Rwanda Imposes Meat Extract Standards for Human Consumption

Rwanda has issued a new specification for meat extract, setting standards for quality, safety, and composition for products intended for human consumption under Regulation and under Regulation.

RWANDA – MEAT EXTRACT

Rwanda Sets New Standards for Meat and Fish Extracts

New quality, safety, and testing rules apply to extracts for human consumption.

1603 HS Code

67.120.10 ICS Code

27 Jul 2026 Comment deadline (Reg 24)

28 Jul 2026 Comment deadline (Reg 23)

What changed

Scope expanded to include extracts and juices of meat, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs **under Regulation**.

Testing methods mandated for sampling and quality control of meat extract from food animals **under Regulation**.

Composition and labeling rules established to ensure consumer information and product consistency **under Regulation**.

Who it affects

Producers of extracts must implement the specified sampling and test methods **under Regulation**.

Importers of HS 1603 goods must ensure products meet the new safety and composition standards **under Regulation**.

What to do

Review the new specifications for meat, fish, and crustacean extracts.

Submit feedback on the standards before the July 2026 deadlines.

Key dates

27 July 2026 — comment period closes for Regulation.

28 July 2026 — comment period closes for Regulation.

Rwanda — meat extract standards and testing requirements

Compliance Analysis: Meat Extract Standards in Kenya

Kenya does not have a standalone national regulation specifically titled "Meat Extract Specification." However, Kenya is a member of the East African Community (EAC) and is bound by East African Standards (EAS) adopted by the EAC, including DEAS 1350:2026 (Meat Extract — Specification). This standard applies uniformly across EAC Partner States, including Kenya, unless Kenya has enacted a more stringent national standard. As of the provided sources, no conflicting Kenyan national standard is referenced, so DEAS 1350:2026 is the applicable regulatory framework for meat extract in Kenya.

Key Compliance Requirements for Meat Extract in Kenya

The DEAS 1350:2026 standard specifies requirements for meat extract intended for human consumption, including composition, hygiene, contaminants, packaging, labelling, and testing. Below is a structured summary of the mandatory compliance requirements under Kenyan law (via EAC standards):

1. Scope and Definition

Meat extract is defined as a concentrated paste or powder obtained by extracting soluble substances from meat¹.
Applies to meat extract from food animals intended for human consumption^{2, 1}.

2. General Requirements

Meat extract must be prepared and handled in premises licensed by a competent authority¹.
Must comply with the following sensory characteristics:
- Colour: light brown to brown¹.
- Odour: characteristic, with no abnormal taint¹.
- Taste: characteristic, free from bitterness, scorching, acidity, glueyness, astringency, and off-flavours¹.

3. Specific Composition Requirements

Meat extract must meet the following minimum and maximum limits^{2, 1}:

Characteristic	Requirement	Test Method
Total solids, % m/m, Min	80.0	Appendix A²
Matter insoluble in water and ether, % m/m, Max	2.0	Appendix B²
Protein content, % m/m, Min	8.0	ISO 937²
Chloride (as NaCl) content, % m/m, Max	5.0	ISO 1841-1²
Fat, % m/m, Max	0.5	ISO 1443²

4. Hygiene and Microbiological Limits

Meat extract must be prepared and handled under strict hygienic conditions in accordance with EAS 39 (General principles of food hygiene — Code of practice)¹.
Must not exceed the following microbiological limits¹:

Microorganism	Limit	Test Method
Escherichia coli	Absent	ISO 7251¹
Staphylococcus aureus	≤ 1 x 10³ cfu/g	ISO 6888-1¹
Salmonella spp (per 25g)	Absent	ISO 6579-1¹
Clostridium perfringens (per 25g)	Absent	ISO 7937¹
Listeria monocytogenes (per 25g)	Absent	ISO 11290-1¹
Yeast and mould	≤ 10² cfu/g	ISO 21527-1¹

5. Contaminants

Meat extract must comply with the following maximum limits for contaminants¹:

Contaminant Type	Requirement	Reference
Heavy metals	Comply with Codex Stan 193 (Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed)¹	CXS 193¹
Pesticide residues	Comply with Codex Alimentarius Commission maximum residue limits¹	Codex Alimentarius¹
Veterinary drug residues	Comply with CXM 2 (Maximum Residue Limits for veterinary drugs in foods)¹	CXM 2¹

6. Meat Species Identification

The identification/isolation of meat species must be performed in accordance with ISO/TS 20224^{2, 1}.

7. Packaging

Meat extract must be packaged in food-grade materials with tightly fitting lids to protect against physical, microbiological, and chemical contamination during storage and distribution^{2, 1}.

8. Labelling Requirements

In addition to the general labelling requirements under EAS 38 (Labelling of pre-packaged foods — General requirements), meat extract must be labelled with the following mandatory information^{2, 1}:

Labelling Requirement	Details
Product name	Must be labelled as "Meat extract"².
Species of food animals used	Must be declared².
Name and address of manufacturer/importer/distributor	Must be provided².
Batch or code number	Must be included².
Net weight	In metric units².
Date of manufacture	Must be declared².
Expiry date	Must be declared².
Storage conditions	Must be specified².
Country of origin	Must be declared².
Instructions for use	Must be provided².
List of ingredients	In descending order².
Allergen declaration	Must be included².

9. Sampling

Sampling must be conducted in accordance with CXG 50 (General guidelines on sampling)^{2, 1}.

Regulatory Enforcement in Kenya

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is the competent authority responsible for enforcing EAC standards, including DEAS 1350:2026, in Kenya.
Non-compliance with the standard may result in product seizure, fines, or legal action under the Standards Act (Cap. 496) and the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act (Cap. 254).

Summary Answer

Kenya regulates meat extract through the East African Standard DEAS 1350:2026, which sets mandatory requirements for composition (e.g., minimum 80% total solids, maximum 5% chloride), hygiene (e.g., absence of Salmonella and Listeria), contaminants (e.g., compliance with Codex Stan 193 for heavy metals), packaging (food-grade materials), and labelling (e.g., species declaration, expiry date)^{2, 1}. Microbiological limits are strictly defined, and meat species identification must follow ISO/TS 20224^{2, 1}. Sampling must adhere to CXG 50, and all meat extract must be produced in licensed premises¹. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) enforces these standards under national law. No conflicting Kenyan national standard is referenced in the provided sources.

Sources

↩ WTO SPS notification 26-02800 — Tanzania https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/TZA/26_02800_00_e.pdf
↩ WTO TBT notification 26-02805 — Tanzania https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/TZA/26_02805_00_e.pdf