Overview
ISO 7301:2021 - Rice - Specification defines minimum quality and safety specifications for rice (Oryza sativa L.) traded internationally. It applies to husked rice and milled rice (aromatic or non‑aromatic), whether parboiled or not, and intended for direct human consumption. It does not apply to rice‑derived products or to waxy (glutinous) rice as a marketed product, though the standard sets limits for the presence of waxy kernels in traded lots.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and definitions: Clear terminology for paddy, husked rice, milled rice, parboiled rice, head rice, broken kernels, chips, chalky/red/heat‑damaged kernels, stress‑cracked kernels, etc.
- Moisture content: Maximum mass fraction of moisture is 15.0% (lower limits may be required by destination climate or transport conditions).
- Physical and chemical limits: Numeric maximums for contaminants and defects (see Table 1), including:
- Inorganic extraneous matter: ≤ 0.5%
- Organic extraneous matter: ≤ 1.0% (husked), ≤ 0.5% (milled)
- Damaged kernel: ≤ 4.0% (husked), ≤ 3.0% (milled)
- Immature/malformed kernels: ≤ 8.0% (husked), ≤ 2.0% (milled)
- Chalky kernels (non‑parboiled): ≤ 5.0%
- Waxiness in lots: ≤ 1.0%
- Limits differ for parboiled vs non‑parboiled and for husked vs milled rice; stress‑cracked kernel limits are subject to agreement between supplier and buyer.
- Sensory and health requirements: Rice must be sound, clean, free from foreign or deteriorative odours, living insects visible to the naked eye, and harmful contaminants; pesticide/additive levels must not exceed applicable national or Codex limits.
- Test methods and annexes:
- Moisture: ISO 712
- Biometric (kernel length/variation): ISO 11746
- Annex A: normative methods for physical analysis (manual separation, sieves, weighing)
- Annex B and C: methods for waxy rice detection in parboiled rice and stress‑cracked kernel determination
- Packaging: Materials must not impart odour/taste or contain substances that endanger the product; bags must be clean and sound.
Practical applications & users
- Food exporters/importers and commodity traders for contract specifications and lot acceptance
- Quality control and testing laboratories performing physical and chemical analyses
- Procurement and supply‑chain managers specifying minimum quality for international shipments
- Regulatory and conformity assessment bodies referencing international rice standards
- Millers and processors establishing product grading, packaging and labeling requirements
Related standards
- ISO 712 - Moisture determination (reference method)
- ISO 11746 - Biometric characteristics of rice kernels
- ISO 5223 - Test sieves for chips
- ISO 24333, ISO 6322 series - Sampling, transport and storage guidance
- Codex Alimentarius - Maximum limits for contaminants (where national limits are absent)
Keywords: ISO 7301:2021, rice specification, milled rice, husked rice, parboiled rice, rice quality, moisture limit, test methods, international trade.
