Tag: KEBS

Kenya adopts new standards to govern fast-growing food additives market

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KENYA – Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the government standards agency has approved five new standards aimed to boost the safety and quality of food additives in the market. The adopted guidelines are aimed to provide a basis to ascertain the quality, purity, and safety of the food additives, which according to KEBS Managing Director, Ltd. Col. (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini, it’s the first step to ensure safe use as guided by the General Standard for Food additives. “As a matter of fact, the use of food additives in food processing…

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Kenyan food production, supply chain operators to be guided by new KEBS protocols

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KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announced new COVID-19 hygiene and safety protocols for food business operators, to guide their undertakings as the fight against the pandemic continues. The new standard KNWA 2931:2021 provides guidelines on use of personal protective equipment (PPEs), management of staff sickness at premises and physical distancing to curb the spread of the virus. In addition, the protocols also stipulate the identification of high touch points and good personnel hygienic practices such as hand washing, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and disinfection of…

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Kenya ventures into lucrative edible insects market with publication of national standards

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KENYA – Kenya has established the world’s first national standards regulating the production, handling and processing of insects for food and feed. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has approved the regulations which were published in the Kenya Gazette. According to reports by Capital fm, the standards provides the requirements guiding the farmers on the rearing of insects including the conditions that will ensure the safety of the harvested produce. It also provides the necessary minimum infrastructural and environmental requirements necessary for optimal production of edible insects. In addition, it…

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Kenyan standard regulatory body extends validity of product standardization mark to 2 years

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KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announced that manufacturers applying for the Standardization Mark (SM) will now be issued with a permit valid for two years and accessible electronically beginning 1st of July 2020. The Standardization Mark (SM) permit, which is a mandatory requirement for placement of goods in the Kenyan market, is issued to manufacturers for products whose compliance with established standards has been ascertained. Under the new move, manufacturers will also be able to apply and make payments for the SM Permit online which will…

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Kenyan standard body sets new rules for fresh produce test by retailers

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KENYA – Retailers in Kenya will be required to comply with new regulations of ensuring that fresh produces are tested for higher pesticide residues and other contaminants as of May 1 in a bid to safeguard the welfare of consumers. This follows the establishment of Kenya Standards 1758 developed by stakeholders in horticulture with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) secretariat, requiring all vegetables, fruits and beans to be subjected to the same quality standards as the ones for export. Under these new standards, the produce will be tested twice…

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Kenyan standards body orders withdrawal of 17 maize meal brands

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KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) on Wednesday, January 29 ordered the withdrawal of 17 brands of maize flour from the shelves after tests confirmed the brands as unfit for human consumption, with some having high aflatoxin levels. In a statement by the authority, retailers were ordered to immediately withdraw the listed brands from retail outlets, warning that failure to comply could lead to legal action. “Kindly communicate through email giving the quantities and the brand names being held. We will make arrangements to collect them,” the statement…

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DPL Festive rejects claims of allegedly using harmful preservatives in its bread products

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KENYA – DPL Festive, one of the leading bakeries in Kenya, has refuted claims of using impermissible preservatives in its flagship product under the brand ‘Festive Bread’ to extend the shelf-life of the product. This follows a tweet posted on the social media site that alleged that the bakery was using harmful ingredients in its baked products after a consumer purchased the company’s Festive Bread – which according to the consumer went beyond the displayed expiry date, without spoilage. While staleness and mould growth are the most common indicators of…

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Kenyan Standard body suspends supply of seven peanut butter brands over aflatoxins contamination

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KENYA – Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the government’s standards agency has suspended seven peanut butter brands from the Kenyan market following test results undertaken by the agency which signified high level of Aflatoxin than the maximum limit allowed by the Standard. KEBS did not indicate the extent to which each of the products had breached the legal aflatoxin levels. However, the Kenya Standard, ‘KS EAS 60: 2013, a legal specification for peanut butter, states that the maximum total aflatoxin content, should be 15 parts per billion (ppb), and gives…

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Kenya’s standards body appoints Bernard Njiraini as managing director

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KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the government agency responsible for governing and maintaining the standards and metreology has appointed Bernard Njiraini as its Managing Director for a three-year term. Bernard Njiraini was serving as KEBS acting managing director since May this year, taking over from Mr. Bernard Nguyo – who was also in an acting capacity. Njiraini holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the same University.  He…

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Kenyan standards body tightens compliance with rules on food additives

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KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has unveiled that it is seeking to make it mandatory for all companies seeking to introduce food additives to back approval requests with scientific studies proving they are safe.   The standards body will work in partnership with a Egerton University, local university, in implementing the regulation that seeks to ensure that food additives are used in required amounts and in specific food products as recommended by the law. The law also requires manufacturers to label their products and provide a list…

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