FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 2
First Edition
2011-mm-dd
 
 Reference numbe r
FDUS EAS 2: 2011
© UNBS 2011
  
Maize grains — Specification 
 FDUS EAS 2: 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 2: 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 2: 2011 , Maize grains — Specification, is identical with  and has 
been reproduced from an East African Standard, EAS 2: 2011 , Maize grains — 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 2:2011
ICS 67.060
 
© EAC 2011 Third Edition 2011  
 
      
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Maize grains — Specification  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
HS 1005.90.00  EAS 2:2011  
 
 
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 2:2011  
 
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 making 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 2:2011  
iv © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  
Contents 
 
1 Scope…………………………………………………………………………………. 1  
2 Normative references…………………………………………………………………. 1  
3 Terms and Definitions……………………………………………………………….. 2  
4 Quality Requirements………………………………………………………………… 3  
4.1  General requirements……………………………………………………………. 3  
4.2 Specific requirements…………………………………………………………….3  
4.2.1   Grading…………………………………………………………………………... 3  
4.2.2  Ungraded maize grains…………………………………………………………… 4  
4.2.3 Reject grade maize grains……………………………………………………….. 4  
5 Contaminants…………………………………………………………………………. 5  
5.1 Toxic metals……………………………………………………………………... 5  
5.2 Pesticide residues………………………………………………………………... 5  
5.3 Mycotoxin limits………………………………………………………………… 5  
6 Hygiene……………………………………………………………………………….. 5  
7 Packaging……………………………………………………………………………... 5  
8 Marking or labelling………………………………………………………………….. 6  
9 Methods of sampling…………………………………………………………………..6
 EAS 2:2011  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Maize grains — Specification  
 
1 Scope 
 
This East African Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for maize grains. 
The standard applies to maize (corn) for direct human consumption, i.e., ready for its intended use as 
human food, presented in packaged form or sold loose from the package directly to the consumer. This 
standard specifies requirements for whole grain shelled dent maize, Zea mays indentata L., and/or 
shelled flint maize, Zea mays indurata  L., or their hybrids and of all colour types.  
 
2 Normative references 
 
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text constitute 
provisions of this East African  
 
ISO 605 , Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odours, insects, and species and variety 
— Test methods 
 
ISO 711, Cereals and cereal products — Determination of moisture content (Basic reference method)  
 
ISO 712 , Cereals and cereal products — Determinati on of moisture content — Routine reference 
method 
 ISO 5223, Test sieves for cereals  
 
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 hi dden insect infestation — Part 4: Rapid 
methods  
 
ISO 13690, Cereals, pulses and milled products — Sampling of static batches  
 
ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total content of aflatoxin B 1, B2, G 1 
and G 2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
 EAS 39, Code of Hygiene Practice in Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry 
 
CODEX Stan 193, Codex general Standards for contaminants and toxins in Food and Feed  
 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 
 
EAS 285, Maize-Determinati on of moisture content  
   
 
  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 2:2011  
3 Terms and Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this East African Stan dard, the following definitions shall apply: 
 
3.1 
maize (corn) 
the shelled grains of the species Zea mays indentata L, (dent maize) and/or Zea  mays indurata L, (flint 
maize), or their hybrids  
 
3.2 
blemished/damaged grains 
grains which are insect or vermin damaged, stained, diseased, discoloured, germinated, frost damaged, or 
otherwise materially damaged  
 
3.3 
insect or vermin damaged grains 
kernels with obvious weevil-bored holes or which ha ve evidence of boring or tunneling, indicating the 
presence of insects, insect webbing or insect refu se, or degermed grains, chewed in one or more than one 
part of the kernel which exhibit evi dent traces of an attack by vermin  
 
3.4 
stained kernels 
kernels whose natural colour has been altered by external factors. This includes ground, soil or weather damaged kernels, which may have dark stains or discolourations with a rough external appearance 
3.5 
diseased grains 
grains made unsafe for human consumption due to decay, moulding, or bacterial decomposition, or 
other causes that may be noticed without hav ing to cut the grains to examine them 
 3.6 discoloured kernels 
kernels materially discoloured by excessive heat, in cluding that caused by exce ssive respiration (heat 
damage) and dried damaged kernels. Kernels may appear  darkened, wrinkled, blistered, puffed or 
swollen, often with discoloured, damaged germs. Th e seed coat may be peeling or may have peeled off 
completely, giving kernels a checked appearance. 
 
3.7 
germinated kernels kernels showing visible signs of sprouting, such as cracked seed coats through which a sprout has 
emerged or is just beginning to merge  
 
3.8 
frost damaged kernels 
kernels which appear bleached or blistered and the seed coat may be peeling, germs may appear dead 
or discoloured   3.9 mouldy kernels 
maize grains with visible mycelial growth on its tip or surface  
3.10 
immature/shriveled grains 
maize grains which are underdeveloped, thin and papery in appearance 
 
3.11 broken kernels 
pieces of maize which shall pass through a 4.50 mm metal sieve   
3.12 
other grains 
2 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 2:2011  
other grains are edible grains, whole or identifiable broken, other than maize (i.e., cereals, pulses and 
other edible legumes) 
 
3.13 
foreign matter 
all organic and inorganic material (such as sand, soil, glass) other than maize, broken kernels and other 
grains  3.14 filth 
impurities of animal origin 
 
3.15 
defective grains 
pest damaged, discouloured, diseased, germinated, mouldy, immature and shriveled grains, or 
otherwise materially damaged, which spec ifically do not include broken grains 
 
4 Quality Requirements 
 
4.1  General requirements  
4.1.1  Maize may be presented as yellow, white, or red, or a mixture of these colours. 
 
4.1.2  Yellow maize may contain not more than 5.0 % by weight of maize of other colours. Maize 
grains which are yellow and/or light red in colour are considered to be yellow maize. Yellow maize also 
means maize grains which are yellow and dark red in colour, provided the dark red colour covers less 
than 50 % of the surface of the grain.   4.1.3  White maize may contain not more than 2.0 % by weight of maize of  other colours. Maize 
grains which are white and/or light pink in colour are considered to be white maize. White maize also means maize grains which are white and pink in col our, provided the pink colour covers less than 50 % 
of the surface of the grain. 
 
4.1.4  Red maize may contain not more than 5.0 % by we ight of maize of other colours. Maize grains 
which are pink and white, grey or dark red and yellow in  colour are considered to be red maize, provided 
the pink or dark red or yellow colour covers  50 % or more of the surface of the grain. 
 
4.1.5  Mixed maize includes maize not falling into the classes of white, yellow or red maize as 
defined in 4.1.2 to 4.1.4 
 
4.1.6  Maize also may be presented as flint or dent or their hybrids or mixtures thereof. 
 
4.1.7  Flint maize includes maize of any colour which consists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of 
flint maize. 
 
4.1.8  Dent maize includes maize of any colour which cons ists of 95 % or more by weight of grains of 
dent maize. 
 
4.1.9  Flint and dent maize includes maize of any colour  which consists of more than 0.5 % but less 
than 95.0 % of flint maize. 
 
4.1.10   Maize shall be free from foreign odours, moulds, live pests, rat droppi ngs, toxic or noxious 
weed seeds and other injurious contaminants as dete rmined from samples representative of the lot. 
 
4.1.11  Maize shall be of a reasonably uniform col our according to type, be whole and clean. 
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
4.2.1   Grading 
 
Maize grains 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. 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 2:2011  
 
 
4.2.2  Ungraded maize grains 
 Shall be maize grains which do not fall within the re quirements of Grades 1, 2 and 3 of this standard 
but are not rejected maize grains.  
Note: For Tanzania and Burundi this requirement shall not apply. 
 
4.2.3 Reject grade maize grains 
 
This comprises maize grains which have objectionable odour, off flavour, living insects or which do 
not possess the quality characterist ics specified in Table 1. They cannot satisfy the conditions of 
ungraded maize grains and shall be graded as reject maize grains and shall be regarded as unfit for 
human consumption. 
 
 
Table1 ― Specific requirements 
 
Characteristics Maximum limits Method of test 
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3  
Foreign matter, % m/m 0.5 1.0 1.5 
ISO 605 
 Inorganic matter, % m/ m 0.25 0.5 0.75 
Broken kernels, % m/m 2.0 4.0 6.0 
Pest damaged grains, % m/m 1.0 3.0 5.0 
Rotten & Diseased grains, % m/m 2.0 4.0 5.0 
Discoloured grains, % m/m 0.5 1.0 1.5 
Moisture, % m/m 13.0 13.0 13.0 EAS 285/ISO 
711/712 
Immature/Shriveled grains, % m/m 1.0 2.0 3.0 ISO 605 Filth, % m/m 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Total Aflatoxins, ppb 10 
 ISO 16050 Aflatoxin B1, ppb 5 
Fumonisin, ppm  2 
Total Defectives Grains, % m/m 4.0 5.0 7.0 ISO 605 
4 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 2:2011  
5 Contaminants 
 
5.1 Toxic metals 
 Maize grains shall comply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.   
5.2 Pesticide residues 
 Maize grains shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity   
Note: where the use of certain pesticides is prohibited by so me Partner States, then it sh all be notified to all Partner 
States accordingly. 
5.3 Mycotoxin limits 
 Maize grains shall comply with those maximu m mycotoxin limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity. In particular, total aflatoxin leve ls in maize grains 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 Maize grains 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  
 
 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  Maize grains shall be packed in suitable pack ages which shall be clean, sound, free from 
insect, fungal infestation and the packing  material shall be of food grade quality 
 
7.2   Maize grains shall be packed in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, and 
organoleptic qualities of the products.  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  EAS 2:2011  
7.3  The containers, including packaging material, shall be made of substances which are safe 
and suitable for their intended use. They shall not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or 
flavor to the product. 
 7.4   Each package shall contain Maize grains of the same type and of the same grade 
designation.  7.5  If maize grains are presented in bags, the bag s shall also be free of pests and contaminants. 
 7.6 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.  
 
8 Marking or labelling 
 8.1 In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each  package shall be legibl y and indelibly marked 
with the following: 
 
i) product name as “White Maize Grains, Yello w Maize Grains Red Maize Grains or Mixed 
Maize Grains”; 
 ii) grade; 
 
iii) name, address and physical location of the producer/ packer/importer; 
 
iv) lot/batch/code number; 
 
v) net weight, in kg; 
 
Note: EAC partner states are signatory to the Intern ational Labour Organizations (ILO) for maximum package 
weight of 50kg where human loading and offloading is involved 
 
vi) the declaration “Food for Human Consumption’’ 
 
vii) storage instruction as “Store in a c ool dry place away from any contaminants’’; 
 viii) crop year; 
 
ix) packing date; 
 
x) instructions on disposal of used package; 
 
xi) country of origin; 
 
xii) a declaration on whether the maize was genetically modified where applicable. 
 
 
 
9 Methods of sampling 
 
Sampling shall be done in accordan ce with the EAS 79/ISO 13690. 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
6 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 2:2011  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved