RBS
PO Box: 7099 Kigali-Kicukiro
Tel: +250-58 61 03

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Testing laboratories

The testing laboratories unit is a quality control department of Rwanda Bureau of standards that provides testing facilities, mainly to ascertain quality during the implementation of standards. Domestic and imported products are tested for conformity to Rwanda standards and other specifications.

Products tested include

  • Water-Raw water, Bottled drinking water, Natural mineral water
  • Milk and milk products-Whole milk, pasteurized milk, fermented milk, skimmed milk, powdered milk, cheese, yoghurt, blue band etc
  • Juices and soft drinks-Mango, passion, lemon, pineapple etc
  • Soaps and detergents-Toilet soap, laundry soap, liquid soap, liquid detergent, powdered detergent
  • Alcoholic beverages-Spirits, wines etc
  • Fats and oils-all types of edible oils and fats
  • Cosmetics-Creams, lotions, powders for body and face, hair relaxers and wavers
  • Meat and meat products
  • Infant foods-eg cerelac
  • Cereal and Cereal product-wheat flours, maize flours, rice etc
  • Food grains-Maize, beans
  • Others-Sugar, table salt, tooth paste, shoe polish, paints,

Samples are tested in chemistry Laboratories (Chromatography Lab, Spectroscopy Lab,Wet chemistry Lab, Food chemistry Lab and agriculture Lab) and microbiology laboratories using modern equipments such as Gas chromatography (GC), High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS), Milk analyzer, Flame photometer, UV visible spectrophotometer, Fiber Tec system, Sox Tec system, Karl fischers titrator etc.

Chemistry laboratories provide a service that helps to prevent contaminated and adulterated food products from entering the market. The services provided also enhance the quality of various products manufactured in Rwanda by providing the industries with advice, information and test results on the quality of their products.
Chemical analysis involves the analysis of the chemical composition of both edible and non edible products.

The microbiology laboratory helps to control the hygienic levels in fresh or processed food and beverages. This is done by testing for micro organisms of public health significance such as salmonella and vibrio cholelae. Others tests carried out includes total plate count (TPC), total coliforms, coliforms, Escherichia coli,yeasts and moulds count and staphylococcus aureus.


Testing services are gradually extending to cover the scope of testing materials in the following fields.

  • Electricals-Such as drycells,cables,household appliances,Carstarter batteries,light bulbs etc
  • Construction materials-such as roofing and floor tiles,building blocks and cement,precast concrete products,plain and corrugated sheets etc
  • Polymer materials-such as paints,plastics,rubber and rubber products,varnishes,ink and wax etc
  • Textile materials-such as paper and board,ready made garments,fibres,yarns and threads,foam products etc
  • Mechanical tests-such as non destructive tests,hardness tests,tensile tests,bend and shear tests etc.

Categories of samples received by RBS testing laboratories
  • Quality control sample -These include samples obtained by RBS inspectors during their routine market surveillance and factory inspections
  • Private samples- Manufacturers, exporters, importers and others interested in determining the quality of their products. It also includes samples submitted for the purpose of tender evaluation.
  • Import control samples-Samples submitted by RBS inspectors from all import control points to verify consignments to conformity with the requirements of the standard specifications.
  • Complaint samples-These samples are submitted by any person who finds that a product does not meet his requirements and is there fore substandard

Last Update: 26-08-2008