RWANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS Newsletter

NewsletterRWANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 16 July - September 2012

P,O Box 7099 Kigali-Rawanda Tel: +250 586 1003 Fax: +250 583 305 Website: www.rwanda-standards.org

Fire Safety and Human Settlement Standards being Developed

Certification: An Opportunity for the Growth of the Industry and Service Sector in Rwanda.

5 THE WHAT, WHY, AND HOW OF STANDARDS

6 RWANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS IN THE PRO- CESS OF DEVELOPING FIRE SAFETY AND HUMAN SETTLEMENT STANDARDS!

8 RBS WORK PROGRAM JULY - DECEMBER 2012

13 OCCURENCE OF PESTICIDES IN FOOD 17 TESTING OF ANTIBIOTIC AND VETERINARY DRUG RESIDUES IN MILK, MEAT, EGGS AND HONEY- A GLOBAL HEALTH HAZARD

19 HEAVY METALS: TOXIC EVEN AT VERY LOW CONCENTRATION

21 RBS CONDUCTED BACTERIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF POTABLE/DRINKING CONTAINERISED WATER FOR JANUARY TO JUNE 2012

24 CHOLESTEROL AND ITS IMPACT TO HUMAN HEALTH

27 WOULD YOU LIKE TO START YOUR BUSINESS? RBS OFFERS INFORMATION ON QUALITY STAN- DARDS THAT SHOULD SAVE A MILLION LOSSES

29 ONLY STAINLESS STEEL MACHINES ARE SAFE FOR FOOD PROCESSING

31 ALERT TO CONSUMERS!: ADULTERATED HONEY COULD BE FOUND ON THE MARKET!

32 STANDARDIZATION BENEFITS FROM THE ESTAB- LISHED RWANDA ELECTRONIC SINGLE WINDOW

35 CERTIFICATION: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY AND SERVICE SECTOR IN RWANDA.

38 TEN NEW PRODUCTS CERTIFIED DURING THE QUARTER (JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2012)

40 ORGANIC CERTIFICATION- THE NEW CONSUMER CONFIDENCE TOOL IN MODERN AGRIBUSINESS

42 WHY ARE SOME BALANCES AND SCALES REMOVED FROM TRADE?

44 RELEVANCY OF CHEMICAL METROLOGY IN OUR LIFE ?

Contents

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FOREWORD

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Issue 16 of the Quarterly Newsletter of Rwanda Bureau of Stan-dards. This Issue brings to you useful

information on standardization and conformity as-sessment achievements from July to September 2012, whereby the focus was on harmonizing and adopting standards to facilitate products and ser-vices competitiveness and technology transfer.

During the quarter, 23 new standards, 19 stan-dards harmonized at East African Community level, 33 standards revised and 79 International Standards adopted as national standards. The ap-proved standards were in areas of Food and Ag-riculture, Electrical engineering, Handicrafts and Cosmetics; and will attract harmonization of ser-vice and development of the said sectors, along with assured public safety. As an accompanying service to standards development, awareness raising of the role of standards in the development of product and service industry to fast-track eco-nomic development, and public safety are impor-tant headlines.

The Bureau’s focus remains value addition to lo-cally manufactured products which increases ac-cess to regional and international markets. During the quarter, 10 new products in the sectors of cof-fee, tea, honey and flours were certified with RBS Mark of Excellence (E-Mark) and RBS Standard-ization Mark (S-Mark).

Among core targets have been promotion of en-vironment friendly technologies. This issue also

reports the findings of the potable and drinking water microbiological survey over the period of January to June 2012. The results indicate satisfactory compli-ance to safety standards and good collaboration with stakeholders is key to attainment of RBS mission.

We also bring to your attention the RBS Work Pro-gram from July to December 2012 as per World Trade Organization (WTO) requirement; that every Standardization Body publishes its Work Program twice a year.

Please enjoy reading this issue and update yourself on the role of standardization and conformity assess-ment in the promotion of products quality for better safety and access to markets.

Dr. Mark Cyubahiro BagabeDirector General

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• The meter is a standard of measurement. • Money is a standard of exchange. • Words are standards of communication. • Traffi c lights are safety standards. • Octane numbers of gasoline are quality standards.

Standardization has a major impact on our lives, yet most people know little about the process or about the standards themselves. They know that camera fi lm marked “ISO 100” is likely to give good results in a camera with the fi lm speed set at 100. But few under-stand that the ISO 100 marking on the package means that the fi lm conforms to a standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an international organization that develop standards.

Few people question that their ATM card works at every money machine in the world, but this confi dence could not be possible without standards. While driving we are on the lookout for hexagonal, not round or square-shaped stop signs, just as we know that inverted tri-angles indicate where traffi c should yield. These are just a few of the thousands of standards that impact on our lives. What is a standard?

A standard was defi ned by the National Standards Pol-icy Advisory Committee as: “A prescribed set of rules, conditions, or requirements concerning defi nitions of terms; classifi cation of com-ponents; specifi cation of materials, performance, or op-erations; delineation of procedures; or measurement of quantity and quality in describing materials, products, systems, services, or practices.” In other terms, a standard is a rule or requirement that is determined by a consensus opinion of users and that prescribes the accepted and theoretically the best cri-teria for a product, process, test, or procedure. The general benefi ts of a standard are safety, quality, in-terchangeability of parts or systems, and consistency across international borders. Why do we use standards?

We use standards to achieve a level of safety, quality, and consistency in the products and processes that af-

fect our lives. In short, standards make our lives safer, easier, and better. Standards are also vital tools of in-dustry and commerce. They often provide the basis for buyer-seller transactions, hence they have tremendous impact on companies and nations, and even on the economic fabric of the world market.

For example, as global trade increases and companies sell their products on foreign markets, they must ensure that their products comply with standards from those foreign countries. The variety of different standards for different markets means that some manufacturers must create dozens of variations of their products, each com-plying with slightly different standards. For the sake of shrinking these barriers to trade, international standards have been developed for use throughout the world.

How are standards developed today?

Most standards are developed by committees of vol-unteers, which can include members of industry, academia,government, and the public. In Rwanda , the Rwanda Bureau of Standards acts as a “parent” organization, helping to coordinate volunteers and en-sure that the development process emphasizes four main issues: requirements for due process, appeals procedures, the mandatory consideration of negative votes or comments, and for “committee balance.” Bal-ance is achieved when all parties having an interest in the outcome of a standard have an opportunity to par-ticipate and where no single interest can dominate the outcome.

The What, Why, and How of Standards

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Rwanda Bureau of Standards in the Process of Developing Fire Safety and Human Settlement Standards!

As we all know,” Quality is a journey, not a des-tination”. In our previous articles, we talked about the progress of important activities

achieved towards the development of Service Sta-tions Standards and standards for Motor Vehicle Roadworthiness inspection which were approved in May 2012. RBS expresses gratitude for the con-tinued support from stakeholders, mainly Technical Committee Members and those who support, contrib-ute and actively participate in the process towards standardization of Downstream Petroleum Indus-try Sector. The Bureau also reckons and commend Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency for fast tracking approval and publication of related regulations with

regards to immediate enforcement of the standards in the sector.

Now, RBS has embarked on another important phase of developing standards for Fire Safety and Human Settlement which undoubtedly attract the attention of many players involved in urban planning, construc-tion industry, banking sector and insurance com-panies, etc. With regard to breaking silence about regulating construction sector, the Ministry of Infra-structure published the Building Control Regulations in 2009, which were revised in May 2012. As time goes on, signifi cant development in terms of putting in place Master Plans of urban areas, guidelines in terms of issuing construction permit and standards for construction materials has been registerd. The fast-growing Construction Sector in the country sees many buildings being constructed at high rate but un-certainty or lack of information on the adequacy with regards to Fire Safety Systems and subsequently the associated dangers due to lack of control which prob-ably may get bigger with time is to be tackled.

A good number of nice tall buildings scintillating our cities call for urgent mechanisms to curb improper electrical installations or other potential source of fi re making high risks of danger to occupants and users in general. Reference materials, when put in place ease to ensure adequate fi re safety systems during design and construction stages.

There are a number of issues we should look at while assessing the impact of lack of adequate inspections and certifi cation in construction industry. Regulations for building services such as lighting, wall fi nishing and painting, energy effi ciency, lifts and escalators, fi re safety systems, etc and lack of national standards which give room to sector players to implement differ-ent practices sometimes not traceable to any known

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standards, are amongst many others. Availability of the above issues is root to consequences such as inadequate use of buildings, inadequate safety facil-ity in all aspects and high loss of energy because, operating in a building which is not certified to host a known service makes it impossible to have control over activities being carried out in that facility hence making it hard to know if it is safe and appropriate for that particular service.

Standards are the ultimate way to come up with ad-equate solutions. With their enforcement, stakehold-

ers and interested parties such as banks, construc-tion companies, insurance companies, big and small businesses are run smoothly and safely. We are proud of what we have achieved so far as a nation, but we still need to work together to achieve more. Let’s be part of the history by playing our role towards transforming construction industry in Rwan-da

By Samuel Mporanzi,Standards Lead Officer, NSB

A training exercise on fire extinguishing at Rwanda Social Security Board

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Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS)P.O.BOX: 7099, Kigali-Rwanda

Tel: +250 252 586103/252 582945Fax: +250 252 583305

E-mail: [email protected] site: www.rwanda-standards.org

July – December 2012

WORK PROGRAM

As it is required by WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (Appendix 3 of the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Applica-tion of Standards) every Standardization Body has to publish its Work Programme at least once every six months.

The RBS Work Programme contains a list of all the Draft Standards that are in prog-ress. It is published once a year and gives information related to:

• Technical Committee name and number

• Title of the Draft Standard

• The International Classification for Standards (ICS) under which each Draft Standard is classified;

• Base Standards considered in work to develop the draft standard, where relevant.

• Stages in the development of a Draft Standard and the expected date of completion;

How to use this publication

1. Technical Committee name and number

The second column in the left hand, indicates the technical committee name and its number under which the draft was developed

2. Title of the Draft Standard

The third column gives the title of each draft stan-dard

3. International Classification for stan-dards (ICS)

Column 4 indicates the subject under which the draft fall. The ICS numbers is a classification system de-veloped by the International Organization for Stan-dardization, serving primarily as a uniform structure for standards catalogues and work programs pub-lished by standardizing bodies.

4. Reference Standards

Column 5 gives reference number of standards used

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK PROGRAM

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in developing the Draft Standards

5. Stages and time in standards devel-opment

Column 6 indicates the stages involved in standards development process and the time expected to pub-lish the standard.

The stages are as follows:

• Stage 1: Approval and planning of standards devel-opment project

• Stage 2: New work item draft proposal

• Stage 3&4: Working draft and Technical Committee meetings

• Stage 5: Committee draft

• Stage 6: Public Review of the Draft Standard

• Stage 7: Approval of Rwanda Standards

• Stage 8: Publication of Rwanda Standards

STANDARDS IN PROGRESS

1. ENGINEERING STANDARDS

1.1 CIVIL ENGINEERING STANDARDS

Item no

TC name and number

Title ICS

Reference standards

Expected Stage and Time (2012)

TC 9 Civil Engineering

July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

01 Water supply - Requirements for systems and components outside buildings

91.140.60 New 5 5 5 5 6 6

02 Ceramic tiles — Definitions, classification, characteristics and marking ISO 13006 :2009)

91.100.23 ISO 13006:2012 (Revision )

2 3&4 5 6

03 Building and civil engineering — Vocabulary — Part 1: General terms

91.010.01 RS ISO 6707-1:2005 (Revision)

2 3&4 5 6

04 Testing of concrete —Part 1: Sampling of fresh concrete

91.100.30 RS ISO1920-1:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4 5 6

05 Testing of concrete —Part 2:Properties of fresh Concrete

91.100.30 RS ISO1920-2:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4 5

06 Testing of concrete —Part 3:Making and curing test specimens

91.100.30 RS ISO1920-3:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4 5

07 Testing of concrete — Part 4:Strength of hardened concrete

91.100.30 RS ISO1920-4:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4 5

08 Testing of concrete — Part 5: Properties of hardened concrete other than strength

91.100.30

RS ISO1920-5:2006

(Revision)

2 3&4

09 Testing of concrete — Part 6: Sampling, preparing and testing of concrete cores 91.100.30

RS ISO1920-6:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4

10 Testing of concrete — Part 7: Non-destructive tests on hardened concrete Reference

91.100.30 RS ISO1920-7:2006 (Revision)

2 3&4

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1.2 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND METALLURGY

Item no

TC name and number

Title

ICS

Reference standards


TC 23 Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy


11 Biomass stoves ━ Part1:Household charcoal

cook stoves ━Specifications

27.010

New

2

2

3&4

3&4

5

6

12 Carbon steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete-Specification

RS 87: 2005 (Revision)

2

2

3&4

3&4

5

6

13 Steel for building and construction

RS 92:2005) (Revision)

2

2

3&4

3&4

5

6

14 Hoes specification EAS 132 (Harmonization)

2

3&4

15 Machetes specification EAS 188 (Harmonization)

2

3&4

1.3 PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

Item no

TC name and number

Title

ICS

Reference standards


16 TC 26 Petroleum and Petroleum Products


Power operated dispensing pump

New 2 2 3&4 3&4 5 5

1.4 FIRE SAFETYItem no

TC name and number

Title

ICS

Reference standards


TC 28 Fire safety


17 Fire safety engineering-Fire risk assessment -- Part 1: General

13.220.01 ISO 16732-1

2 2 3&4 3&4 5

18 Fire safety engineering -- General principles

13.220.01 ISO 23932

2 2 3&4 3&4 5

19 Fire safety -- Vocabulary

13.220.01; 01.040.13 ISO 13943

2 2 3&4 3&4 5

20 Fire safety in Hotels-code of practice

13.220.01 New

2 2 3&4 3&4

21 Code of practice for Fire safety of Buildings-General

13.220.01 New

2 2 3&4 3&4

22 Code of practice for Fire safety of Buildings-details of construction

13.220.01 New 2 2 3&4 3&4

23 Code of practice for election, installations and maintenance of automatic fire detection and alarm system

13.220.01 New 2 2

24 Code of practice for fire safety-exit requirements and personnel hazards

13.220.01 New 2 2

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1.5 ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

Item no

TC name and number

Title

ICS

Reference standards


TC 10

Electrical and Electronics Engineering


25 Junction boxes for use in electrical installations - specifications

ICS 29.120.10

EAS 168:2007 (Harmonization)

2 2 3&4 3&4

26 Boxes for enclosure of electrical accessories - specifications

ICS 29.120.99

EAS 203:2001 (Harmonization)

2 2 3&4 3&4

27 Metallic conduits and fittings for electrical installations – specification – part 1: conduits

ICS 29.120.10

EAS 204-1:2001 (Harmonization)

2 2 3&4 3&4

28 Metallic conduits and fittings for electrical installations – specification – part 2: fittings

ICS 29.120.10 EAS 204-2:2001

(Harmonization)

2 2 3&4 3&4

29 Electrical safety code

ICS 29.120.10 CD/K

(Harmonization)

2 2 3&4

2. ENVIRONMENT, CHEMISTRY AND URBAN PLANNING STANDARDS

Item no

TC name and number

Title

ICS

Reference standards


TC 15 Pharmaceutical Products


30 11.120.01 RS 109-1:2007 (Revision) - 2 3&4 5

31 GMP, Part-3: Specific Pharmaceutical products 11.120.01 RS 109-3:2007

(Revision) - 2 3&4 5

32 GMP, Part-4: Inspection 11.120.01 RS 109-4:2007

(Revision) - 2 3&4 5

33 GMP, Part-5: Labeling and marking of Pharmaceutical Products-Specifications

11.120.01 RS 187:2007 (Revision) - 2 3&4 5

34 TC 24

Chemical and Chemical products

Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer-Specification

65.080 RS 104:2007 (Revision)

- 2 3&4 5 6 6

35 Urea Grade Fertilizer-Specification 65.080

RS 105:2007, (Revision) - 2 3&4 5 6 6

36 Solid Compound Fertilizers– Specification 65.080

RS 106:2006 (Revision) - 2 3&4 5 6 6

37

Granulated Superphosphate fertilizers-Specification

65.080 RS 107:2007 (Revision)

- 2 3&4 5 6 6

38

Specification for household insecticidal aerosols 65.100 New

6

6

7

8

39

Pyrethrins-Space spray-specification

65.100 New

6

6

7

8

GMP, Part-1: Main Principles for Pharmaceutical Products

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Item no

TC name and no. Title ICS Reference standards

Expected stage and time (2012)

TC 13 Environment, Health and Safety


40 Containerized Natural mineral water—specification (Corrigendum)

13.060.30 RS 1:2012 (Revision)

8

41 Potable water—Specification (Corrigendum)

13.060.30 RS 2:2012 (Revision)

7 8

42 Water quality—Permissible limits for water used for irrigation

13.060.30 New 1 2 3&4 3&4 5 6

43 Rain Water Harvesting—Code of practice

13.060.30 New 1 2 3&4 3&4 5 6

44 Permissible limits for industrial wastewater

13.060.30 CD-R- 461:2009 (Harmonization)

5 5 5 5 6 6

45 Permissible limits for domestic wastewater

13.060.30 CD-R- 462:2009 (Harmonization)

5 5 5 5 6 6

46 Drain and sewer systems outside buildings

13.060.30 CD-K-002-2012 (Harmonization)

5 5 5 5 6 6

47 Protection against pollution of potable water in water installations and general requirements of devices to prevent pollution by backflow


5 5 5 5 6 6

48 Code of practice for the design and installation of drainage fields for use in wastewater


5 5 5 5 6 6

treatment

49 Packaged natural mineral water—Specification

13.060.30 CD-EAS-13-2012 (Harmonization)

6 7 7 8

50 Potable water—Specification 13.060.30 CD-EAS 153 2012 (Harmonization)

6 7 7 8

51 Packaged drinking water—Specification

13.060.30 CD-EAS 153-2012 (Harmonization)

6 7 7 8

52 Sustainability criteria for bioenergy

13.030.99 ISO 13065 3&4 3&4 3&4 3&4 3&4 3&4

53 Carbon Footprint of products 13.020.40 ISO 14067 5 5 5 5 5 5

3. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE STANDARDS

Item no

TC name and no.

Title

ICS

Reference standards

Expected stage and time (2012)

54 TC 1 Beverages July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Fruit nectars-Specification 67.160.20 3+4 5 6 6 7 8

55 Ikigage- Specification 67.160.10 3+4 5 6 6 7

56 Fruit flavoured drink in solid form 67.160.10 3+4 5 6 7

57 Chilli products- Specification 67.80.20 6 6 7 8

58 TC 3 Cereals, Pulses, Legumes and Cearial products

Macadamia Kernels- Specification 3+4 6 6 7 8

59 Roasted Macadamia 3+4 6 6 7 8

60 TC14 Quality assurance and Quality Management

Customer satisfaction- Codes of conduct

03.080.30 ISO 10001 5 6 7 8

61 Customer satisfaction- Dispute resolution

03.080.30 ISO 10002 5 6 7 8

62 Customer satisfaction- Dispute handling

03.080.30 ISO 10003 5 6 7 8

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Defined simply, pesticides are chemical sub-stances of natural or synthetic origin used to control pests, weed…etc to limit their damage

on food, crops, animal and public health, etc

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), during its 23rd session of the Council in November 2002, defined pesticides as any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying or controlling any pest, including vectors of human or animal disease, unwanted species of plants or ani-mals causing harm during or otherwise interfering with the production, processing, storage, transport or marketing of food, agricultural commodities, wood and wood products or animal feedstuffs, or substanc-es which may be administered to animals for the con-trol of insects, arachnids or other pests in or on their bodies. The term includes substances intended for use as a plant growth regulator, defoliant, desiccant or agent for thinning fruit or preventing the premature fall of fruit, and substances applied to crops either before or after harvest to protect the commodity from deterioration during storage and transport.

Pesticides encompass a large group of natural (bio-pesticides) and synthetic chemicals and, based on their intended target, are grouped into: Insecticides (control insects, flying or not), Herbicides (control weeds), Fungicides (control fungus), Rodenticides (control mices and rats), Algicides (control algae), molluscicides (control Mollusks), Acaricides (control mites) etc….But, in essence they are all complex molecules mostly of organic nature.

A brief history of pesticides use:

The use of pesticides to control pests is not a new concept, since time immemorial, humans have used different methods to deal with insects, mostly by us-ing chemicals: About 4500 years ago, Sumerians used Sulphur compounds to control insects and mites, while about 3200 years ago, the Chinese were using Mercury and Arsenic compounds for controlling body lices.

In other instances, uses of smokes were recorded to have been used in ancient times against mildew and blights. In ancient Rwanda (and even today) for example, chaff, dried cow dung have been used; their burning would produce malodorous smoke that would repel flies which could otherwise bite cows and cause diseases. Similarly, in ancient Rwanda, cow dung mixed with tobacco juice was coated on grains before storage to effectively repel insects.

However, the growth in pesticides use accelerated in the 1940s with the synthesis of DDT: (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)ethane]. In 1939, Paul Muller, a Swiss chemist developed a new compound, DDT, that would deeply change the lives of farmers and or-dinary people around the world. It was credited with saving thousands of human lives in the second World War by killing typhus-carrying lice and malaria-carry-ing mosquitoes. In Africa and in Rwanda in particular, DDT was used in the 80’s to control mosquitoes and coffee pest but, very often, it ended up being used in households to fumigate beans, sorghum, maize grains before storage. All in all, DDT was considered “the new wonder insecticide” because of its broad-spectrum activity.

Possible Occurence of Pesticides in Food - Effective Measures you can Adopt to Avoid Ingesting High Level of Pesticides Residues

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Fig 1: Molecular representation of DDT

CI CI

CICI CI

However, in the 90’s it went from “savior” to “scourge”: its use was heavily restricted (along with other 11 Persistent Organic Pollutants) by the 2001 Stock-holm Convention (to which Rwanda acceded in June 2002) because of its damage to the environment (per-sistence in sediments and soil, up to about 30 years), animals (birds, fishes, bees...), humans (genotoxicity, cancer, endocrine disruption…). Nevertheless, DDT opened up a long generation of new synthetic chemi-cal insecticides that would later impact agriculture and public protection against pests profoundly.

Why do we use pesticides:

Pests (and the diseases they may carry) inflict large damages to crops, thereby causing large losses in crop yield with the high probability of causing famine and hunger to the population as well. R. Peshin in his book Economic Benefits of Pest Management; R. Peshin, Encyclopedia of Pest Management, pages 224-227 states that, even today with advances in ag-ricultural sciences, losses due to pests and diseases range from 10-90%, with an average of 35 to 40%, for all potential food and fiber crops.

It has been observed that about 13.8% of all the losses are due to insects and mites. Nearly 70,000 species of insects and mites attack all parts of the agricultural plants during their entire period of veg-etation and storage. About 10,000 species of them cause substantial economical loss. Farmers, there-fore, have no choice but to rely heavily on the use of pesticide chemicals.

Therefore, the use of pesticides is one of the most important components of modern agriculture. The in-crease of global food output has been brought about, partly, by the protection of farms and foods from pests using pesticides. According to the United States En-vironmental Protection Agency, there are more than 1180 pesticides, of which 435 are herbicides, 335 are insecticides, and 410 are fungicides. These are sold in more than 32,800 formulations [3]

Potential Health Effects of pesticides:

Because of their very chemical nature, most pesti-cides [if not all] carry a certain risk of harm to Hu-mans and other untargeted organisms in the envi-ronment and may have catastrophic consequences on them. Many of these chemicals have the ability to bio-accumulate, both in individual organisms but also throughout the food chain (upward), they can thus become a source of chronic toxicity that wreck havoc on the body over time.

Why and how Pesticides are used and misused in agriculture?

Pesticides are used on most crops such as vegeta-bles and fruits for various reasons ranging from soil fumigation, to treatment of young and mature plants. Since vegetables and fruits are easily attacked by insects, the use of pesticides on them is intensive and extensive. Farmers, again for various reasons, may apply large amount of pesticides; may not use the right pesticide or might even harvest shortly after

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the application of the pesticides on crops. Also, farm-ers use pesticides to fumigate their produces before or during warehousing. In the process, due to lack

of knowledge or due to other reasons on the part of farmers, pesticides are often misused quantitatively and qualitatively.

Fig2 A farmer spraying pesticides on crops

How you might be exposed to higher amounts of pesticides from your food:

There are many instances in which you may be ex-posed to higher amount of pesticides: People who handle pesticides such as farmers, warehousing workers... may ingest unsafe amount of pesticides if they eat food without thoroughly washing themselves (oral exposure). Pesticides might also inadvertently contaminate food, if care is not taken, while spraying a house.

Also, and surprisingly, pesticides can insidiously ap-pear in the food you consume. This point can be il-lustrated simply by a study conducted by Research-ers at Purdue University, in 2012 [4]. It indicated that neo-nicotinoid pesticides which are applied as a coating to corn and soybean seeds prior to plant-

ing are absorbed by the plant’s vascular system and expressed through pollen and nectar which are fre-quently collected by bees. Consequently, not only the pesticide causes death to bees and weakens the beehive yield, but it may also appear in honeycombs and the honey produced.

Vegetables or fruits may absorb pesticides chemicals that are applied on them or from the soil itself. It is also very likely that fruits or vegetables may be har-vested shortly after spraying and still have pesticides present on their edible parts.

You may also ingest pesticides when you consume other foods such as beans, sorghum, corn, rice…that were fumigated with pesticides prior to storage and were then cooked without thoroughly washing them.

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Fig 3 Fruits and vegetables that harbor pesticides:

How can you minimize or eliminate the risk of ingest-ing high levels of pesticides residues: There are prov-en practices that can be adopted on farm level to limit pesticides residues in the produces and thus protect the public from being exposed to high levels of pes-ticides residues: widely practiced all over the world, these are known as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and, if implemented and coupled with National Legislations, National or International Standards or

other Integrated Pest Management Approaches, they are effective in protecting both the consumers and the environment.

There are other simple, yet relatively effective ges-tures that you can adopt at home level to minimize or even eliminate the risk of ingesting above-limit pes-ticides residues: your first line of defense is to thor-oughly wash the fruits, vegetables, grains or cereals before you cook or eat them raw.

Fig 4 Tomatoes- meticulously wash before you cook them

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RBS to Test Antibiotic and Veterinary Drug Residues in Milk, Meat, Eggs and Honey - a Global Health Hazard

Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (LC-MSMS)

Rwanda Bureau of Standards is in the process of establishing control on antibiotic and vet-erinary drugs residues in milk, meat, poultry,

and egg products using high technology equipment (Triple Quadrupole Tendem Mass Spectrometer: LC-MSMS).

Uncontrolled use of antibiotics and veterinary drugs result in deposition of residues in meat, milk and eggs and must not be permitted in food intended for hu-man consumption. If use of antibiotics is necessary as in prevention and treatment of animal diseases, a withholding period must be observed until the resi-dues are negligible or no longer detected. The use of antibiotics to bring about improved performance in growth and feed efficiency, to synchronize or control reproductive cycle and breeding performance also

often lead to harmful residual effects. Concern over antibiotic residues in food of animal ori-gin occurs in two times:

1. The first is of which produces potential threat to direct toxicity in human.2. The low levels of antibiotic exposure would result in alteration of microflora, cause disease and pos-sible development of resistant strains which cause failure of antibiotic therapy in clinical situations.

A withdrawal period is established to safeguard hu-man from exposure of antibiotic added food. With-drawal time is the time required for the residue of toxicological concern to reach safe concen-tration as defined by tolerance. It is the interval from the time an animal is removed from medication until

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permitted time of slaughter. Heavy responsibility is placed on the veterinarian and livestock producer to observe the period for with-drawal of drug prior to slaughter to assure that illegal concentration of drug residue in meat, milk and egg do not occur.

Pathological effects produced by antibi-otic residues in food• Transfer of antibiotic resistant bacteria to the hu-man.• Immunopathological effects• Autoimmunity• Carcinogenicity (Sulphamethazine, Oxytetracy-cline, Furazolidone)• Mutagenicity• Nephropathy (Gentamicin)• Hepatotoxicity• Reproductive disorders• Bone marrow toxicity (Chloramphenicol)• Allergy (Penicillin)

How to prevent residues in animal prod-ucts!

• The first step in residue prevention is to make in-dividuals and organizations aware of the problem through education by veterinary personnel, organiza-tions, literatures and governmental agencies.

• Rapid screening procedures for the analysis of anti-biotic residues and instant grading and prohibition of food containing antibiotics more than MRL.

• Processing of milk help in inactivation of antibiotics. Refrigeration causes disappearance of penicillin. In pasteurization most of antibiotics will lose activity.

• Use of activated charcoal, resin and UV irradiation also help for antibiotic inactivation.

• Irrational use of antibiotics in field veterinary prac-tices should be avoided.• Development of simple and economic field test to identify drug residue in edible animal products.

• Ethno-veterinary practices may be promoted.

By Anicet MURIROLaboratory Analyst

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Increasing industrialisation has been accompa-nied, throughout the world, by the extraction and distribution of mineral substances from natu-

ral deposits. Following concentration, many of these have undergone chemical changes through technical processes and finally pass, finely dispersed and in solutions, by way of effluent, sewage, dumps and dust, into the water, earth and air and thus into the food chain.

Where do Heavy Metals originate?

Heavy metals originate within the Earth throughout our environment. Those metals are described as “heavy metals” which, in their standard state, have a specific gravity (density) of more than about 5 g/cm3 (It means 5 times that of Water). There are about 60 heavy metals. These also include the precious metals Platinum, Silver and Gold. However, only the

Heavy Metals: Toxic Even at Very Low Concentration

smaller group of toxic heavy metals is of significance. In this case, some of them are taken as examples to show their toxicity:

As levels rise in our air, water, and topsoil, they also rise within our bodies, contributing to chronic diseases, learning disorders, cancer, dementia, and premature aging. Today, heavy metals are abundantly found in drinking water, air and soil. They are present in virtually every area of modern consumerism-from construction ma-terials to cosmetics, medicines to processed foods, fuel sources to agents of destruction, appliances to personal care products. It is very difficult for anyone to avoid exposure to any of the many harmful heavy metals that are so prevalent in our environment.

However, some heavy metals such as Copper, Nickel, Chromium and Iron, for example, are essen-

AAS, AAnalyst 800, used in Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, RBS.

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tial in very low concentrations for the survival of all forms of life. These are described as essential trace elements. Only when they are present in greater quantities, can these, like the heavy metals of lead, cadmium and mercury which are already toxic in very low concentrations, cause metabolic anoma-lies. Here, the boundary between the essential and the toxic effect is somewhat problematic.

The side effects of the heavy metal to human life

Toxic metals could be the cause of following symp-toms: memory loss, increased allergic reactions, high blood pressure, depression, mood swings, irritability, poor concentration, aggressive behavior, sleep disabilities, fatigue, speech disorders, high blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, vascular occlusion, neuropathy, auto-immune diseases, and chronic fatigue are just some of the many conditions resulting from exposure to toxins.

Heavy metals poison us by disrupt-ing our cellular enzymes, which run on nutritional minerals such as mag-nesium, zinc, and selenium. Toxic metals kick out the nutrients and bind their receptor sites, causing diffuse symptoms by affecting nerves, hormones, diges-tion, and immune function. There seems to be a higher level of heavy metal toxicity in children in the Autistic spectrum. The evidence suggests that some children in the autistic spectrum build up more of these toxic metals because of an inability to ex-crete them. When they become lodged in the brain, the latter does not function normally, causing autistic symptoms and learning disorders.

Heavy metals most often implicated in human poi-soning are Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, and Cadmium. Some heavy metals, such as zinc, cop-per, chromium, iron, and manganese are required by

the body in small amounts, but these same elements can be toxic in larger quantities. Once in the body, they compete with and displace essential minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium, and calcium, and interfere with organ system function. Toxic heavy metals may lead to a decline in the mental, cognitive, and physical health of the individual.

The degree to which a system, organ, tissue, or cell is affected by a heavy metal toxin depends on the toxin itself and the individual’s degree of exposure to the toxin.

Rwanda Bureau of Standards is highly concerned about consumer lives. In this regard, the Bureau puts efforts to ensure that people are pro-tected against consuming foodstuff products, water and assuring quality of other environmental items which could be harmful by us-ing them in everyday life. Those are different material used in construction, petroleum products, domestic uten-sils…

To accomplish this task, RBS employs qualified and experienced staff and

established Inorganic Laboratory equipped with up-to-date machinery to perform test analysis and regu-lar controls of samples seized in market surveillance and industry inspections operations permit to assess the safety of products traded.

Below is the Atomic Absorption Spectrom-eter, AAS machine used to analyze heavy metals up to lower concentration in parts per billion(ppb).

Written by Ally Clair HARERIMANA,Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory.

Foodstuff prod-ucts, water and assuring quality of other envi-ronmental items which could be harmful by using them in everyday life.

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Results for Bacteriological Evaluation of Potable/drinking Containerised Water - January to June 2012

As the common saying goes “Water is life”. • Man uses and takes water in abundance making it the most risky man’s need if contaminated with pathological agents. The most common pathologi-cal organisms are bacteria and parasites, however, viruses also pose a threat. Man commonly uses or takes drinking water.

By definition, Drinking Water takes into consideration

biological, physical and chemical characteristics. In general, the drinking water should be considered as :1. free of disease-producing organisms; 2. non-corrosive; 3. free from objectionable gases, and objectionable staining minerals/heavy metals;4. tasteless, colorless, odorless and clear; 5. Preferably cool; plentiful and low in cost.

However, this survey only focused on the microbio-

Only Laboratory testing can answer this question

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As the common saying goes “Water is life”. • Man uses and takes water in abundance making it the most risky man’s need if contaminated with pathological agents. The most common pathologi-cal organisms are bacteria and parasites, however, viruses also pose a threat. Man commonly uses or takes drinking water.

By defi nition, Drinking Water takes into consideration biological, physical and chemical characteristics. In general, the drinking water should be considered as :

1. free of disease-producing organisms; 2. non-corrosive; 3. free from objectionable gases, and objectionable staining minerals/heavy metals;4. tasteless, colorless, odorless and clear; 5. Preferably cool; plentiful and low in cost.

However, this survey only focused on the microbio-logical quality of the drinking water traded on domes-tic market over the period of the last six month (from January to June 2012).

We are as healthy as the hygiene of water we drink……..or apply……….. on our bodies or clean foods and various articles. Microbiology testing functions help to determine the adherence to Haz-ard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) methods and to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food�services staff with regard to water

hygiene— measures for safety in water processing industries, at any stage of water production or water supply chain. Therefore Microbiology testing should be viewed as invaluable tool for management organs of the water production and water supply chains com-panies or institutions at all levels of water production and supply chain.

The current scope of tests provided in microbiology testing section include:

1. Total Viable Count at 22oC2. Total Viable Count at 37oC3. Total coliforms4. E. coli5. Yeasts6. Moulds7. Intestinal enterococci8. Salmonella9. Coag. Pos. Staph: S. aureus and other species10. Pseudomonus aeruginosa 11. Spores of sulfi te reducing anaerobes (Clostridia)12. Vegetative sulfi te reducing anaerobes (Clostridia)13. Enterobacteriacae Enumeration at 37oC or 30o14. Shigella Species15. Vibrio cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus16. Listeria Spp17. Listeria monocytogens

And this is continually revised to cover other param-eters.

Bacteriological Evaluation of Containerised Potable Water

TABLE 1.1 DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE WATER SAMPLES ACROSS DIFFERENT SOURCES

IND. CODE INDUSTRY 1

INDUSTRY 2

INDUSTRY 3

INDUSTRY 4

INDUSTRY 5

INDUSTRY 6

IMPORTED WATER

NUMBER OF

SAMPLES

42 1 0 1 1 5 4 54

PERCENTAGE 78% 2% 0% 2% 2% 9% 7% 100%

Source: Test Reports, 2012

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Table 1: A total of 54 samples were submitted and tested between January and June 2012. One local industry contributed 78% and the rest of local indus-tries and imported samples contributed 22%. There is a wide range of microorganisms of interest in water quality/safety testing. It is not necessary nor practical to test for individual pathogens. It is enough to assess the safety using indicator organisms/pa-rameters; the Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coli-forms (TC), Enterococci spp and coagulase positive Staphylococci spp. Selected from Rwanda Standard, RS 02: 2012, specification for potable water.

Source: RBS MICROBIOLOGY TESTING SECTION, WATER TEST REPORTS, 2012

The selection of the safety indicators performed on the water samples were as determined by a client to the Microbiology Testing Section from time to time. All clients requested for Total Viable Count (TVC) on all samples that were submitted. The other safety in-dicators requested included; Total Coliforms (TC), E. Coli, Enterococci and Sulphite reducing organisms, but the number of the requests and results were small to form a base for an evaluation. Therefore the pie chart below is based on TVC results only.

The results indicated that; for especially the one in-dustry that participated most, 78% of the total sam-ples tested, there existed effective Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) methods, which translated into the conforming samples of 89%, when tested evaluated based on TVC. However, use of other safety indicators especially coliforms, Entero-cocci and coagulase positive Staphylococci species still needed consideration. The level of adherence to the above HACCP methods

CONFORMING

NON CONFORMING

PIE CHART: RESULTS OF THE TVC OF THE TESTED CONTAINERIZED WATER SAMPLES

or supervision and full participation of other industries in the monitoring of their HACCP methods— by sub-mission of samples for testing, needs improvement to catch up with the nonconforming samples of 11%. However, generally the containerized water samples tested showed good results.

KAYIRANGA PascalMicrobiology Lead Officer

Source: Test Reports, 2012

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Cholesterol is an organic chemical that can be synthesized by animal especially by verte-brates and other cellular organisms such as

plant and fungi. It is classified as a waxy steroid of fat. It can be found naturally within our body in the structure of cell walls. It can also be used for the syn-thesis of steroid hormones, Vitamin D or bile acids that help in the digestion and absorption of dietary fat. Our bodies can make all of our cholesterol, but most people also get it from foods. Different foods vary in the amount of cholesterol they contain. The main sources of cholesterol are foods of animal ori-gin such as cream, cheese, butter, etc. Only animal products have cholesterol, plants do not. Cholesterol is an essential part of cells in the body and is used to make certain hormones and digest fats.There are two different types of cholesterol: blood and serum which circulate in the blood. The chemical substance of cholesterol in blood is the same and can be transported by different carriers in the body.The two main carriers of cholesterol in blood are:

• Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL): this protein takes the cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. It

Cholesterol and its Impact to Human Health

is called bad cholesterol because its excess amount increase risk to human being.

• High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): it primarily takes cholesterol from body tissue back to liver. This is called good cholesterol because its high amounts reduce risk.

Impact of Cholesterol

As explained above, Cholesterol is carried around the body in the blood on proteins known as high density (HDL) and low density (LDL) lipoproteins, or ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol respectively. HDL cho-lesterol is beneficial to the body but high amounts of LDL cholesterol can cause blood vessels to become narrowed or blocked. High LDL levels can increase the risk of heart attacks, Myocardial Infarction (MI), chest pain (angina), narrowing of the blood vessels (peripheral artery disease) and stroke – collectively known as cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The table below shows the amount of cholesterol that is acceptable for your good health.

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Total cholesterol level Category Less than 200 mg/dL Desirable 200 - 239 mg/dL Borderline high 240 mg/dL and above High LDL Cholesterol level LDL Cholesterol category Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal 100 - 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/Above optimal 130 - 159 mg/dL Borderline high 160 - 189 mg/dL High 190 mg/dL and above Very high

� HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart dis-ease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk for develop-ing heart disease. HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more help to lower your risk for heart disease.

� Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Lev-els that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.

Relationship between dietary fats and blood cholesterol

Scientific evidence have indicated that the amount and type of dietary fat can affect blood cholesterol. Eating less fat, especially saturated fats, has been found to lower blood cholesterol levels. Replacing some saturated fats with polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats (especially olive and canola oil) also can help lower blood cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol but generally is not as important as saturated fat and total fat in the diet. Remember, high total blood cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels increase risk of heart disease while lower levels reduce risk. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol help lower the risk for heart disease.

SATURATED FAT (BAD) UNSATURATED FAT ( GOOD)

Full fat dairy products; meat and meat products such as pasties, sausages and pies; biscuits, cakes, pastries, savory snacks, chocolate; butter ghee and lard coconut milk/ cream, coconut oil and palm oil.

- Polyunsaturated fat: Sunflower,

soya, corn or safflower oil/soft spreads/margarines, oily fish and fish oil.

- Monounsaturated fat: Olive

and rapeseed oil, avocado, nuts.

Table 2: Types and main sources of dietary fats

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The affects of cholesterol levels

� Heredity: The heredity has the main influence on how cholesterol is produced or removed from your body.

� Age and sex: Blood cholesterol begins to rise around age 20 and continues to go up until about age 60 or 65. Before age 50, men’s total cholesterol levels tend to be higher than those of women of the same age—after age 50, the opposite happens. That is because with menopause, women’s LDL levels often rise.

� Diet: the food that the people have also is a signifi-cant impact to the amount of the cholesterol in our body.

� Weight: Being overweight is a risk to your heart. This also can increase your cholesterol.

� Physical activity: Regular physical activity should lower your cholesterol; this means that your total cholesterol and LDL content in your body will be de-creased.

Determination of cholesterol in food

There are some many techniques used for the de-termination of cholesterol in food. Many years ago, the cholesterol content have been tested using the colorimetric technique, but this technique has been replaced by another techniques of chromatogra-

phy. The Gas Chromatography – Flame Ionization Detector (GC – FID) can be used for the analy-sis of cholesterol content without derivatization. Other techniques that can be used are High per-formance Liquid Chromatogra-phy with its different detectors

like UV Visible or Photodiode array. Now, the most advanced technique using is GC/HPLC-isotope di-lution/mass spectrometry that is primarily used for quality control purposes.

What should you do to keep healthy?

The table which is shown above (Table 2) exhibits the dietary fat that people should consume. This means you have to cut down saturated fat in your diet. Therefore it recommends that you should eat more vegetables, fruits and cholesterol-lowering foods such as, oats, beans and pulses.

In addition, you should make sure that your diet con-tains plenty of starch carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta and cereals. You need to avoid creamy or cheesy sauces. Look for tomato and vegetable based sauces instead.

Finally, it is important you bear in mind that physical practices keep you in good shape and healthy.

Written by: WICLEF KAGISHAOrganic Chemistry Lead Officer

you should eat more vegetables, fruits and cholesterol-lowering foods such as, oats, beans and pulses.

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It has been realized that several SMEs owners, importers and the entire business community start their business with 100% ignorance of the

requirements to sustain business with standards. Those who make step further only go to Rwanda Development Board (RDB), register their company, go to Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) to get a TIN

number and immediately kick the road to go to for ex-ample CHINA, Dubai or neighboring countries in the East African Community Member States to purchase machines for processing for example milk or import to Rwanda.

Upon arriving in the country, RBS inspects them and

Would you Like to Start your Business? RBS Provides Infor-mation on Quality Standards that Saves a Million Losses!

Get all information you need at the RBS Customer Care Desk!

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sometimes find that such products or machines are faulty, that is; they do not meet Standards require-ments. And what happens then? RBS orders the importer to re-export the faulty machines or substan-dard products or dispose them of. In addition to los-ing money they used to purchase the products, they incur another loss of taking the products back to the country of origin or disposal. Imagine the transport cost back to far countries like USA and China, it can indeed be a nightmare to the importer.

All these losses can be done away with if such an importer visited RBS in advance when they are still developing a business plan or when they are still get-ting an idea of what business to engage in. That information is given free of charge! I have seen many such cases where people fell vic-tim of such irregularities who I did not know whether it was due to lack of information or simply did not care of standards in their business design, or thought RBS would not find out. It is very important for business operators to know that RBS offers any business standards-related in-

formation free of charge. The Bureau set up mecha-nisms to disseminate information through training of stakeholders, awareness campaigns, publications, toll free line (3250), etc. In addition to this, a National Enquiry Point was established to facilitate access to information on requirements to export to any country or market, and import to Rwanda.

Coming for information regarding the Standards requirements of the business you are going to start does not cost you a single penny! Instead it saves you from unnecessary regrets and losses.

With this in mind, a business without losses is the dream of every business man and it is also a Gov-ernment’s wish since booming business improves revenues.

Prepared by; Shukuru BizimunguIndustry inspection

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Several food processing units have been urged to replace the old machines that develop rust with machines that do not easily rust; and

these are called Stainless Steel machines. For health and safety reasons, all food standards urge that a

processing unit uses strictly stain steel machines since they hardly rust, hardly corrode and they hardly get chipped during processing. RBS has registered almost 80% success across the country and about 90% success in Kigali city in implementing these

Only Stainless Steel Machines are Safe for Food Processing

An example of a stainles food processing machine

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standard requirements among especially maize mill-ing units. This did not easily come though; it was through continued inspections by RBS inspectors, continued training and awareness and sensitization. Support by Maize Milling Association Executive Com-mittee to perform internal controls/inspections among its members was vital.

During processing for example of maize to obtain flour, there is use of water to soften maize grain’s outer coat so that it can easily peel off while milling. When water comes into contact with iron that makes up the highest percentage of the common rust-de-veloping machines in presence of oxygen, they form Iron oxide which is brown in colour and is commonly known in Kinyarwanda as ‘Umugese’. Rust (iron oxide) is a compound that is not easily broken down by the liver during metabolism of the maize flour made into maize bread commonly known as ‘kawunga’ that we eat. It instead clogs in the liver’s system and leads to several sicknesses, cancer not excluded.

How could the danger occur?

The metallic chips that break off the non-stainless steel machine during processing are not removed at all as most processing units do not put a magnet at a stage after flour making. A magnet is only put at the entrance of the machine where maize grain enters from hence allowing the metallic chips to get

their way into the flour that we alter prepare into food. When this food containing metallic chips reaches the gut (from the mouth, through the stomach/duodenum, small intestines up to the colon (large intestines), it scratches the inner lining and since the gut has the softest muscle type of all body muscles, they tend to develop inflammation and depending on the person’s body to fight against such inflammations and the abil-ity to heal fast, those with weak white blood cells, low platelet levels as well as low vitamin K levels tend to develop wounds that never heal which may lead into cancer as well as other digestive system’s compli-cations once they affect cell formation or call it cell mutation.

It is against this back ground that all standards-mak-ing bodies, be it national or international encourage use of stainless steel (made of Carbon, Nickel, Sul-phur, Iron and others) in proportions that make the material strong enough to resist abrasion as well as resisting reacting with oxygen and water existing in the environment in the processing unit.

Written by Bizimungu ShukuruIndustry Inspection Services

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Honey is one of the food items that are liked by all kinds of people due to its sweet taste and its medical importance. In Rwanda, as in many parts

around the globe, the public is shifting from the commer-cial sugar to honey to prevent multiple diseases including diabetes.

Clinical studies have shown that pure honey is a healthier choice in diabetic diet than table sugar and other non-nu-tritive sweeteners such as splenda, saccharin and aspar-tame. Honey requires lower levels of insulin compared to regular white sugar and does not raise blood sugar levels as rapidly as table sugar, that is, it has a lower Glycemic Index than sugar. Although honey contains a significant amount of sugar, it consists largely of two simple individual units of sugar - glucose and fructose, which are absorbed at different rates into the body.

Recently, Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) was car-ried out survey on the Rwandan market to see the quality of honey traded and consumed. Findings of the survey showed that some brands of honey are actually adulter-ated by addition of commercial sugar. Furthermore, prac-titioners dilute their product to reach the usual consistency of natural honey.

However, this adulteration has serious consequences on consumers who are not only ingesting unwanted quanti-ties of sugar but also are being cheated because instead of having natural honey they are having syrup!

WHAT DOES RBS DO?

RBS has set up vigorous measures against these mal-practices and more specifically the adulterating compa-nies. Each honey brand is being tested and in case it is found to be adulterated, it is removed from the market and the processing company is made liable and subjected to punishments as per trade law provisions.

The companies that have been found to consistently abide to the quality requirements have been awarded by RBS a Standardization Mark (S-mark) as a sign of quality recognition. The public is therefore urged to verify if the brand they are purchasing is having the mark and if not, purchase of substandard product goes at their own risk.

WARNING TO THE ADULTERATING COMPA-NIES

As per the law provisions, adulteration is a punishable of-fense. RBS strongly warns the companies that have been doing this malpractice to stop. When we talk of our dignity in business, it goes with what we do and how we do it, impact on consumers and finally good value for money. It is not dignifying for a Rwandan to make something that could affect the consumer’s health.

To importers, this serves to remind that protection of our consumer is a priority for our organization and that RBS never by-stands nor tolerate health-unfriendly business.

By: Desire MUSANGWA, Head of Market Surveillance Section.

Alert to Consumers!: Adulterated Honey Could Be Found on the Market!

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Six months after establishment, what are the benefi ts to RBS and its customers (importers) so far?

In EAC countries, traders importing or exporting goods have to deal with multiple trade facilitation organiza-tions, which are mainly revenue authorities, phytos-

anitary certifying agencies and standards certifying agen-cies/institution. These organizations are located in diverse locations and usually, traders have to travel to each offi ce to obtain the necessary documents to get their goods cleared. This results in huge delays in moving goods from ports to countries of destination.

Further, traders and trade facilitation staff may be poorly sensitized on the procedures, rules, and regulations re-quired to process imports or exports. This leads to incon-sistencies in the way goods are handled on a day-to-day basis, resulting in poor revenue collection, and poor prod-ucts quality checking.

The Rwanda’s Electronic Single Window project is a trade facilitation concept whose implementation allows cross-

border traders to submit regulatory documents such as Customs Declarations, applications for import and export permits, Certifi cates of Origin, Certifi cate of Analysis or Test Reports and trading invoices in a Single Integrated System.

In Recommendation No. 33, UNECE defi nes the Single Window as a “facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized trade-related informa-tion and/or documents to be submitted once at a single entry point to fulfi ll all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements. The Electronic Single Window allows information and administrative requirements for im-ports and exports to be submitted at a single entry point online. For example, a Clearing Agent does no longer need to physically take documents from one agency to another for processing but simply put all information on-line on a web page.

Standardization Benefi ts from the Established Rwanda Electronic Single Window

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The move expedites and simplifi es information fl ow be-tween traders and government institutions. The process is expected to introduce greater transparency and account-ability into the whole chain of clearing goods. In the mod-ern trade environment paper-based exchanges cannot satisfy the need for effi ciency and security. That simpli-fi ed clearance processes, once effectively implemented, will improve the country’s competitiveness in terms of in-creased domestic investment and foreign trade leading to better doing business practices.

This system greatly helps to reduce the time and cost of clearing and moving consignments by using information technology.

The study to put in place ESW has proposed an Action Plan to implement the IT-based trade facilitation, including the institutional and technical requirements. This assess-ment has been carried out in collaboration with relevant public and private sector operators in Rwanda.The minimum set of activities for each organization was to:

i. Map the database on ex-isting rules, regulations and procedures for import/export.

ii. Development of an online web portal for the above ex-port procedures, including providing for interfaces and linkage with the SW and ISP initiatives.

iii. Developing methods of dissemination the documenta-tion using online/offl ine methods.

Common Goals / Objectives for the Single Window project

The Single Window project aims to:

� To provide convenient and a “one stop” integrated ser-vices through multiple channels. � To electronically link government agencies those are in-volved in the trade process.

� To provide tangible cost savings for business and the Government

� To expedite cargo release and clearance by means of simplifi cation of trade related processes and procedures among controlling agencies. � To provide benefi ts and simplifi ed treatment for the trad-ing community through elimination of duplicated process-

es.

� To enable world-class trade-facilitation practices by pro-viding a fully transparent and predictable border environ-ment while ensuring safety and security through a high-performing risk management.

� To enhance transparency and impartial treatment in the fi scal and customs framework.

� To eliminate corruption by improving methods to counter dishonest practices, and reducing discretion

Why the linkage in ESW?

Linkage

It’s an IT-based connection between Revenue Authorities and other Government Agencies (OGDs)/ Other Trade Facilitation Organizations.

Its purpose is to work hand in hand with revenue authorities to enforce proper standards of goods and agricultural products.

Impact

Quickly accessible database of rules, regulations and pro-cedures will improve and harmonize standards enforce-ment.

While the plan is to roll out the program across all relevant government institutions involved in international trade, for the piloting phase of ESW project, on February 7, 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which sets out the ways they will cooperate and share information to com-ply with the requirements of the Electronic Single Window system, was signed between the fi ve key stakeholders: The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Rwanda Ministry of Health (MoH), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) and Magasins Gen-eraux du Rwanda (MAGERWA).

Impact of Single Window

Particularly to RBS/Import Inspection services, one of fi ve key stakeholders already rolled in ESW, has benefi ted enormously the outcomes. There is a considerable reduc-tion in time taken to clear goods in RBS, because clear-ing agents no more bring documents as papers but they send them on line and from there on processing/analysis

The Electronic Single Window allows information and administrative requirements for imports and exports to be submitted at a single entry point online.““The Electronic Single Window allows “The Electronic Single Window allows information and administrative “information and administrative

“requirements for imports and exports

“requirements for imports and exports to be submitted at a single entry point

“to be submitted at a single entry point

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RBS current process in Rwanda Electronic Single Window

SELECTIVITY CRITERIA

High Risk Goods-consignments that will be selected to red shall undergo documentary and physical inspection. This consignment shall not release in the system unless RBS finalize all required verification and or tests.

RED

Goods selected under Yellow lane will require document verifica�on before being release from customs control YELLOW

Goods selected under blue lane shall not be inspected in warehouse/blue channel but RBS may decide to retain samples for further ac�ons such laboratory analysis or RBS may decide to conduct inves�ga�on about the commodity standards at owner premises or survey at market

BLUE

Low risk goods that do not require any RBS inspec�on-direct released by the system GREEN

is done by RBS staff. RBS staff can now access the decla-ration forms online which allows them to have confi dence in the case they are facing.

ESW also reduced the amount of uninspected consign-ments which used to be high due to unhonest clearing agents and importers who used to take goods to the mar-ket without passing by an RBS inspection offi ce.

Hindrances

Though ESW project has simplifi ed and automated busi-ness procedures, introduced change and brought about collaboration between government agencies and the pri-vate sector, here are some issues the system faces:� RESW is a permanent system which operates using in-

ternet connection but sometimes there can be a network failure.

� Special regimes of RRA customs like DAD (Dechargement a Domicile) and Enlevement Autorisé, are not marched and harmonized with RBS processes in the RESW, goods in that category are released by RRA Customs, before RBS has done the clearance either physically or in the system, whereby deviating the normal procedures.

� The database for the categorization based on essential parameters critical to health, safety and environmental for imported/exported products which are the selectivity cri-teria and marked in colours below, need to be regularly updated and can be accessed at RBS Import Inspection services.

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What do you do? Why do you do it? When do you do it? How do you do it? Factually speaking these questions look simple, but

this is what RBS auditors ask during the certifi cation of any industry or company. These questions are asked against a specifi ed criteria and or standard de-pending on the scope of the certifi cation audit and in so doing, the objective evidence is generated. This is further explained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defi nition of certifi cation as the process of confi rming that a particular product, service or process complies with International Stan-dards (ISO 9001:2008; ISO 22000:2005, ….). Then,

how is certifi cation an opportunity for the improve-ment of the industrial and service sector in Rwanda? Certifi cation as a conformity assessment activity has so many benefi ts which include but not limited to: providing a “third eye”, marketing advantage, and de-livering “hidden consultancy” where companies; gain insight of what others think about their processes-services-products, obtain recognition nationally and internationally and also learn from the auditors opin-ion.

One may say that; we are a big company, we have the most recent technology, we recruit the best employ-ees in the country, …, and therefore, we do not need

Certifi cation: An Opportunity for the Growth of the Industry and Service Sector in Rwanda.

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certifi cation. The process of certifi cation has created doubt in this line of thinking because a “third eye” or technically referred to as third party certifi cation can help a company discover what cannot be seen from within the organization through fi rst and second party auditing (a company or industry assessing it-self). Actually, even when the company is registering progress, somebody should know why. In addition to that, we can take a hint from the boiling frog story: the premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling wa-ter, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. So what happens during certifi cation? The organizations are obliged to docu-ment procedures, instructions, records and this acts as monitoring mechanism for the processes, prod-ucts, service to remain consistent and this holistically leads to improvement.

Apart from the creation of the monitoring system, cer-tifi cation also leads to market access advantage. For example, nowadays, some governments have made it a rule that all supplies of products or services to the public institutions must come from certifi ed compa-nies (ie. ISO 9001: 2008; ISO 22000:2005 certifi ed). The reasons behind these governments’ demands are very clear; for a company to be certifi ed, it means that it has passed the rigorous and meticulous au-diting process of certifi cation and hence deserving recognition. In many cases, certifi ed companies can continually provide products and or services of sound quality for a reasonable time. This instills customer confi dence and then fi nally comes with huge fi nancial gains for such an establishment.

In addition to the market access advantage, during the auditing step of certifi cation, objective evidence is searched, non complying (non conformities) and complying aspects of the company’s system are indentifi ed and complied in the audit report. The suggestion, interpretation and identifi cation of non conformities and observations (areas for improve-ment) provide a lot of constructive information to the industrialist and service providers for which one can conclude that this “hidden consultancy”. It is hidden consultancy because by principle auditors are not driven by either emotions or personal opinions but rather focus on facts on ground in comparison to the

audit criteria. In most cases, the industrialists and service providers get to know what is wrong and what will go wrong, and decide on ways to address such concerns, which eventually lead to the improvement of the overall establishment.

In conclusion, unlike licensing which is provided for by law, certifi cation is voluntary. The Certifi cation Re-ports are not for punitive action but for improvement and therefore this a ripe opportunity for the industry and service sector in Rwanda. It is against this back-ground that service providers, industries and other stakeholders are called to take advantage of the Cer-tifi cation Schemes available at RBS. The following certifi cation schemes are available:

• Product certifi cation: This leads to the award of both the RBS Standardization Mark and the RBS Mark of Excellence. This Scheme tar-gets manufacturers.

• System certifi cation: So far, there are three certifi ca-tion schemes in this category and those include:

- ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System (FSMS) which apply for all stakeholders in the food production chain (from “farm to fork”)

www.rwanda-standards.org

Standardization Mark

FOR QUALITY, SAFETY AND COMPETITIVENESSwww.rwanda-standards.org


FOR QUALITY, SAFETY AND COMPETITIVENESS




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- ISO 14001: Environmental Management System (EMS) for organizations whose activities can have a considerable effect to the environment.

- ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems (QMS): This cut across of all fi elds; product and service pro-viders and other stakeholders can apply for this cer-tifi cation.







It would be interesting for institutions like: Hospitals, schools, government parastatals, local government (ie. Districts) and private sector companies applying for QMS certifi cation.

By James Noah SSEMANDA.Certifi cation Offi cer

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Ten new products (10) were certifi ed during the quarter July to September 2012. Nine (9) products were certifi ed with RBS Standardiza-

tion Mark (S-Mark) and one (1) that was certifi ed with RBS Mark of Excellence (E-Mark).

Ten New Products Certifi ed During the Quarter (July to September 2012)

Two (2) products were re-certifi ed for this quarter (July to September 2012); one (1) product was re-certifi ed for Standardization Mark (S-Mark) and another one was re-certifi ed for Mark of Excellence (E-Mark)The following table illustrates the products that were certifi ed:

NEW CERTIFIED PRODUCTS WITH RBS STANDARDIZATION MARK (S-MARK)

Product Producer Standard Certification license expiry date.

1. TORA Roasted Coffee Beans

CAFERWA LTD RS39:2005, Roasted ground coffee and Roasted Coffee Beans -Specifications

06/09/2014

2. MARABA Roasted Ground Coffee

RWASHOSSCO LTD

RS39:2005, Roasted ground coffee and Roasted Coffee Beans -Specifications

06/09/2014

3. Rwandan West Hills Roasted Ground Coffee

WEST HILLS COFFEE ROASTERS LTD


06/09/2014

4. Rwandan West Hills Roasted Coffee Beans

WEST HILLS COFFEE ROASTERS LTD


06/09/2014

5. IBENGEZA Honey

UNICOAPIGI RS141:2007 Honey -Specification

06/09/2014

6. COPAGARU Honey “Natural Honey”

COOPERATIVE COOPAGARU

RS141:2007 Honey -Specification

12/09/2014

7. Ubuki bwa Kinyarwanda “Natural Honey”

COATTRACO PROBIO

RS141:2007 Honey -Specification

12/09/2014

8. Home Baking Flour

PEMBE FLOUR MILLS RWANDA LTD

EAS 1:2011 Wheat Flour-Specification

09/2014

9. Special Bakers Flour

PEMBE FLOUR MILLS RWANDA LTD

EAS 1:2011 Wheat Flour-Specification

09/2014

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NEW CERTIFIED PRODUCTS WITH RBS MARK OF EXCELLENCE (E-MARK)

1. SORWATHE GREEN TEA

SORWATHE LTD RS567: 2011 Green Tea-Specification

06/08/2014

1. KOPAKI Honey KOPAKI RS141:2007 Honey-Specification

06/08/2014

1. SORWATHE

BLACK TEA SORWATHE LTD RS 37: 2005 Black Tea-

Specification 09/2014



06/08/2014


06/08/2014

1. SORWATHE



RE-CERTIFIED PRODUCTS WITH RBS STANDARDIZATION MARK (S-MARK)



06/08/2014


06/08/2014

1. SORWATHE



RE-CERTIFIED PRODUCTS WITH RBS MARK OF EXCELLENCE (E-MARK)

Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) would like to congratulate companies of certifi ed products and those that already have started the process of certi-fi cation of their products and/or services. Currently, seventy fi ve (75) products have been certifi ed by RBS.The good choice made by the companies/ business

to look for RBS certifi cation services for certifi cation of products and/or services is already bearing fruits and make the industries/business more competitive on local, regional and international markets.

Jean Pierre BAJENEZACertifi cation Lead Offi cer

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With the new restructuring, RBS has increase on the scope of activities in certifi cation ser-vices.One of the new concept being intro-

duced is Organic Certifi cation. This article explains what is organic certifi cation, difference between tradi-tion and organic farming, why is organic certifi action needed and the benefi ts of organic certifi cation.

What is Organic Certifi cation?

Organic Certifi cation is defi ned as procedure in which a certifi cation body assesses a farm, processing unit, or company and its operations and assures in writ-ing, through an issue of certifi cate, that it meets the requirements of organic standards / regulations per-taining to its operations.

Organic Certifi cation- The New Consumer Confi dence Tool in Modern Agribusiness

What is Organic Agriculture?

There is a lot of confusion on what organic agriculture is all about. The word “organic” means “of plant or animal origin”, but it also refers to the organisational aspect of an organism.

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Move-ments (IFOAM, 2008) defi nes organic agriculture as a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefi t the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

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2. Benefi ts from Organic Agriculture in Africa.

Organic Agriculture is highly relevant to smallholders in Africa through:

� Increasing income and building social capital of ru-ral areas

� Increasing yields over the long term

� Combating desertifi cation through improving soil fertility, preventing soil erosion and land degrada-tion

� Maintaining a healthy environment� Reducing the fi nancial risk by refraining from using expensive chemical inputs and increasing returns to labor

3. Why is Certifi cation Needed?

Building trust

A big number of consumers are getting interested in organic products because they are worrying about their health or are concerned about the environment. Some of them are ready to pay even somewhat high-er price for agricultural products.

On the other side, many farmers switch over to or-ganic agriculture for various reasons. At least some of them expect to get a better price for their produce because they have to face a higher work load or low-er yields, and the products are more safe and tasty.

A premium price is possible only if there is mutual trust between producers and consumers. Consumer wants to be sure that products they buys are really organically produced. The organic farmer also needs to be protected from unfair competition of other farm-ers who use the term “organic” in a fraudulent way.

Written by Eric NigabaCertifi cation Offi cer

What traditional and organic farming have in common

• No use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, growth promoters etc. • No use of genetically engineered plants and animals • Use of animal manures

Organic methods which can be found in traditional farming

• Closed nutrient cycles, low external inputs • Recycling of biomass through mulching or composting • Mixed cropping and/or crop rotations •Sustainable management of resources: soil, energy, water • Maintenance of soil fertility, prevention of soil erosion •Animal friendly husbandry practices

What is specific to organic farming

• Use of microbial preparations for pest management • Release or efficient attraction of beneficial insects • Use of high yielding, but disease resistant breeds of crops and animals • Introduction of efficient green manures, cover crops and nitrogen fixing trees • Use of improved tools for soil cultivation, weeding, sawing etc. • Application of improved

compost methods andbio fertilizers

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Since 2008, Rwanda Bureau of Standards, through Metrology Unit started offering calibra-tion and verification of measuring instruments.

During the verification exercise of measuring instru-ments used in trade, it has been noted that some of scales and balances used in trade did not meet re-quirements set by standards for scales and balances used in trade. RBS, recommended that all these scales and balances not fit for trade be removed from trade as per specifications below:

Minimum Technical Specification for Globally Used Legal Trade Scales

Every weighing instrument shall have:a. Name, trade mark and full address of the manufac-turer or supplier

b. An identifying serial number legibly and indelibly marked on a conspicuous part of the instrumentc. Capacity, clearly marked

d. Make /type or model of the balance

e. Has a suitable provision for the reception of a stamp of verification

f. Evidence of a type approval from the country of origing. Specifically made compatible counter weights

h. Accuracy of the balances to be clearly indicated(i.e. d and e)

DONE UP TO NOW

1. AWARENESS

In 2009, RBS Metrology Officers journeyed country-wide to meet local authorities and traders and sensi-tized all concerned parties on use of scales and bal-ances and removal of scales not fit for trade.

2. TESTING OF NEW SCALES ENTER-ING THE COUNTRY

Why are some Balances and Scales Removed from Trade?

Accepted Weighing Scale in trade Not accepted Weighing Scale in trade

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Balance not fit for trade removed from market from January 2009 up to September 2012

Total of balances accepted, imported from January 2009 up to September 2012

Types of balances imported

Quantity

8000 8133 Electronic balance

50

Medical Balance

330

Mechanical balance

32

Counter weights

7323

Spring balance

328

Table Top 70

Up to date, all scales and balances entering the coun-try have been tested to meet standards requirements

before going to markets (see table 1)

3. REMOVAL OF SCALES NOT FIT FOR TRADE

Table1: status of removing and entrance in the country for scale and balances

THE WAY FORWARD

RBS carries on with awareness raising and remove the scales and balances not fi t for trade from mar-ket. Support by Local leaders and market manage-ment parties has helped to educate the public on the importance of promoting fair trade trough good

measurements; and removing substandard weighing scales and balances. This exercise is ongoing and local authorities, traders and customers are sensitized on importance to use scales fi t for trade. Also, traders and local authorities are reminded of annual re-verifi cation of scales and balances fi t for trade to enforce fair trade.

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Measurement affects almost every aspect of our daily lives, from the fuel in our cars and the quality of the air we breathe, to the safe-

ty of our food, water, healthcare, and our cosmetic products. Chemical and bioanalytical measurements in particular underpin the enforcement of regulations. Every day, thousands of chemical measurements support decisions on food safety, health, and envi-ronmental protection. It is therefore critical that orga-nizations producing or using measurement data have confi dence in the results obtained.

Today’s global economy highlights more than ever the need, both nationally and internationally, for confi dence in measurement results. A key step in achieving this is to ensure that results can be related to suitable, internationally recognized references. “Metrological traceability” is the property of a mea-surement result whereby the result can be related

to a recognized reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to the measurement uncertainty. To enable comparison of measurement results over time and distance it is often benefi cial for the reference to be a base unit of the International System of Units (SI). The availability of suitable measurement standards for calibration is fundamental to ensuring traceable results.

The international infrastructure for measurement was initially developed for physical measurements of quantities such as mass and length. Primary inter-national and national measurement standards, which are used as the references on which to base the traceability of measurement results, exist. We take for granted that items can be weighed accurately, or that we can fi nd out the time anywhere in the world. In the physical model, traceability is achieved by comparisons or calibrations which lead directly to a

Relevancy of Chemical Metrology in our Life

Chemical Metrology Laboratory Equipment

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defi ned unit, for example, the international prototype kilogram. A similar infrastructure has been developed for chemical measurements, but the situation is often more complex than that for physical measurements.Chemical measurements encompass a vast number of elements and compounds in a diverse range of sample types. There is therefore a requirement for a wide range of different measurement standards to be able to establish the traceability of chemical mea-surements.

In addition, to be able to measure the amount of a particular chemical entity, test samples often require signifi cant pre-treatment to separate the analyte(s) of interest from the sample matrix. Measurement procedures used in chemical analysis are therefore frequently multistage, each measurement step po-tentially introducing factors which could infl uence the result. Chemical measurements may therefore involve a number of measurement standards for physical quantities such as mass and volume, and Certifi ed Reference Materials for establishing the

traceability of amount of substance.Certifi ed Reference Material is a material of known homogeneity and stability and is accompanied by documentation providing one or more specifi ed property values with associated uncertainties which have been obtained using reference measurement procedures. In chemistry, these materials are typi-cally classifi ed as either pure substances (which can be used for the preparation of calibration solutions) or matrix materials (used, for example, to evaluate measurement bias as part of method validation). It is imperative that laboratories have access to well characterized matrix reference materials that are a good match to real test samples. One of the reasons why such materials are so sought after for chemical measurements is that the sample matrix often has a signifi cant effect on method performance.

Prepared by Muzungu CyprienElectricity Lead Offi cer

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W O R L D S T A N D A R D S D A Y

Less waste,better results

STANDARDS INCREASE EFFICIENCY

Theme:

W O R L D S T A N D A R D S D A Y

Less waste,better results

STANDARDS INCREASE EFFICIENCY

Theme:

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Documents

RWANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS Newsletter