DEAS 173: 2023

ICS 67.060

DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD

Pasta products — Specification

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

© EAC 2023 Second Edition

2023
Foreword
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for
harmonizing requirements governing quality of products and services in the East African
Community. It is envisaged that through harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are
encountered when goods and services are exchanged within the Community will be
removed.

In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards
Committee mandated to develop and issue East African Standards.

The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner

States, together with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer
organizations. Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the
National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments received are discussed
and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures of the
Community.
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 2023 – All rights reserved*

East African Community
P.O. Box
1096 Arusha
Tanzania
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8
Fax: 255 27 2504255
E-mail:
eac@[Link]
Web:
[Link]

* © 2023 EAC — All rights of exploitation of any form and by any means reserved worldwide for
EAC Partner States’ NSBs

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved iv

Introduction

Pasta is a very generic term used to describe a commonly consumed food group which
encompasses noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and similar commodities.

These products have gained a fast popularity in catering and home uses. The manufacturing
process for macaroni or spaghetti consists of the dough preparation from wheat and cold or
lukewarm water, kneading process and extrusion through the extrusion press fitted with a die for the
desired shape.

The extruded products are cut to a given length and then dried to definite moisture content under
controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.

Rice, cassava or legumes flour such as beans or lentils, are sometimes used in place of wheat flour
to yield different tastes and textures, or as gluten-free alternative

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved v

 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD DEAS 173: 2023

Pasta products — Specification

1 Scope

This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements sampling and test methods for pasta
products derived from wheat flour (Triticum Durum, Triticum Aestivum, Triticum Compactum) or any
other suitable flour intended for human consumption.

This standard applies to the following pasta products such as macaroni, spaghetti, Vermicelli,
noodles, short-cut pasta, lasagna, fortified pasta and similar products

2.0 Normative references

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

ISO 6633, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of lead content — Flameless
atomic absorption spectrometric method

AOAC 952.13, Arsenic in food. Silver diethyldithiocarbamate

EAS 1, Wheat flour - specification

Codex Stan 192, General standard for food additives

CODEX STAN 193, Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed

EAS 38, General standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods

EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry – Code of practice

EAS 900, Cereals and Pulses - Sampling

EAS 901, Cereals and Pulses – Test methods

ISO 6579-1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the
detection of Salmonella spp.

ISO 16649-2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the
enumeration of beta-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony-count
technique at 44 degrees C using 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-D-glucuronide

ISO 21527-2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for
the enumeration of yeasts and moulds — Part 2: Colony count technique in products with
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 3
water activity less than or equal to 0.95

3.0 Terms and Definitions

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply

3.1
pasta
type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour or any other suitable flour
mixed with water with or without addition eggs, and formed into different shapes.

3.2
macaroni
variety of pasta traditionally shaped into narrow tubes produced in various shapes and sizes.

3.3
spaghetti
long, thin, cylindrical, solid pasta products

3.4
vermicelli
traditional type of pasta similar but thinner than spaghetti

3.5
noodles
types of pasta in the form of solid rods or folded ribbons.

3.6
egg noodle
narrow strip of pasta with addition of eggs

3.7
fortified pasta
Pasta products to which micronutrients have been added.

3.8
lasagna
rectangular or ribbon shaped, thicker than tagliatelle, made from a dough based on flour and eggs,
with numerous local variants.

4.0 Product description

4.1 Macaroni
They may be of two types, namely long macaroni or cut macaroni, with the following characteristics:
follows:

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 4

a) Long macaroni shall be in the form of tubular rods, smooth or corrugated. They shall have the
outer diameter ranging between 2.5 mm and 7 mm and of wall thickness of about 1 mm with
tolerance of ± 0.1 mm..

b) Cut-macaroni shall be obtained by extrusion and may be in the form of tubular elbows, shells,
alphabets, numerals, stars, wheels, rings, rice, melon seeds etc.

4.2 Spaghetti
Spaghetti shall be in the form of solid rods of a minimum length of 250 mm and minimum diameter of
1.6 mm with tolerance of ± 0.1 mm.

4.3 Vermicelli
Vermicelli shall be in the form of solid rods of diameter between 250 mm and of diameter between
0.5 mm to 1.25 mm.

4.4 Folded vermicelli

They shall be in the form of folded rods of diameter between 0.5 mm to 1.25 mm.

4.5 Noodles
They shall be in the form of solid rods of minimum length 250 mm and diameter between 1.25 mm
and 2.0 mm or ribbons of width from 1.5 mm to 15 mm and thickness ranging from 1.25 mm to 1.0
mm

4.6 Folded noodles

These shall be in the form of folded ribbons of thickness ranging from 1.25 mm to 2.0 mm.

4.7 Short-cut pasta

these shall be products of various defined forms such as shells, stars, squares etc.

4.8 Lasagne
These shall be square or rectangular shaped pasta

4.9 Egg pasta

Special type pasta contain eggs vegetable products and the final products shall have the
appearance of the characteristic added material such as yellow for egg pasta and green for spinach
pasta.

The egg macaroni, egg spaghetti, egg noodles or egg alimentary pasta shall contain not less than
4% egg yolk solids when tested in accordance with Annex G. The egg yolk solids shall be derived
from whole egg, frozen egg yolk.

5.0 Requirements

5.1 Ingredients
5.1.1 Essential Ingredients

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 5

The following ingredients shall be used in the manufacture of pasta products and shall conform to
the relevant East African Standards:

a) durum semolina/ wheat flour or any other suitable flour;

b) Water; and
c) Egg (only in the case of egg pasta).

5.1.2 Optional ingredients

In addition to the essential ingredients specified under 5.1.1, any of the following ingredients may be
used in the manufacturer of pasta products in singly or in combination:

a) Milk;
b) Soya flour;
c) Vegetable or vegetable products;
d) Spices;
e) Gluten;
f) Edible oilseeds flour;
g) Edible common salt;
h) Fruit or fruit products (preserved, dehydrated or pulp); and
i) Rice.

5.2 General requirements

Pasta products shall

a) be smooth, translucent, hard brittle and up to a point elastic and when broken the
fracture shall appear glassy.

b) possess a characteristic color and flavor

c) be clean, sound, wholesome, and practically free from rodent or insect infestation

d) retain their shapes and show no sign of disintegration and shall swell appreciably
when plunged into vigorously boiling water and boiled in accordance with the time
declared by the manufacture for each variety of the product.

e) When cooked, pasta product shall retain its shape and a certain firmness and develop
a clear characteristic odour of hard wheat and shall not become pasty.

5.3 Specific requirements

Pasta products shall also comply with the specific requirements given in Table 1.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 6

 Table 1 —Specific requirements for pasta
products

S/N Characteristics Requireme Methods of test

o nts
(Annex)
1 Total ash (on dry basis) % 1.0 B
by mass,
max.
2 Acid insoluble ash (on dry C
basis) % by mass, max. 0.2

3 Total protein (N x 5.7) on 8.0 ISO 20483

dry basis) % by mass,min.
4 Cooking test: Total solids in 10 E
gruel, % by mass, max.
5 ISO 7305
Fat Acidity,(mg NaOH/ 100g), 4
max
6 Moisture content, % m/m 12 A
max.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 7

6. Hygiene
6.1 Pasta products shall be produced and handled in accordance with EAS 39.

6.2 The products shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in
accordance with the methods specified therein

Table 2: Microbiological Limits for pasta products

S/N Microorganisms Requirement Test method

2 Escherichia coli, Absent (<10) ISO 16649-2

cfu/g
3 Salmonella (/25g) Absent ISO 6579-1
4 Yeast and Moulds, 102 ISO 21527-2
per g, max
5 Staphylococcus Absent ISO 6888-1
aureus, CFU/g

7.0 Food Additives

Only the food additives permitted by Codex Stan 192 in the manufacture of pasta products may be
used without exceeding the limits.

8.0 Contaminants

8.1 Heavy contaminants

Pasta products shall conform to those maximum levels as per Codex Stan 193

8.2 Mycotoxins
Pasta products shall comply with the maximum limits for mycotoxin given in Table 3 when tested
according to the test methods specified therein.

Table 3: Mycotoxin limits for Pasta Products

SNo Contaminants Limits Test Method

1 Aflatoxin B1, µg/ kg 5.0 EAS 901
2 Total aflatoxins, µg/ kg 10.0 EAS 901

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 8

9 Sampling

Pasta products shall be sampled in accordance to the EAS 900

10 Packaging
Pasta products shall be packaged in food grade packaging material, which will safeguard the
hygienic, nutritional, technological and organoleptic qualities of the products.

11 Labelling
The following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be legibly and indelibly marked in
accordance with the requirements of EAS [Link] of product in relation to the product description
given in Clause 4;
a) the word “fortified” placed in brackets, below the name of the product and the details
of enrichment and quantities added, if enriched with vitamins and or minerals;
b) the word “spiced” on the label, if spices have been added;
c) declaration on the label if egg has been added;
d) declaration of all ingredients on the label in descending order of proportions;
e) name, physical location and address of manufacturer
f) net content in metric units
g) date of manufacture;
h) batch number;
i) best before;
j) country of origin and
k) cooking/ use instructions;
l) allergen declaration, if any and.
m) instruction for the disposal of packaging materials.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 9

 Annex A
(normative)

Determination of moisture

A.1 Apparatus and equipment

A. 1.1 Moisture dish
A.1. 2 Air oven capable of maintaining 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours
A.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ± 0,01 g.
A.1.4 Mortar and pestle or grinder
A. 1.5 425 micro sieve
A.1. 6 Desiccator

A.2 Procedure

A.2.1 Preparation of sample — Grind in pestle and mortar about 30 g of the material so
that at least 90 % passes through 425 micro sieve. Transfer this prepared sample to a well-
stoppered glass bottle for use as indicated in A.1.2 and D.3.1.

A.2.2 Weigh accurately about 5 g of the prepared sample in a suitable moisture dish made of
porcelain, silica or platinum, previously dried in an air-oven maintained and weighed. Place
the dish in air-oven maintained at 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours. Cool the dish in a
desiccator and weigh the dish with the lid on. Heat again at 105 °C ± 2 °C in the air-oven
for 30 min cooling and weighing till the difference between two successive weighings is less
than one milligram. Note the lowest mass.

NOTE The dish containing the dried material for the determination of ash should be
preserved (see B.1).

A.3 Calculation
100M 1  M 2 
Moisture, % by mass  
M1  M
where

M1 is the mass in g of the dish with the material before drying,

M is the mass in g of the empty dish, and

M2 is the mass in g of the dish with the material after drying.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 10

 Annex B
(normative)

Determination of total ash

B.1 Apparatus and equipment
B.1.1 Furnace capable of maintaining temperature at 600 °C ± 20 °C
B.1.2 Crussible
B.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ± 0,01 g.
B. 1. 4 Desiccator

B.2 Procedure

Ignite the dried material (see A.1.2) in the dish with flame of suitable burner for about one
hour till the material is completely charred. Complete the ashing by keeping in muffle furnace
at 600 °C ± 20 °C until grey ash results. Cool in desiccator and weigh. Repeat the process of
heating for 30 min cooling and weighing till the difference in mass between the two
successive weighings is less than one milligram. Note the lowest mass.

NOTE The dish containing this ash for the determination of acid insoluble ash should
be preserved (see C.2).

B.3 Calculation
100M 1  M 2 
Total ash on dry basis, % by mass  
M1  M

where

M2 is the mass in g of the dish with the ash,

M is the mass in g of the empty dish, and

M1 is the mass in g of the dish with the dried material (see M2 in A.2).

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 11

 Annex C
(normative)

Determination of acid insoluble ash

C.1 Apparatus and equipment

C.1.1 Furnace capable of maintaining temperature at at 600 °C ± 20 °C
C.1.2 Crussible
C.1.3 Analytical balance capable of weighing to an accuracy of ± 0,01 g.
C. 1. 4 Desiccator
C.1.5 Whatman filter paper No 42

C.2 Reagents

Dilute hydrochloric acid — approximately 5 N prepared by diluting concentrated

hydrochloric acid with distilled water

C.3 Procedure

To the ash contained in the dish (see B.1.1) add 25 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid, cover with
watch- glass and heat on water-bath for 10 min. Allow to cool, filter the contents for
the dish through Whatman filter paper No 42 or its equivalent. Wash the filter paper until the
washings are free from the acid and return it to the dish. Keep it in an air-oven maintained at
105 °C ± 2°C for about three hours. With the flame of a suitable burner complete the ashing
in a muffle furnace at 600 °C ± 20 °C for one hour. Cool the dish in a desiccator and weigh.
Heat again at 600°C ± 20°C in the muffle furnace for 30 min. Cool the dish in the desiccator
and weigh. Repeat the process of heating for 30 min, cooling and weighing till the difference
in mass between the successive weighings is less than one milligram. Note the lowest mass.

C.4 Calculation
100M 2  M 1
Acid insoluble ash on dry basis , % by mass  
M1  M
where,

M2 is the mass in g of the dish with acid insoluble ash,

M is the mass in g of the empty dish, and

M1 is the mass in g of the dish with the dried material (see M2 in A.2).

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 12

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 13
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 14
 Annex D
(normative)

Determination of total solids in gruel

D.1 Apparatus

D.1.1 Lipless beaker — tall-form, of capacity 500 mL

D.1.2 Oil bath

D.1.3 Electric heater

D.2 Procedure

Take 250 ml water in the lipless beaker and heat over an oil bath kept at about 102 °C by
electric heating. Introduce exactly 25 g of the pasta product (previously) broken into 10 mm
lengths in case of long pasta products and cook at a constant temperature of about 98 °C at
sea level with occasional stirring.

NOTE The cooking time required by this apparatus is on an average two minutes more
than that recommended on the package (i.e. more than that required with free boiling
water). The cooked pasta should be allowed to drain for five minutes and the volume of gruel
collected measured. Pipette out 20 ml of the gruel, after stirring well to a tarred petri dish and
evaporate to dryness on a water-bath. Transfer the petri dish and evaporate to dryness on
a water-bath. Transfer the petri dish to a hot air-oven maintained at 105 °C ± 2 °C and dry to
constant mass.

D.3 Calculation

Total solids in gruel % by mass 

M 2  M 1V
5

where,

M2 is the mass in g of petri dish with total solids per cent in 20 mL of gruel,

M1 is the mass in g of empty petri dish, and

V is the volume of gruel in ml.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 15

 Annex E
(normative)
Determination of crude fibre content

E.1 Preparation of sample

Break the pasta product into small fragments with hands or in mill, and mix well. Grind 300 g
to 500 g in mill until all material passes through No 20 sieve. Keep ground sample in sealed
container to prevent moisture changes.

E.2 Reagents

E.1.1 Sulphuric acid solution — 0.255 N ± 0.005 N 1.25 % H2SO4/100 ml. The
concentration shall be checked by titration.

E.1.2 Sodium hydroxide solution — 0.313 N ± 0.005 N 1.25 % NaOH/100 ml, free or
nearly so from Na2CO3. The concentration shall be checked by titration.

E.1.3 Prepared asbestos — spread a thin layer of acid washed, medium or long fibre
asbestos in evaporation dish and heat for 16 h at 600 °C in furnace. Boil 30 min with 1.25 %
H2SO4, filter, wash thoroughly with water, and boil for 30 min with 1.25 % H2SO4, filter, wash
thoroughly with water, and boil for 30 min with 1.25 % NaOH. Filter, wash once with 1.25 %,
H2SO4, wash thoroughly with water, dry and ignite for 2 h at 600 °C.

Determine blank by treating 1.0 g prepared asbestos with acid and alkali. Correct crude
fibre results of any blank, which should be negligible (about 1 g). Asbestos recovered from
the determination may be used in subsequent determinations.

E.1.4 Alcohol — 95 % or reagent MeOH or isopropanol

E.1.5 Antifoam compound A — Dilute (1 + 4) with mineral spirits or pot ether, or water,
dilute antifoam B emulsion (1 + 4). Do not use antifoam spray.

E.1.6 Bumping ships or granules — Broken alumdum crucibles or equivalent granule are
satisfactory.

E.2 Apparatus

E.2.1 Digestion apparatus — with condenser to fit 600 mL beaker, and hot plate adjustable
to temperature so that it will bring 200 mL water at 25 °C to rolling boil 15 min ± 2 min

E.2.2 Ashing dishes — silica, vireosil 70 mm x 15 mm; or porcelain, coors, No 450, size 1
or equivalent

E.2.3 Desiccator — with efficient desiccator such as 4 to 5 mesh drierite (CaCl2 is not satisfactory)
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 16
E.2.4 Filtering device — with No 200 type 304 or 316 stainless steel screen easily washed
free of digested residue, use any suitable filter funnel. for example, Buchner filter funnel

E.2.5 Suction filter — to accommodate filtering devices. Attach suction flask to trap in line
with aspirator or other source of vacuum with valve to break vacuum.

E.2.6 Liquid preheater — for preheating water, 1.25 % H2SO4 and 1.25 % NaOH solution to
boiling point of H2O

E.3 Procedure

Extra 2 g of ground material ether or pot ether. Transfer to 600 ml beaker avoiding fibre
contamination from paper or brush. Add about 1 g of prepared asbestos, 200 ml boiling 1.25
%, H2SO4 and 1 drop diluted antifoam. (Excess antifoam may give results, use only if
necessary to control foaming.) Bumping chips of granules may also be added. Place beaker
on digestion apparatus with pre- adjusted hot plate and boil exactly 30 min rotating the
beaker periodically to keep solids from adhering to sides. Remove beaker and any suitable
filter funnel.

In treating the residue, dry mat and residue for 2 h at 130 °C ± 2 °C, cool in desiccator and
weigh. Ignite for 30 min at 600 °C ± 15 °C. Cool in desiccator and reweigh.

E.4 Calculation

% crude fibre in ground sample - C = (Loss in weight on ignition loss in weight of asbestos blank
x 100)
Weight of sample

Report results to 0.1 %.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 17

 Annex F
(normative)

Degree of acidity of raw pasta

F.1 Procedure

Weigh 4 g of milled raw pasta into an Erlenmeyer flask and carefully suspend 100 ml of
neutralized 50 vol. % ethanol. Stopper the flask to avoid solvent loss and leave for one hour
at room temperature. The contents should be whirled by hand four times during this period.
At the end, agitate the suspensions vigorously, clear by centrifuging (3 min at 300 rvm) or
filtration (funnel sitting directly on the neck of another Erlenmeyer flask and flute paper filter
(15 cm) covered with petri dish, both measures to avoid solvent losses). The suspension is
to be filtered in total and also 100 mL 50 vol. % neutralized ethanol are to be filtered in the
same way to be used as a blank (to compensate for any absorption on the filter paper). To
50 ml of the cleared-extract and 50 ml of the filtered blank (in case of centrifuging no blank
is necessary), three drops of 1 % phenolphthalein in ethanol are added. These aliquots
are titrated with 0.1 N NaOH from a burette with 0.02 mL graduation until the first reddish tint
appears and remains visible for at least 10 s (change in colour from greenish yellow to
reddish yellow in sample extracts).

F.2 Calculation

(𝑛− 𝑛𝑜 ) 𝑥 5 𝑥 100
Acidity degree (pasta dry matter) = 100− 𝑚

where,

n is the ml 0.1 N NaOH for 50 mL extract,

no is the ml 0.1 N for 50 ml blank,

m is the moisture content of raw pasta.

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 18

 Annex G
(normative)
Determination of egg yolk solids

G.1 Preparation of sample

Grind in pestle and mortar about 30 g of the material so that at least 90 % passes through
425 micro sieve. Transfer this prepared sample to a well-stoppered glass bottle for use.

G.2 Procedure

G.2.1 Reflux 100 g sample in a Soxhlet apparatus using 100 cm 3 pure methanol for two
hours. Decant and add a further 100 cm3 pure methanol fractions. Evaporate to dryness.
Carry out a phosphorus determination as detailed below.

G.2.2 Phosphorus Determination — Weigh 0.05 g of sample into a platinum dish. Add 5
cm3 of analytical grade chloroform. Add 8 cm3 of 4 % alcoholic potash and evaporate to
dryness in an oven held at 105 °C. Char using an Argand burner and then ash at dull red
heat in a muffle furnace. When the dish has cooled, add 5 cm3 concentrated hydrochloric
acid and evaporate to dryness. Extract the residue with 10-cm3 mL hydrochloric acid. Filter
through a Whatman No 54 grade filter paper into a100 cm3 graduated flask. Wash any
residue well with hot distilled water. Neutralize with normal sodium hydroxide using
phenolphthalein as indicator. Make to the mark with distilled water.

Take a sufficient volume by pipette of the prepared solution containing 5 mg to 5 mg

phosphorus and transfer to a stout boiling tube.

The total volume should be 5 cm3, if lower than this add distilled water. Add, by fast running
pipette, 1 cm3 10 M sulphuric acid 1 cm3 2.5 % ammonium molybdate and 1 cm 3 20 %
potassium iodide solution (containing 0.5 % sodium carbonate). Swirl stopper with a glass
ball and hold in a boiling water bath for fifteen minutes. Remove and cool in an ice bath.

Add sufficient freshly prepared 0.5 % sodium sulphate to remove the iodine colour and to
give a light excess. Transfer solution and make up to 50 cm 3 in a graduated flask (or smaller
volume if found necessary). Measure the colour strength of the solution when held in a 1 cm
glass cell using 14 and 608 filters on the Spekker Absorptiometer. Carry out a check on the
Absorptionmeter using distilled water in the cell. Calculate the phosphorus content by
reference to the reference curve for a standard phosphorus solution.

This solution can be prepared by dissolving 4.388 g analytical grade potassium dihydrogen
phosphate in distilled water, adding 2 cm3 in graduated flask. The solution contains 1 000 µg
phosphorus/cm3, lower concentrations can be obtained by dilution. For comparison
purposes, in a series of tests 1 µg phosphorus/cm3 gave a Spekker Absorptiometer of 0.285.

G.3 Calculation
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 19
 Egg yolk solids = P2O5 x 56

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 20

 CDEAS 173: 2023

Bibliography

EAS 173:2000 (first ed) Pasta products - Specification

 © EAC 2023 – All rights reserved

© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved 22