FINAL DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDARD  
  FDUS EAS 742
First Edition
2011 -mm-dd
 
Reference number
FDUS EAS 742: 2010
 © UNBS 2011
  
Food grade cassava starch — Specification 
 FDUS EAS 742: 2010  
 
© UNBS  2011 – 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 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 742: 2010 
© 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 limentariu s Com mission 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 esta
blished 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 wid ely 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 St andard, F DUS EAS 742:2010, Foo d grade cassava starch — Specification, is 
identical with and has been reproduced from an East African Standard, EAS 742:2010, Food grade cassava 
starch — Specification,  and is being proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
This standard was developed by the Food and Agricu lture Stand ards Technical Committee (UNBS/TC 2).  
Wherever the words, “East African Standard" appear, they sho u ld be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
 EAS 742:2010
 ICS 67.080.20
 
© EAC 2010 First Edition 2010  
 
      
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Food grade cassava starch — Specification 
 
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
 
 
               
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 EAS 742:2010  
 
 
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 h ave 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  pa ce 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 2010 — 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 
                                                 
* © 2010 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by an y means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs.  
 
ii © EAC 2010 — All rights reserved EAS 742:2010  
 
Acknowledgement 
 
This standard was developed with support from the Policy A nalysis and Advocacy Programme 
(PAAP) of the Association for Str engthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa 
(ASARECA). This was possible though a grant by the United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID). This support was used in the process of formulation and mobilization of 
stakeholders to review the standard in national and regional fora. 
 
ASARECA is a non-political associatio n of agricultural research institutes in: Burundi, DR Congo, 
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, M adagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. ASARECA serves as 
a platform for promoting regional research and in the sharing of benefits and spillovers that derive 
from such research. The mission of ASARECA is to “ Enhance regional collective action in agricultural 
research for development, extension and agricultural training and education, to promote economic 
growth, fight poverty, eradicate hunger and enhance sustainable use of resources in Eastern and Central Africa ”. 
 
Development of standards has be en part of PAAP’
 s contribution to  changing the way business is 
done in crucial agricultural sectors to increase effi ciency and/or reduce waste through rationalization 
and harmonization of policies, laws, regulations  and procedures. Rationalization focuses on how 
countries conduct business in a given subsector, and determines what should be done to make the 
procedures and processes more efficient. Harm onization brings together regionally different 
approaches (policies, laws, regulat ions and procedures) into unified approaches that are applied 
across the countries. This harmonization process allows commodities and factors to move freely 
across national boundaries, thereby improvin g domestic and foreign investment by expanding 
markets beyond national borders. Over time this w ill lead to gradual attainment of seamless borders 
for trade in cassava and cassava products across the region. 
 
Removal of regulatory bottlenecks to transboundary movement of cassava products in the region will 
enha
nce competitiveness of trade and value addition in the sub-sector. It will improve the value 
chains by supporting product differentiation and hen ce increased trade in cassava products in the 
region. This will ultimately contribute to incomes, employment generation and improved welfare in the 
region. This fits snugly with the aspirations of  ASARECA as a key player contributing to economic 
development of the region. 
© EAC 2010 — All rights reserved iii EAS 742:2010  
 
Introduction 
 
Starch is one of the most abundant substances in  n ature, and is a renewable and almost unlimited 
resource. Starch is produced from grain or root crop s. It is mainly used as food, but is also readily 
converted chemically, physically, and biologically into many useful products. To date, starch is used to 
produce such diverse products as food, paper, textiles, adhesives, beverages, confectionery, 
pharmaceuticals, and building materials.  
 
Cassava starch has many remarkable characterist i cs, including high paste viscosity, high paste 
clarity, and high freeze-thaw stability, whic h are advantageous to many industries. 
 
Cassava starch is pr oduced primarily by the wet milling of fr esh cassava roots but  it can also be 
produced from dry cassava chips.   
 
The process of starch extraction from cassava is  relatively simple because there are only small 
amounts of secondary substances, such as protein, in the roots. When cassava roots are harvested 
or selected for starch extraction,  age and root quality are critical factors. Cassava roots need to be 
processed almost immediately after harvest, as the roots are highly perishable and enzymatic 
processes accelerate deterioration within one to tw o days. The food industry constitutes one of the 
largest consumers of starch and starch products. In addition, large quantities of starch are sold in the 
form of products sold in small packages for hous ehold use. The production of cassava starch has 
increased considerably in recent years. 
 
 
iv © EAC 2010 — All rights reserved EAS 742:2010  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Plantains — Specification and grading 
 
 
1 Scope 
 
This East African Standard specifies the requirements and the methods of sampling and test for food 
grad
e cassava starch.  
 
2 Normative references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
referen
ces, only the edition cited applies. For undated  references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
EAS 38,  General sta ndard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods 
EAS 39,  Code of pra ctice for hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry 
EAS 103,  General standard for food additives 
EAS 217-2,  Methods for the microbiological examination of foods — Part 2: General guidance for the 
enumeration of micro-organisms — Colony count technique at 30 °C  
EAS 217-2,  Methods for the microbiological examination of foods — Part 8: Enumeration of yeast and 
moulds in foods 
EAS 738,  Fre sh sweet cassava — Specification 
EAS 739,  Dri ed cassava chips — Specification 
ISO 1666,  Starch — Dete rmination of moisture content — Oven-drying method 
ISO 5809,  Starche s and derived products — Determination of sulphated ash 
ISO 5810,  Starch es and derived products — Determinat ion of chloride content — Potentiometric 
method 
ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs  — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique 
ISO 10520, Native starch — Determination of st arch content — Ewers polarimetric method 
ISO 11212-1, Starch and  derived products — Heavy metals content — Part 1: Determination of 
arsenic content by atomic absorption spectrometry ISO 11212-2 , Starch and
  derived products — Heavy meta ls content — Part 2: Determination of 
mercury content by atomic  absorption spectrometry 
ISO 11212-3,  Starch a nd derived products — Heavy metals content — Part 3: Determination of lead 
content by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization 
 
ISO 11212-4,  Starch and  derived products — Heavy meta ls content — Part 4: Determination of 
cadmium content by atomic absorption spectr ometry with electrothermal atomization  
© EAC 2010 — All rights reserved  1 EAS 742:2010  
 
3 Description 
 
food grade cassava starch 
white granular glucose polymer obtained by we t extraction  process from mature cassava ( Manihot 
esculenta  Crantz) storage root or cass ava chips or cassava flour 
 
4 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the fo llowin g term and definition shall apply. 
 4.1 
foreign matter inorganic matter such as sand, glass, metal, stone s, 
 clay and mud and organic matter such as chaff, 
straw, weed seeds and insects or  insects fragments, rodent hairs 
 
4.2 food grade material 
one that will not transfer non-food chemicals into th
 e food and contains no chemicals which would be 
hazardous to human health 
 
5 Essential quality and compos itional requirements   
 
5.1 Sensory characteristics 
 Food grade cassava starch shall be 
 a) white in colour,  
 
NOTE Starch may be not white provided that it is characteristic of the raw material. 
 
b) tasteless, and  
 
c) odourless 
 
d) free from foreign matter 
 
5.2 Physical properties 
 
Not less than 95 % of mass of food grade cassava starch  shall pass through a sieve of 140 μm mesh 
screen.  
 
a) The food grade cassava starch shall be insoluble in cold water and  
 
b) Food grade cassava starch shall be insoluble in 96 % ethanol.  
 
5.3 Chemical properties 
 
Food grade cassava starch shall give a blue-bl a ck colouration when tested with iodine.  
 
5.4 Compositional quality requirements 
 
Food grade cassava starch shall conform to the com positio nal quality requirements shown in Table 1.  
 
2 © EAC 2010 — All rights reserved EAS 742:2010  
Table 1 — Compositional Quality requirements 
 
Analytical characteristic Requirement Method of test 
Total acidity, %, by mass, max. 1.0  
pH   5 - 7  
Cyanide content, mg/kg, max. 10.0 DEAS 744 
Starch content,  %, by mass,  min. 95.0 ISO 10520 
Moisture, % by mass, max 12.0 ISO 1666 
Fibre, % by mass on dry weight basis, max. 0.2  
Sulphated ash, % by mass, max. 0.6 ISO 5809 
Chloride, %, by mass, max. 0.64 ISO 5810 
 
6 Food additives  
 
Food-grade cassava starch may contain a maximum of  0.2 %  ascorbic acid as colour improver and 
other additives in accordance with EAS 103.  
 
7 Contaminants  
 
7.1 Pesticide residues  
 Food grade cassava starch shall conform to maximum residue 
 limits fo r pesticide residues 
established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity. 
 
7.2 Other contaminants  
 
Food Grade cassava starch roots sha ll comply with the maximum levels of the Codex General 
Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193). 
 
8 Hygiene  
 
Food grade cassava starch shall be prepared and handle d in a hygienic manner in accordance with 
EAS 39 and shall conform to microbiologic al limits specified in Table 2. 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for food grade cassava starch 
 
Micro-organisms Maximum limit Method of test 
Total aerobic count, CFU/g, max. 104  EAS ISO 
Escherichia coli, in 1 g shall be absent  ISO 7251 
ISO 4833 
Salmonella  Shall be absent  ISO 6579 
Yeast and mould, CFU/g, max. 103 ISO 21527-2 
 
9 Packaging 
 Food grade starch shall be packaged in food gra de mate
 rials, which is hermetically sealed to 
safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic  qualities of the product. The packaging materials 
shall comply with the environmental legislation of the destination country, 
 
10 Weights and measures 
 
Food grade cassava starch shall be packaged in accordance with Weights and Measures 
requirements of the destination country. 
 
 
© EAC 2010 — All rights reserved  3 EAS 742:2010  
11 Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements of EAS 38; the follo wi ng labeling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly  and indelibly marked  
 a) the common name of the food to be declared on the label shall be 'Food grade cassava starch'; 
 
b) the net contents  by weight in metric (`S
 ysteme International') units; 
 
c) the name and physical address of the manufacturer / distributor; 
 
d) the country of origin; 
 
e) lot identification; 
 
f) date of  manufacture and best before date   
g) the statement `Human Food' shall appear on the package. 
 
h) storage conditions as ‘store in a cool dry place away from contaminants’ 
 
i) instructions on disposal of used package. 
 
12 Method of sampling and analysis  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with ISO 13690.  
 
13 Criteria for conformity  
 
A lot shall be declared as conforming to this standard  if each sample inspected or analyzed for quality 
requirement conforms to the provision of this standard. 
 
 
 
4 © EAC 2010 — All rights reserved EAS 742:2010  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
© EAC 2010 — All rights reserved