Uganda Sets Sugar Standards: East African Drafts Define Sweetness and Safety

Uganda’s Bureau of Standards has unveiled four draft East African food standards covering molasses, rock sugar, caramel, and sugarcane juice, inviting comments until January 17, 2026. Beyond defining product identity, the drafts impose strict microbiological limits.

For sugarcane juice, E. coli and Salmonella must be absent, with yeast/mold capped at 5 CFU/g. Ice sugar faces similar pathogen bans, while molasses allows slightly higher yeast counts (10 CFU/g) but still forbids E. coli.

Labeling rules are equally precise: sugarcane juice must declare “Sugarcane Juice” prominently, list ingredients, net content, importer details, country of origin, expiry date, storage instructions, and packaging disposal guidance. These measures aim to protect consumers from adulteration and ensure regional trade consistency—because in East Africa, sweet doesn’t mean sloppy.