Thursday, September 26, 2024 - Reports of substandard cooking oils flooding the Kenyan market have sparked a heated debate, with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) now dismissing claims of a suspension on ten popular brands.
KEBS has labeled recent news
circulating on the suspension of edible oils as false, warning the public
against misinformation as the quality of products continues to come under
scrutiny.
The alleged suspension followed
shocking revelations that Kenyans might be consuming cooking oils that fall
short of health standards.
Cooking oil is among the commodities
commonly used in many households, and it poses a huge health hazard if
substandard cooking oil is not removed from the market.
However, KEBS has categorically
denied these reports, terming them as misleading. The Bureau flagged the news
as fake, contradicting claims that it had temporarily suspended several brands
of edible oils and fats.
A letter purportedly written by
Peter Kaigwara, KEBS Director for Market Surveillance, allegedly directed the
Retail Traders Association of Kenya (RETRAK) to remove the products from
shelves.
But KEBS maintains that no such
communication was issued, instead pointing to routine inspections as part of
its consumer protection mandate.
This comes against the backdrop
of a Senate inquiry that exposed damning details about the quality of imported
cooking oils.
KEBS managing director Esther
Ngari, addressing the Senate Committee on Trade and Industrialization, revealed
that substandard edible oils had found their way into Kenyan kitchens.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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