Tanzania Updates Sorghum Flour Specifications for Human Consumption

Tanzania has notified a draft standard for sorghum flour intended for human consumption, setting detailed quality and safety requirements under both TBT and SPS frameworks.

Compliance Analysis: Sorghum Flour Standards in Burundi

Burundi, as a member of the East African Community (EAC), aligns its national standards with East African Standards (EAS). While the provided sources describe the Draft East African Standard (DEAS 95:2026) for sorghum flour, Burundi does not have a standalone national regulation specifically for sorghum flour. Instead, Burundi adopts EAC standards through its National Bureau of Standards (BNUB) under the East African Community Customs Union (EACCU) and Common Market protocols. Below is a structured compliance overview based on DEAS 95:2026, which Burundi enforces as part of its harmonized regulatory framework.

1. Scope and Applicability

The Draft East African Standard (DEAS 95:2026) applies to sorghum flour derived from decorticated Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench grains intended for human consumption. It excludes sorghum grits or meal¹. Burundi, as an EAC Partner State, is bound by this standard under the EAC Treaty (Article 81) and EAC Standards Harmonization Protocol, which mandate the adoption of EAS/DEAS as national standards².

2. Key Compliance Requirements for Sorghum Flour in Burundi

A. General Requirements

Sorghum flour must comply with the following baseline criteria^{2, 1}:

• Safety and suitability: Must be safe for human consumption.
• Sensory attributes: Must retain characteristic flavor and odor.
• Pest and filth control:
  • Free from parasites, living insects, and filth (defined as impurities of animal origin, including dead insects).
• Source material: Sorghum grains used must comply with EAS 757 (Sorghum Grains – Specification).

B. Specific Physicochemical Requirements

Sorghum flour must meet the limits in Table 1 when tested using the specified methods¹:

C. Food Additives

Only permitted additives listed in CODEX STAN 192 (General Standard for Food Additives) are allowed¹.

D. Hygiene and Microbiological Limits

• Processing hygiene: Must comply with EAS 39 (Hygiene in Food and Drink Manufacturing – Code of Practice)¹.
• Microbiological limits (Table 2)¹:

E. Contaminants

1. Heavy Metals (Table 3)¹:
   • Lead (Pb): ≤0.2 mg/kg (ISO 6633).
   • Cadmium (Cd): ≤0.1 mg/kg (ISO 6561-1/2).

1. Pesticide Residues:
   • Must comply with Codex Alimentarius Commission limits for sorghum¹.
   • Note: If a Partner State (e.g., Burundi) prohibits specific pesticides, it must notify other EAC members.

1. Mycotoxins (Table 4)¹:
   • Total aflatoxins: ≤10 µg/kg (EAS 901 Clause 9/10).
   • Aflatoxin B1: ≤5 µg/kg.
   • Fumonisins: ≤2,000 µg/kg (EAS 901 Clause 11/12).

F. Packaging and Labelling

1. Packaging Materials:
   • Must be food-grade (defined as materials safeguarding hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic qualities)².
   • Sacks must be clean, sturdy, and strongly sewn/sealed¹.

1. Labelling Requirements (EAS 38)¹:
   • Mandatory information:
   • Product name: "Sorghum flour" + "Fine" or "Medium".
   • Manufacturer/packer/importer details (name, address, location).
   • Lot/batch/code number.
   • Net weight (kg).
   • Declaration: "Food for Human Consumption".
   • Storage instructions: "Store in a cool dry place away from contaminants".
   • Date of manufacture and expiry date.
   • Disposal instructions for used packaging.
   • Country of origin.

1. Weights and Measures:
   • Must comply with destination country regulations (e.g., Burundi’s weights and measures laws)¹.
   • Note: EAC Partner States adhere to ILO guidelines limiting package weight to 50 kg for manual handling.

G. Sampling

Sampling must follow EAS 900 (Cereals and Pulses – Sampling)¹.

3. Regulatory Authority and Enforcement in Burundi

• National Bureau of Standards (BNUB): Adopts and enforces EAS/DEAS as national standards under Law No. 1/01 of 2011 (Burundi Standards Law).
• Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism: Oversees compliance with food safety and labelling requirements.
• Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR): May inspect imports/exports for compliance with EAC standards at borders.

4. Summary Table of Key Requirements

Summary Answer

Burundi regulates sorghum flour under the Draft East African Standard DEAS 95:2026, which sets mandatory quality, safety, and labelling requirements for human consumption. Key compliance obligations include:

1. Physicochemical limits (e.g., moisture ≤13.5%, ash ≤1.5%) and microbiological safety (e.g., Salmonella absent in 25 g)¹.
2. Contaminant controls for heavy metals (lead ≤0.2 mg/kg), pesticide residues (Codex limits), and mycotoxins (aflatoxins ≤10 µg/kg).
3. Packaging and labelling must use food-grade materials and display 10 mandatory details (e.g., expiry date, country of origin) under EAS 38.
4. Hygiene practices must align with EAS 39, and sampling must follow EAS 900.

Burundi enforces these standards through the National Bureau of Standards (BNUB) and relevant ministries, with penalties for non-compliance including product seizure or import bans². Businesses must ensure their sorghum flour meets all DEAS 95:2026 requirements before distribution in Burundi.

Sources

1. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-02723 — Tanzania https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/TZA/26_02723_00_e.pdf
2. ↩ WTO TBT notification 26-02726 — Tanzania https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/TZA/26_02726_00_e.pdf