Shock as 2M Kgs of Toxic Rice Hits Kenyan Markets
Kenyans may have faced exposure to another harmful product as the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) flagged a 2-million-kilogram shipment of rice.
Press reports based on KEBS documents unveiled how the rice, deemed unsafe for consumption, was redirected into the local market despite the health risks.
The shipment, imported from Pakistan between September and October this year, failed aflatoxin testing, leading KEBS to classify it as unsuitable for human use.
KEBS indicated that the rice contained aflatoxin levels exceeding allowable limits, posing significant health risks if consumed.
The investigation revealed that 83,000 bags of 25kg rice were transported from Mombasa’s Kilindini port to Nairobi, where the stock was repackaged and distributed to retailers and wholesalers.
Upon discovering that the rice had infiltrated the market despite failing safety standards, KEBS launched a crackdown but managed to retrieve only 23,000 kilograms.
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Nairobi’s industrial hub, but a significant quantity remained in circulation.
This incident highlights a recurring issue, as Kenyans have previously consumed unsafe or substandard goods. Just three months ago, KEBS flagged 32 million liters of cooking oil that illegally entered the market.
During a parliamentary session on September 23, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari revealed that the oil was released without agency authorization, breaching nutritional standards.
Out of 73 containers of imported oil, 43 were distributed, despite failing KEBS requirements, and subsequently repackaged by companies before being sold to retailers nationwide.
Ngari testified that KEBS had rejected the oil based on test results and stated that the Kenya National Trade Corporation (KNTC) acted improperly by distributing the product.
Shock as 2M Kgs of Toxic Rice Hits Kenyan Markets
