The Ministry of Health has issued a stark warning, cautioning against the consumption of a popular maize flour brand due to high levels of aflatoxin.
In a communiqué dated May 6, 2024, directed to public county health officers across all 47 counties and shared with the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Office of the Director General for Health, represented by Dr. Patrick Amoth, highlighted concerning findings regarding the maize flour’s safety.
According to the letter, laboratory assessments conducted on April 30 revealed that Sherehe GSM maize flour, lacking a batch number, exhibited aflatoxin levels well above the accepted standard. Instead of the permissible 10.0 parts per billion (ppb), the analysis recorded a staggering 714 ppb.
Prompt action has been mandated by the Ministry, including the immediate seizure of all existing stocks of this maize flour variant within the Kenyan market. Additionally, heightened surveillance measures are to be implemented across all food products available to consumers.
Specifically, authorities in Nairobi County have been tasked with conducting thorough inspections of the milling facility responsible for producing the tainted flour. Furthermore, the Ministry has directed an immediate halt to the milling process and distribution of this particular product.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes the urgency of this matter, calling for swift and comprehensive responses from relevant stakeholders, while demanding regular updates on the progress of actions taken.
