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EAS 57-2: 2000
ICS 67.080

EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Groundnuts (peanuts) — Specification
Part 2: Roasted groundnuts (peanuts)

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

© EAC 2000

First Edition 2000

v

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 2000 – 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

* © 2000 EAC — All rights of exploitation of any form and by any means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs

vi

Groundnuts (peanuts) — Specification

Part 2:
Roasted groundnuts (peanuts)

1 Scope

This Part 2 of EAS 57 for shelled groundnuts (Archis hypogea) prescribes the requirements for roasted groundnuts (peanuts).

2 Definitions

In addition to the definitions in EAS 57-1, the following definitions below shall also apply:

roasted groundnuts
groundnuts with or without seed coats which have been subjected to heat by either dry roasting or deep frying in a vegetable oil and to which salt (in form of powder or brine) and/or spices may have been added

3 Requirements

3.1

Roasted groundnuts shall be whole or splits.

3.2

Roasted whole groundnuts shall not be mixed with splits.

3.3

Roasted whole groundnuts shall peel easily.

3.4

Split groundnuts shall be free from skins.

3.5

Roasted groundnuts shall be free from dead or living insects, insect fragments and mites.

3.6

The kernels shall be free from foreign matter such as stones, dirt or any contamination.

3.7

The kernels shall be free from foreign odours and undesirable flavour and/or taste.

3.8

Roasted groundnuts shall be free from decayed and mould-damaged kernels.

3.9

Roasted groundnuts shall be free from small shrivelled and immature kernels or hard kernels.

3.10

Antioxidants approved by the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act may be used at the specified levels.

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3.11

Roasted groundnuts shall comply with the requirements in Table 1.

Table 1 — Requirements
Characteristic Percentage maximum limits Method of test
Moisture content 2.0 EAS 60*
Fat on dry weight basis 53
Free fatty acids 2.0
Total ash on dry weight basis 2.0
* EAS 60, Peanut butter — Specification

4 Hygiene requirements

4.1

Roasted groundnuts shall be processed and handled according to the provisions of the Public Health Act.

4.2

Roasted groundnuts shall be free of pathogenic organisms and shall conform to microbiological limits in Table 2.

Table 2 — Microbiological limits for roasted groundnuts
Micro-organism Limits Method of test
Moulds (max.) 102/g ISO 7698*
E. Coli Shall be absent ISO 16654**
Salmonellae Shall be absent ISO 6579***
*ISO 7698, Cereals, pulses and derived products — Enumeration of bacteria, yeasts and moulds
** ISO 16654, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of Escherichia coli 0157
***ISO 6579, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella spp.

4.3

Aflatoxin content in roasted groundnuts shall not exceed 10 ppb.

5 Packaging

5.1

Roasted groundnuts shall be packed in new, clean plastic jars, cellophane bags, aluminium foil and cans.

5.2

Splits shall be packed only in opaque or translucent containers.

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6 Labelling

In addition to the provisions of EAS 38, the following shall be indicated:

  1. name of the product;
  2. name and address of manufacturer;
  3. list of ingredients;
  4. method of roasting (dry or fried);
  5. net weight;
  6. ‘Sell by … ‘date;
  7. country of manufacture;
  8. the statement ‘store in a cool dry place.
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