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Food safety in Kenya has come under scrutiny following the revelation by the Kenya Bureau of Standards that 32 million litres of substandard cooking oil have hit the market.
According to reports, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari announced this on the floor of a Senate committee meeting, citing that the oil was declared unfit for human consumption for failing essential safety tests.
Despite the questions raised, 44 out of the 73 consignments were cleared to enter through Mombasa port.
Sample tests done on eight consignments showed Vitamin A deficiency, a vital nutrient for health, and lack of which may cause conditions such as vision loss and infertility among others.
Ngari said KEBS ordered the Kenya National Trading Corporation, to destroy or return the oil but did not have the mandate to stop the sale of the remaining consignments.
"The oil was below standards because it lacked Vitamin A," said Geoffrey Murira, KEBS Director of Quality and Assurance.
The senators were irked by the fact that they could not trace the consignments and Senator Betty Montet even asked what follow-up was done by the agency.
KEBS acknowledged that 20 million litres from 23 other consignments remain locked up, while some have been rejected after over a year of checks.
High temperatures which threaten to spoil these goods imply the country could face a loss of Ksh.6 billion if action is not taken soon.
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