AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1348 : 2023  
First edition 2023 
 
 Reference No. DARS 1348 :2023(E) 
ICS 67.060 
 
 
© ARSO 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amaranth flour  — Specification   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS  1348 :2023 (E) 
ii © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ .........  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
2 Normative references  ................................ .................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
3 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4 Quality requirements  ................................ ...................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4.2 General requirements  ................................ .................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4.3 Specific requirements  ................................ .................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4.3.1  Classification  ................................ ..............................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
4.3.2  Grading  ................................ ................................ ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
5 Contaminants  ................................ .............................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
5.1 Metals  ................................ ................................ .........  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
5.2 Pesticide residues  ................................ ......................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
8 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ..... Error! Bookmark not defined.  
9 Sampling methods  ................................ ......................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
Annex A (normative)  Methods of analysis for rice specifications Error! Bookmark not 
defined.  
Annex B (normative)  Determination of waxy rice in parboiled rice Error! Bookmark not 
defined.  
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ...........  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
 
  DARS 1348 :2023 (E) 
© ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS) is an African intergovernmental organization 
made up of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU). One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e African 
Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase Africa’s 
product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The work 
of preparing African  Standa rds is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic 
Communities (RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also 
take part in the work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committee s is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards 
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an 
ARSO  Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is d rawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by the ARSO Technical Committee on  Cereals, Pulsses and 
Derived  Products (ARSO/TC 12). 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2023 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-311641, +254 -20-311608  
Fax: +254 -20-218792  
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
* 2023 ARSO  — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member  States’ NSBs. 
 DARS  1348 :2023 (E) 
iv © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
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by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior 
permission from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, sto red 
or transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of  the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 23 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-311641, +254 -20-311608  
Fax: +254 -20-218792  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a lice nsing agreement. 
Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1348 :2023 (E) 
© ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved  v  
 DARS 1348 :2023(E) 
© ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   Amaranth flour  — Specification   
 
1 Scope  
 
This African standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for flour prepared 
from dried grain obtained from amaranth plant (Amaranthus caudutus, A.hypochondaricus, A.cruentus  
and any other variety duly approved as a grain a maranth species ) intended for human consumption.  
 
 
2 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 605, Pulses — Determination of impurities, size, foreign odour, insects, and species and variety 
— Test methods  
 
ARS 56, Prepackaged foods — Labelling  
 
ARS 53, General principles o f food hygiene — Code of practice  
 
ARS 1349 , Amaranth grain  – Specification  
 
1SO 24333, Cereals and cereal products -Sampling  
 
ISO 712 - Determination of Moisture content in cereals and cereals product.  
 
ISO 21527 -2, Horizontal method for the enumeration of  yeasts and moulds  — Part 2: Colony count 
technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0,  
 
ISO 6888 -1, Horizontal method for the enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci 
(Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Method u sing Baird -Parker agar medium  
 
ISO 4833 -1, Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — Part 1: Colony count at 30 
degrees C by the pour plate technique  
 
ISO 7251, Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — 
Most probable number technique  
 
ISO 5985, Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
 
ISO 1871, Agricultural food products ― General directions for the determination of nitrogen by the 
Kjeldahl method  
 
ISO 5498, Agricultural food products ― Determination of crude fibre content ― General Method  
 
CXS 192, Codex general standard for food additives  
 
CXS 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
 
ISO 2171, Cereals, pulses and by -products  ― Determination of ash yield by incineration  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 
amaranth grains  
grains obtained from species of Amaranth ( Amaranthus. hypochondaricus  or Amaranthus. cruentus ) 
and any other variety duly approved as a grain amaranth species  
 
3.2 
amaranth flour  
product in powder form prepared from dried amaranth grain s by grinding or milling processes  
  
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1348:2023(E)  
2 © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved  3.3 
food grade packaging material  
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which 
will not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  
 
3.4 
filth 
impurities of animal origin, including dead insects  
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 Raw material  
 
The Amaranth grain from which the flour is milled shall be in accordance with ARS 1349 . 
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Amaranth flour shall:  
 
a) be practically free from filth in amounts that may represent a hazard to human health;  
 
b) be free of off flavo urs and odours;  
 
c) be practically free from any living insects and foreign matter;  
 
 
d) have a colour characteristic of the variety.  
 
4.3 Specific requirements  
 
Amaranth flour shall conform to the compositional requirements in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Specific  requirements for amaranth flour  
 
Characteristic  Limit  Method of test  
Ash content, % m/m on a dry matter 
basis, , max.  5.0 ISO 2171  
Protein content, % m/m on a dry matter 
basis, , min.  12 ISO 1871  
Moisture content, % m/m, on a dry 
matter basis , max.  10 ISO 712 
Acid insoluble ash, % m/m, on a dry 
matter basis, max.  0.5  ISO 5985    
Crude fibre content, % m/m on a dry 
matter basis, max.  1.8 ISO 5498  
 
4.4 Particle size  
 
Not less than 90 % shall pass through a 0.60 mm sieve for fine flour and not less than 90  % shall 
pass through a 1.20 mm sieve for coarse flour.  
 
5 Food additives  
 
Amaranth flour shall contain only permitted additives complying with CODEX STAN 192.  
 
  DARS 1348 :2023(E) 
© ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   6 Contaminants  
 
Amaranth flour shall comply with those maximum limits for metal contaminants specified in CODEX 
STAN 193. 
 
6.1 Aflatoxins  
 
Amaranth flour shall comply with levels for aflatoxins given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with 
the test methods specified therein .  
 
Table 3 — Mycotoxin limits for Amaranth flour  
 
S/N Aflatoxin  Maximum limit  
(µg/kg)  Test method  
i. Total aflatoxins  
(AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 
+AFG2)  10  
ISO 16050  
ii. Aflatoxin B1  5 
 
 
7 Hygiene  
Amaranth flour shall be produced and handled under hygienic conditions in accordance with ARS 53 .  
 
When tested by appropriate test method , the product shall be free from microorganisms in amounts 
which may represent a hazard to health and shall not exceed the limits specified in Table 2.  
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for amaranth flour  
 
S/No  Type of micro -organism  Limits  Test method  
i) Yeasts and moulds, per g, max.  103 ISO 21527 -2 
ii) S.aureus  per 25 g  Absent  ISO 6888  
iii) E. coli , cfu per g, max.  Absent  ISO 7251  
iv Total aerobic count, cfu per g  105 ISO 4833  
 
8 Packaging  
 
Amaranth flour shall be packaged in food grade packaging materials that will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional , technological  and organoleptic qualit ies of the product.  
 
 
9 Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements of ARS 56 , the following labelling requirements shall apply and shall 
be legibly and indelibly marked:  
 
a) common name of the food to be declared on the label shall be 'Amaranth flour';  
 
b) net contents by weight in metric (Systeme International') units;  
 
c) name and physical address of th e manufacturer/distributor;  
 
d) country of origin;  DARS 1348:2023(E)  
4 © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   
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”; and  
 
i) instructions on disposal of used package.  
 
 
10 Method of sampling  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with ISO 24333.  
 