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. 
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to 
the member bodies for approval before their acceptance as International Standards by 
the IS0 Council. They are approved in accordance with IS0 procedures requiring at 
least 75 % approval by the member bodies voting. 
International Standard IS0 2256 was prepared by Technical Committee lSO/TC 34, 
* Agricultural food products. 
0 International Organization for Standardization, 1984 
Printed in Switzerland INTERNATIONAL STANDARD IS0 2256-1984 (E) 
Dried mint (spearmint) (Mentha spicata Linnaeus syn. 
Mentha viridis Linnaeus) - Specification 
1 Scope and field of application 
This International Standard specifies requirements for leaves of 
dried mint (spearmin#) in whole, broken or rubbed form. 
The term “dried mint” includes dehydrated mint, i.e. artificially 
dried mint. 
It does not apply to dried peppermint, for which requirements 
are given in IS0 5563. 
Recommendations relating to storage and transport conditions 
are given in the annex. 
2 References 
IS0 927, Spices and condiments - Determination of ex- 
traneous matter con tent. 
I SO 928, Spices and condiments - Determination of total ash. 
IS0 930, Spices and condiments - Determination of acid in- 
soluble ash. 
I SO 939, Spices and condiments - Determination of moisture 
content - Entrainment method. 
IS0 948, Spices and condiments - Sampling. 
IS0 2825, Spices and condiments - Preparation of a ground 
sample for analysis. 
IS0 6571, Spices, condiments and herbs - Determination of 
volatile oil con tent. 3 Description 
Dried mint is constituted by dried leaves or by broken or 
rubbed, dried leaves of any single cultivar of Mentha spicata 
Linnaeus syn. /Wentha viridis Linnaeus, and related hybri&,2) 
collected prior to, or at the commencement of, flowering. 
The leaves are dull green or greyish green. 
4 Requirements 
4.1 Odour and flavour 
Dried mint shall have a strong, characteristic flavour and odour, 
a sweet flavour, and shall be free from earthy or decaying 
vegetable odours and foreign odours. 
4.2 Freedom from insects, moulds, etc. 
Dried mint shall be free from living insects and moulds, and 
shall be practically free from dead insects, insect fragments and 
rodent contamination visible to the naked eye (corrected, if 
necessary, for abnormal vision) or with such magnification as 
may be necessary in any particular case. If the magnification 
exceeds X 10, this fact shall be stated in the test report. 
4.3 Extraneous matter 
The proportion of leaves of species of mint other than dried 
mint or parts of other plants shall not exceed 1 % (m/m) when 
determined by the method specified in IS0 927. 
NOTE - Yellow and brown leaf is usually present in dried mint, with 
some crushed stalk and possibly buds. None of these is considered to 
be extraneous matter. It is normal trade practice for buyer and seller to 
reach agreement on the amount of such matter, based on visual 
examination of a representative sample. 
1) Hereafter called “dried mint”. 
2) The acceptability of particular plants may vary with their habitat. 
1 IS0 2256-1984 (El 
4.4 Chemical requirements’) 7 Packing and marking 
Dried mint shall comply with the requirements given in the 
table. 7.1 Packing 
Table - Chemical requirements 
Characteristic Requirement Method 
of test 
Moisture content, 
% (m/m), max. 
Total ash, % (m/m) 
on dry basis, max. 
Acid-insoluble ash, 
% (m/m) on dry basis, max. 
Volatile oil content, 
ml/100 g on dry basis, min. 13 IS0 939 
12 IS0 928 
2,s IS0 930 
6,5 IS0 6571 
5 Sampling 
Sample the dried mint by the method specified in IS0 948. 
6 Methods of -test 
Samples of dried mint shall be tested for conformity to the re- 
quirements of this International Standard by the methods of 
test referred to in 4.3 and the table. 
The ground sample for analysis shall be prepared in accordance 
with IS0 2825. Dried mint shall be packed for transport in cases, or in plywood 
or fibreboard boxes, or in sacks, in such a manner that the pro- 
duct is loosely packed. Cases and plywood or fibreboard boxes 
shall be lined with paper to facilitate loose packing. The con- 
tainers used shall be clean and sound and shall be made of a 
material which does not affect the product and which protects 
it from moisture. 
7.2 Marking 
The container shall be marked or labelled with the following 
particulars : 
a) name of the product and the trade name or brand 
name, if any; 
b) producing country; 
c) batch, code or test certificate number, or similar means 
of identification ; 
d) any other marking required by the purchaser, such as 
the year of harvest and date of packing (if known); 
e) possibly, a reference to this International Standard. 
1) Limits for toxic substances will be included later, in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius 
Commission. 
2 IS0 2256-1984 (E) 
Annex 
A.1 Recommendations relating to storage and transport conditions 
(This annex does not form part of the standard.) 
Containers of dried mint should be stored in covered premises, well protected from the sun, rain and excessive heat. 
A.2 The store-room should be dry, free from objectionable odours and proofed against the entry of insects and vermin. The ven- 
tilation should be controlled so as to give good ventilation under dry conditions and to be fully closed under damp conditions. In a 
storage warehouse, suitable facilities should be available for fumigation. 
Fumigation should only be performed using products authorized in the importing country. 
A.3 The con tainers should be so handled and transported that they a re protected from rain, from 
excessive heat, from unpleasa nt odours and from cross-infestation, espec ially in the h olds of ships. the sun or other source of 
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