PREAMBLE (NOT PART OF THE STANDARD)

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END OF PREAMBLE (NOT PART OF THE STANDARD)

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EAS22:2006
ICS 67.100

EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Butter — Specification

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

© EAC 2006

Second Edition 2006

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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 2006 – All rights reserved*
East African Community
P.O. Box 1096
Arusha
Tanzania
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8
Fax: 255 27 2504255
E-mail: eac@eachq.org
Web: www.eachq.org

* © 2006 EAC — All rights of exploitation of any form and by any means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs

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Butter — Specification

1 Scope

This East African Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for butter intended for direct consumption or for further processing.

This East African Standard does not apply to butter derived from milk other than cow milk.

2 Normative references

The following standards contain provisions, which, through reference in this text constitute provisions of this standard. All standards are subject to revision and parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent editions of the standard indicated below. Information on currently valid national and international standards may be obtained from the Partner States Bureaux of Standards Information and Documentation Centre.

CAC/RCP 57, Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products

EAS 38, Labelling of pre-packaged foods

EAS 68, Milk and milk products — Methods of microbiological examination

EAS 80, Butter ⎯ Methods of analysis

ISO 707, Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling

ISO 6785, Milk and milk products — Detection of Salmonella spp.

ISO 11866, Milk and milk products — Enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli

3 Definitions

For the purpose of this East African Standard the following definition shall apply:

butter
fatty product derived exclusively from milk and/or products obtained from milk, principally in the form of an emulsion of the type water-in-oil

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4 Essential composition and quality requirements

4.1 Raw materials

Butter shall be made exclusively from milk and/or products obtained from cow milk.

4.2 Additions

4.2.1

Sodium chloride and food grade salt

4.2.2

Cultures of harmless (non-pathogenic) lactic acid producing bacteria

4.2.3

Potable water

4.3 Compositional requirements

The compositional requirement for butter shall be as given in Table 1.

Table 1 — Compositional requirements
Parameter Requirement Method of test
Minimum milk fat content, %, m/m 80  
Maximum milk solids-not-fat content, %, m/m 2 EAS 81
Maximum water content, %, m/m 16  

4.4 Organoleptic properties

4.4.1 Flavour

The finished product shall be of characteristic flavour, free from taint and rancidity.

4.4.2 Body and texture

The product shall be firm, neither greasy nor oily at 25 °C and showing granular texture on breaking.

5 Food additives

Only those food additives listed below may be used and only within the limits specified.

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INS No. Name Maximum Level
  Colours  
160a(i) β-Carotene (synthetic) 25 mg/kg
160a(ii) Carotenes (natural extracts) 600 mg/kg
160b Annatto extracts 20 mg/kg (bixin/norbixin basis)
160e β-apo-Carotenal 35 mg/kg
160f β-apo-8’-Carotenoic acid, methyl or ethyl ester 35 mg/kg
     
  Acidity Regulators  
339 Sodium phosphates 2 g/kg
500(i) Sodium carbonate Limited by GMP
500(ii) Sodium hydrogen carbonate Limited by GMP
524 Sodium hydroxide Limited by GMP
526 Calcium hydroxide Limited by GMP

6 Contaminants

6.1 Heavy metals

The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum limits established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

6.2 Pesticide and veterinary drug residues

The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

7 Hygiene

Butter shall be produced, processed and handled in accordance with CAC/RCP 57.

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8 Microbiological limits

The microbiological limits for butter shall be as given in Table 2.

Table 2 — Microbiological limits
Microorganism Maximum limit Method of test
Total count 105 EAS 68
E. coli Absent in 1 g ISO 11866
Salmonella Absent in 25 g ISO 6785
Moulds and yeasts 10 per g EAS 68

9 Packaging

Butter shall be packaged in safe food grade containers and/or suitably treated paper.

10 Labelling

In addition to the requirements of EAS 38, the following specific provisions apply:

  1. the name of the product shall be “butter” as appropriate;
  2. where milk other than cow milk is used for the manufacture of butter or any part thereof, a word or words denoting the animal or animals from which the milk has been derived shall be inserted immediately before or after the designation of butter;
  3. butter shall be labelled as to whether it is salted or unsalted;
  4. the net contents shall be declared by mass in the SI units;
  5. the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or vendor of the food shall be declared.
  6. the country of origin of the butter shall be declared. Where a food undergoes processing in a second country, which changes its nature, the country in which the processing is performed shall be considered to be the country of origin for the purpose of labelling.

11 Methods of sampling and analysis

11.1 Sampling

Sampling of butter for analysis shall be done in accordance with ISO 707.

11.2 Methods of test

The tests shall be carried out in accordance with EAS 80.

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