This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
On November 5, 2019, Trufoods, the manufacturer of Zesta peanut butter, finally complied with orders from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and recalled their products after concerns over aflatoxins.
According to a statement from the company, they are working with Kebs to establish the root cause of the issue in the supply chain.
Kebs had instructed Trufoods to recall its Zesta peanut butter, as well as other manufacturers to suspend or revoke the sale of their products, citing high levels of aflatoxin.
Seven brands of peanut butter were affected, including Zesta, Nuteez, True Nuts, Supa Meal, Sue's Naturals, Fressy, and Nutty by Nature.
Kebs stated that the levels of aflatoxin in these products exceeded the maximum limit allowed by the Standard.
Aflatoxin is a class of toxic compounds produced by certain moulds found in food, which can cause liver damage and cancer.
This recall comes just a few months after Kebs lifted a ban on Nuteez-branded peanut butter over aflatoxin contamination, after inspecting the company's facilities and ensuring measures were in place to safeguard products for human consumption.
