,The draft East African Standard EAS 975:2025 on Instant Coffee — Specification sets detailed quality and safety requirements for both regular and decaffeinated instant coffee. It specifies that moisture content must not exceed 4% by mass (with a slightly higher limit of 5% for granulated coffee), while the total ash content on a dry basis must not be more than 15%. Caffeine content is required to be at least 2.5% on a dry basis, except in decaffeinated products where the maximum permitted level is 0.3%. The standard also sets solubility requirements: the product should dissolve in boiling water within 30 seconds with moderate stirring, and in cold water at about 16 °C within 3 minutes. In terms of microbiological safety, coliform counts must be less than 10 cfu/g, and yeasts and moulds are limited to 10² cfu/g. The product must be free-flowing, possess the colour and flavour typical of instant coffee, and be free from foreign matter or adulterants such as chicory. These requirements are backed by internationally recognized ISO test methods to ensure consistency and safety in trade and consumer use.
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