EAS 44:2011
ICS 67.060
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Milled maize (corn) products — Specification
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
© EAC 2011 Second Edition 2011
EAS 44:2011
Foreword
Development of the East African Standards has 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 Community will be removed.
In order to meet the above objectives, the EAC Partner States have enacted an East African
Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Test Act, 2006 (EAC SQMT Act, 2006) to make
provisions for ensuring standardization, quality assurance, 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 formulated in accordance with the procedures established by the East
African Standards Committee. The East African 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, 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.
Article 15(1) of the EAC SQMT Act, 2006 provides that “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 national 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.
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East African Community
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Tanzania
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8
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ii © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved
EAS 44:2011
Table of contents
1 Scope .................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references ......................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions ........................................................................................................ 1
4 Quality requirements .......................................................................................................... 2
5 Food additives .................................................................................................................... 3
6 Hygiene .............................................................................................................................. 3
7 Contaminants ..................................................................................................................... 4
8 Packaging ........................................................................................................................... 4
9 Labelling ............................................................................................................................ 4
9 Methods of sampling.......................................................................................................... 5
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved iii
EAS 44:2011
Introduction
The standard stipulates the grading and quality requirements for milled maize products destined for
human consumption. During the preparation of this standard, some amendments have been made on
the definitions of different maize meal products. The microbiological requirements for dry milled maize
products have been incorporated in an endeavour to safeguard the health and safety of consumers of
these products.
iv © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD EAS 44:2011
Milled maize (corn) products — Specification
1 Scope
This East African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and testing for milled
maize (corn) products 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 Standard
EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods — Specification
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice
EAS 2, Maize (grains) — Specification
EAS 41, Fruits, vegetables and derived products
EAS 74, Methods of test for animal feedstuffs
EAS 82, Milled cereal products — Methods of test
EAS 217, Methods for the microbiological examination of foods
ISO 16050, Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1
and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products — High-performance liquid chromatographic method
CODEX Stan 193, Codex general Standards for contaminants and toxins in Food and Feed
ISO 13690, Cereals, pulses and milled products — Sampling of static batches
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this standard the following definitions shall apply:
3.1
whole maize meal
product obtained by grinding clean whole maize kernel by the use of mill or other grinding methods
excluding roller milling
3.2
granulated maize meal
the product obtained by roller milling and sifting of shelled clean maize and complying with
requirements indicated in Table 1
3.3
sifted maize meal
the product obtained by roller milling and sifting shelled clear maize and complying with the
requirements Indicated in Table 1
3.4
sifting
the particle size separation by sieving and aspiration of roll-milled products
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved 1
EAS 44:2011
3.5
cleaned maize
the shelled maize that shall have been subjected to a cleaning process for the removal of foreign and
objectionable matter originally present
3.6
maize flour
product obtained by removing the germ and bran followed by grinding, clean maize kernels using
roller mills or other methods and sifting the resulting product to suitable degree of fineness.
4 Quality requirements
4.1 Raw materials
Maize meal shall be made from shelled maize conforming to the requirements given in EAS 2.
4.2 General requirements
4.2.1 Maize meal shall be of natural colour conforming to the colour of maize from which it was
prepared.
4.2.2 Maize meal shall not contain any foreign matter such as insects, fungi, dirt or other
contaminants above the level permitted in EAS 2.
4.2.2 Maize meal shall be free from fermented musty or other objectionable colours.
4.2.3 Maize meal shall be free from rancidity and foreign odours.
4.2.4 Maize meal shall be wholesome and fit for human consumption in all aspects.
4.3 Specific requirements
Milled Maize products shall conform to the requirements given in Table 1.
2 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved
EAS 44:2011
Table 1 — Specific requirements
Type
Sl No. Characteristic Sifted Granulate
Whole Maize Test
maize d maize
maize meal flour method
meal meal
i) Fibre content, % by m/m, max. 0.7 1.0 3.0 0.7
Crude fat a moisture free basis,
ii) 2.25 2.25 3.1
% by m/m, max.
Moisture content, % by m/m,
iii) 13 13 13 13
max.
iv) Total ash, % by m/m, max. 1.0 1. 3.0 1.0
Acid insoluble ash, % by m/m,
v) 0.15 0.35 0.40 0.15
max.
EAS 82
vi) Crude protein (N x 6.25) % min 7.0 7.0 8.0 7.0
vii) Iron mg/kg 7 7 8 8
Fat acidity, mg KOH per 100g
viii) 50 50 50 50
of product, on dry mass basis
Total Aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 10
ix)
+AFG2)), ppb max
x) Aflatoxin B1 only, ppb max 5 ISO 16050
xi) Fumonisin ppm max 2
5 Food additives
The product shall contain only permitted additives complying with EAS 103.
6 Hygiene
6.1 Milled maize products shall be produced, prepared and handled in accordance with the
provisions of appropriate sections of EAS 39.
6.2 When tested by appropriate methods of sampling and examination, the product:
shall be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health;
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.
6.3 The product shall be free from pathogenic micro-organism and shall comply with
microbiological limits in Table 2.
Table 2 — Microbiological limits
© EAC 2011 — All rights reserved 3
EAS 44:2011
Sl. No. Micro-organism Maximum limit Methods of test
(1) Total aerobic count per g 105 EAS 217
(11) E. Coli per 1 g Not detectable EAS 217
(III) Salmonella per 25 g Not detectable EAS 217
(iv) Yeast and Moulds cfu/g 104 EAS 217
(V) [Link] per 25 g Not detectable EAS 217
7 Contaminants
7.1 Heavy metals
Milled maize products shall comply with those maximum limits for heavy metals established by the
Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.
7.2 Pesticide residues
Milled maize products shall comply with those maximum 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.
7.3 Mycotoxins
Milled maize products shall comply with those maximum mycotoxin limits established by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission for this commodity. The milled maize products shall not exceed total
aflatoxin of 10 ppb and 5 ppb for aflatoxin B1 when tested in accordance with ISO 16050.
8 Packaging
8.1 Maize meal shall be packed suitable packages which shall be clean, sound, free from insects,
fungal infestation and the packing material shall be of food grade quality.
8.2 Maize meal shall be packed in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional,
technological and organoleptic qualities of the products.
8.3 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
flavour to the product.
8.4 Each package shall be securely closed and sealed.
9 Labelling
In addition to the requirements in EAS 38, each package shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the
following:
i) name of product as "Whole Maize Meal, Sifted Maize meal , Maize flour or Granulated Maize
meal";
iii) name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer;
4 © EAC 2011 — All rights reserved
EAS 44:2011
iv) brand name/registered trade mark;
v) batch or code number;
vi) net weight in metric units;
vii) the statement “Store in a Cool Dry Place”;
viii) the statement "Human Food";
x) country of origin;
xi) date of manufacture;
xii) expiry date;
xiii) instructions for disposal of used package.
9 Methods of sampling
Sampling shall be done in accordance with the ISO 13690.
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