This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
Kenya's food safety has been under scrutiny once again, with the latest incident involving Zesta peanut butter. The product has been removed from shelves after the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) suspended its sale, citing concerns over aflatoxins.
On November 5, Trufoods, the manufacturer of Zesta peanut butter, issued a statement assuring customers that quality would remain their top priority. However, the damage had already been done, with KEBS suspending the product's sale along with six other brands.
The affected brands include Nuteez, True Nuts, Fressy, Supa Meal, Sue's Naturals, and Nutty. KEBS has also suspended the companies' permits, which allowed them to use the standardization mark.
KEBS' move comes after a series of incidents involving contaminated peanut butter products. In January this year, the Ministry of Health recalled Nuteez peanut butter countrywide after tests confirmed a contaminated batch in Nandi County.
However, the suspension of Nuteez peanut butter was lifted two months later after the manufacturing company, Jetlak Foods Ltd, addressed the gaps identified in the control of incoming raw materials, production process, and final product testing.
