FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 51
First Edition
2011-mm-dd
 
 Reference numbe r
FDUS EAS 51: 2011
© UNBS 2011
  
Wheat grains — Specification 
 FDUS EAS 51: 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 51: 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 51: 2011 , Wheat grains — Specification, i s identical with  and 
has been reproduced from an East  African Standard, EAS 51: 2011 , Wheat 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 African Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
  EAS 51:2011
ICS 67.060
 
© EAC 2011 Second Edition 2011  
 
      
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Wheat grains — Specification  
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
HS 1001.10.90  EAS 51:2011  
 
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 DEAS 51:2011  
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 51:2011  
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 wheat grains  .................................................................................................. 3  
5 Contaminants  .......................................................................................................................... 5  
5.1 Heavy metals  .......................................................................................................................... 5  
5.2 Pesticide residues  ................................................................................................................... 5  
5.3 Mycotoxin  limits  ................................................................................................................... 5  
6 Hygiene  ............................................................................................................................ 5  
7 Packaging  ......................................................................................................................... 6  
8 Marking or labelling  ......................................................................................................... 6  
9 Sampling  ........................................................................................................................... 7  
 EAS 51:2011  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Wheat grains — Specification  
 
1 Scope 
 
This East African Standard specifies the requirem ents and methods of sampling and test for wheat grains 
of varieties (cultivars) grown from common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), club wheat ( T. compactum 
Host.), 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  
 
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 — Determination of moisture content — Routine reference method 
 
ISO 3093, Wheat, rye and respective flours, durum wheat and durum wheat semolina — Determination of 
the Falling Number according to Hagberg-Perten  
 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 hidden in sect infestation — Part 4: Rapid methods  
 
ISO 7971-1, Cereals — Determination of bulk density, calle d "mass per hectolitre" — Part 1: Reference 
method  
 ISO 7971-2, Cereals — Determination of bulk density, call ed "mass per hectolitre" — Part 2: Routine 
method 
 
CODEX Stan 193, Codex general Standards for contaminants and toxins in Food and Feed  
ISO 11050, Wheat flour and durum wheat semolina — Determination of impurities of animal origin  
 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 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products  — High performance liquid chromatographic method 
 
ISO 20483, Cereals and pulses — Determination of the ni trogen content and calculation of the crude 
protein content — Kjeldahl method  
 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufac turing 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 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  1 EAS 51:2011  
 
 
 
3 Terms and Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this East African Stan dard, the following definitions shall apply. 
3.1 
wheat grain 
grain that consists of 50 percent or more common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), club wheat ( T. 
compactum Host.), and durum wheat ( T. Durum Desf.). 
 
3.2 broken grain 
Grains and pieces of grain of wheat that will pass readily through a sieve perfor ated with slots measuring 
1.6 mm wide and 9.5 mm long. 
 
3.3 
noxious injurious weed seeds   
Seeds of weeds gazetted as harmful and any other weed, which may be gazetted as harmful in future. 
This include: 
 
3.3.1 
datura  
seed of the plant Datura stramonium  
 3.3.2 
Darnel   
seeds of the plant Lolium temulentum  
 3.3.3 
Wild Oats  
Seeds of the plant genus Avena  other than Avena sativa  common cultivated oats and Avena byzantina  
 3.4 Foreign matter  
all organic and inorganic material other than wheat , broken kernels, other grains and filth.  
 
3.5 
Other groups  
Groups of wheat varieties having baking characterist ics, which differ from those of the dominant group. 
 
3.6 
Group  
Wheat varieties having similar baking characteristics as  determined from time to time by the national plant 
breeding station at Njoro. 
 
3.7 
Defective grains  
Shall mean any of the following;  
3.7.1 
Discolored grain wheat grain discoloured by heat, fermentation, moul ds, weather damage or disease but does not include 
black point which is brown, dark brown or almost bl ack discoloration at the embryo end of the grain. 
 
3.7.2 
Germinated wheat  
wheat in which the pericarp covering the embryo has been ruptured. 
 3.7.3 Insect-damaged wheat 
wheat grain, which has been damaged by any insect or any other pest. 
2  © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 51:2011  
 
3.7.4 
Infected wheat-  
wheat grain containing in or amongst the grain any fo rm of living and/ or other organism known to be 
capable of causing damage or spoilage to the grain. 
 3.7.5 Immature wheat  
Wheat grains which are distinctly green in colour 
 
3.7.6 
Heat damaged wheat  
Wheat damaged by external heat or as a re sult of heating caused by fermentation. 
 
3.7.7 Diseased weather-damaged wheat  
wheat, which has about one third or more of its surf ace, discoloured physically damaged or mouldy due to 
weather conditions. 
 
3.8 
Earth sand and stones Concreted earthy mineral or any other matter deri ved from the soil and any other matter of similar 
hardiness. 
 
3.9 
Reject wheat 
Wheat which is mouldy, musty or otherwise commerci ally objectionable or unfit for human consumption. 
 
4 Quality requirements 
  
4.1  General  requirements 
 
4.1.1 Wheat grains shall meet the following genera l requirements/limits as determined using the 
relevant standards listed in Clause 2. Wheat grains:  a) shall be the dried mature grains of Triticum aestivum (bread wheat), Triticum compactum Host. 
(club wheat), Triticum tauschii (soft wheat) and Triticum durum (durum);  
 b) shall be clean, wholesome, uniform in size and shape; 
 
c) shall be safe and suitable for human consumption; 
 
d)  shall be free from abnormal flavours, musty, sour or other undesireable 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 
 
Wheat grains shall be graded into four 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 wheat grains 
 
Shall be wheat grains which do not fall within the re quirements of Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this standard 
but are not rejected wheat grains. 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  3 EAS 51:2011  
Note: For Tanzania and Burundi this requirement shall not apply 
 
4.4.2 Reject grade wheat 
 (a) Does not meet the requirements for the Grades 1, 2, 3, or 4. 
 (b) Has a musty, sour, or commercially objectionable foreign odour except smut or garlic odour; or 
 
(c) Is heating or otherwise of distinctly low quality. 
4  © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 51:2011  
Table 2 — Specific requirements  
 
Characteristic Specification Method of 
test Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 
Varietal restriction Approved varieties only  
Moisture, max (%) 13 13 13 13 ISO 711/712 
Standard of quality  Minimum test weight 
kg/hl (g/0.5 L) 79(395) 75(375) 70(350) 65(325)  
Protein , min (%) m/m 
NX5.7@11 % Moisture 
basis Hard/strong white 13.0 12.0 11.5 10.0 EAS 82 
Soft white 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 
Foreign Mater Max(% 
)m/m) Total 0.40 0.70 1.30 2.40 ISO 605 
Unmillable Material Above the Screen (%  by wt)  0.60 0.60 0.60 0.60  
Screenings, Max (% by wt)  5.0 5.0 5.0 0.60 ISO 5223 
Falling Number, Min (sec)  350 300 300 300  
Edible grains other than wheat (whole or identifiably 
broken), (% by wt) 0.50 1.50 2.0 3.0 ISO 7970 
Wheat of other classes or varieties (% by wt) Contrasting classes 1.0 2.0 3.0 5.0  
Total 3.0 3.0 5.0 5.0  
Defective grains , max 
(% by count, 300 grain 
sample, unless 
otherwise stated Total Defective 3.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 ISO 605 
Bulk density kg/hl, min 70 ISO 7971-1 
& 2 
Other contaminants, Max  Total Aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 
+AFG2)), ppb 10 ISO16050 
Aflatoxin B1 only, ppb 5 
Fumonisin – Total 
ppm(FB1 + FB2 + FB3) 2 
 
 
Note: Grade 4 to be for only partner states’ domestic use. 
  
5 Contaminants 
 
5.1 Heavy metals 
 
Wheat grains shall comply with those maximum lim its for heavy metals established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
 
5.2 Pesticide residues 
 
Wheat 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 some Partner States , then it shall be  notified  to all 
Partner States accordingly. 
 
5.3 Mycotoxin  limits 
 Wheat grains shall comply with those maximum myco toxin limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity. In particular, total aflatoxin levels in pearl millet 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 
 
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  5 EAS 51:2011  
6.1 Wheat grains shall be produced, prepared and h andled 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 including fungi, 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 1 g Not detectable 
iv) Salmonella, max. per 25 g  Not detectable 
 
7 Packaging 
 7.1 Wheat grains 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 Wheat grains 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 wheat grains of the same type and of the same grade designation. 
 
7.5 If wheat grains are presented in bags, the bags shall also be free of pests and contaminants. 
 
7.6 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed. 
 
8 Marking or labelling 
 In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the 
following: 
 
i) product name as “Wheat grains”  
 
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 International Labour  Organizations (ILO) for maximum package weight of 50kg where  
human loading and offloading is involved. 
 
6  © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved EAS 51:2011  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved  7 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 wheat grain was genetically modified or not.  
9 Sampling  
 Sampling shall be done in accordan ce with the EAS 79/ISO 13690. 
 
 EAS 51:2011  
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved