KEBS bans 27 flour brands, directs manufacturers to recall them amidst safety concerns

NAIROBI,Kenya, Aug 21 – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has raised the red flag over the sell of various maize and composite flour brands in the country amidst safety concerns after they were deemed to have failed to meet the requisite standard.

At least 27 flours brands have been flagged off with KEBS directing their immediate withdrawal from supermarket shelves and all retail stores.

“The maize meal and composite flour brands have not complied with the requirements and therefore should not be sold to the public until further notice and the necessary corrective actions have been undertaken by the concerned parties.” read a staement from KEBS.

The brands were declared unfit for consumption following routine factory inspections, product certifications and market surveillance activities tasked with monitoring the quality of products sold to Kenyan consumers.

The non-compliant maize meal brands according to KEBS include: Budget, Equatorial Ugali Afya, Fahali, Family, Pembe, Riri, Sima Tamu, Tupike, Ugali Bora, Unga Sawa, Uwezo and Ziwa.

“It is also our responsibility to keep the public informed of the compliance status of products, including maize meal and composite flour, to enable consumers make informed choices. Given the significance of maize and its derived products in Kenya, KEBS has put maize meal and composite flour in the categories of products desirous of constant surveillance and monitoring.”

The non-compliant composite flour brands include;  Wimbi Safi Marss, Rimwambi Soya Porridge Mix, Narisha Plus,Rest Food Products Afya Bora Kinara Porridge, Famila Natures Food The Original Ujimix (sour porridge), Generation Wimbi Porridge Flour, Soko Wimbi Mix, Winnies Pure Health-Ugali Afya, Ujipwani Unga Wimbi Chachu, Greenhouse Pride Polished Wimbi with Milk Powder, Golden Porridge Flour Sour Uji Mix, Najah Nutrition Food Family Porridge, Natasha Porridge, Excellent Nutritious Porridge and Split Peas Flour Unga Wa Bhajia.

“Consequently, the manufacturers in the list are instructed to cease forthwith manufacturing or offering for sale the affected maize meal and composite flour brands; and are instructed to recall all the substandard composite flour products from the market and institute effective corrective actions whose effectiveness shall be confirmed by KEBS before resumption of production and placement of the brands in the market,” said KEBS

Upon satisfactory resolution and conclusion of the issues, KEBS shall then inform the public once the products have met the requirements of the Kenya Standards.

In 2020, KEBSon banned 17 maize flour brands, saying their aflatoxin levels were higher than the maximum limit, going by Kenya’s standards.