KEBS makes about-turn, denies presence of contaminated rice in the market

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has allayed concerns that rice available in the market is not fit for consumption.

In a statement on Wednesday, KEBS asked Kenyans to ignore claims of contaminated rice in the market, stating that they seized 452 contaminated sacks of rice imported by Anytime Limited.

"The 452 bags of rice found at Anytime Limited were seized by KEBS in the interest of consumer safety and subjected to laboratory analysis. It was discovered the rice was not fit for consumption due to high aflatoxin levels,” read the statement in part.

"All the 2,078,500 kgs of Pakistan long grain rice imported by M/S Gama Foods Traders Limited between 30th September 2024 and 12th November 2024 have been tested and found fit for human consumption."

KEBS added, "We urge traders to adhere to recommended product storage instructions to avoid spoilage and possible contamination of products within their stores."

The Agency’s about-turn comes a day after it raised alarm that Kenyans could be consuming contaminated rice after it emerged that a consignment totalling 2 million kilograms which had been declared unfit for human consumption was diverted into the market.

Documents seen by Citizen Digital showed that the imported from Pakistan in September and October had failed the aflatoxin tests as it contained higher levels than locally permissible.

Despite the standards body's declaration that the rice was unfit, only a fraction was intercepted, with millions of kilogrammes sneaking into the market and exposing Kenyans to health risks.

According to the documents, 83,200 bags of rice were imported by Gama Food Traders Ltd, and shipped through the Indian Ocean to the Port of Mombasa.

The first consignment was released from Pakistan on 29th September this year and a second consignment was released from Karachi in Pakistan on Mashujaa Day.

When the rice docked in Mombasa, a total of 2,080 tonnes of rice were released from Kilindini to Nairobi without certificates of conformity at the point of entry.

When KEBS established that the contaminated rice was in circulation, market surveillance officers moved into action but only seized 23 tonnes, with the remaining 2,057 tonnes of the poisonous rice flooding the Kenyan market, exposing consumers to danger.

A fraction of that consignment was seized at Anytime Ltd at Central Business Park Road in the Industrial Area with tests conducted later at the KEBS lab showing 11.54 levels of aflatoxin per kg against a recommended maximum level of 5.0 per kg.

Attempts by KEBS to recall the contaminated rice from the market did not bear fruits with only 5,300 kgs of polla biryani rice and 6,000 kgs of kuku biryani rice recovered.