KEBS seizes 15,000 kgs of contaminated rice in Embakasi

Officers from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) have impounded 15,000 kilograms of suspected contaminated rice at a storage facility in Nairobi’s Embakasi area.

This action followed an alert from KEBS' counterfeit and quality control officers based in the capital.

A total of 453 bags, each weighing 25kgs, had been stored at the warehouse for several months and were subsequently distributed to unsuspecting consumers since May.

The bags were hidden behind bundles of flour sacks in the warehouse, which served as a distribution point to unsuspecting consumers.

So far, at least 3,000 kilograms, or 129 bags of 25kg rice, have been released into the market without being confirmed as fit for human consumption.

However, drama unfolded when the owner of the rice disputed the findings, asserting that his product had passed a clean bill of health.

He criticized KEBS officers for declaring the rice unfit for consumption, claiming that no proper testing had been conducted to justify such a declaration.

The owner stated that while he had purchased thousands of bags of rice, only a few had turned out to be problematic.

He also acknowledged receiving complaints from the public about the quality of the rice, which led to the decision to withdraw the product from circulation.

When questioned about why the rice had been hidden behind bundles of flour sacks in the warehouse, the manager of the facility denied the allegations, insisting that this was simply their usual method of storage and organization.