The Kenyan market has been inundated with substandard cooking oil, potentially putting consumers at risk.
On Thursday, officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) admitted that approximately 5.87 million liters of imported cooking oil failed to meet quality standards in 2023. This alarming disclosure came during a meeting of the Senate Trade Committee, chaired by Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku. Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari informed the committee that tests conducted on edible oils imported by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) and its agents revealed significant quality issues. The samples contained insoluble impurities or insufficient levels of vitamin A, factors that contribute to rapid product spoilage. This situation is particularly concerning given that these imports were accompanied by certificates of conformity to Kenyan standards.
A random sampling of over 1 million consignments in 20-liter jerrycans exposed the extent of the problem, with nearly 300,000 units found to be substandard. These imports, originating from Malaysia, were shipped into the country between May and November 2023. Of the 73 total consignments, only 44 received approval from Kebs, while others remain in various stages of the verification process. Further inspection of eight targeted consignments at Mombasa port revealed that seven failed to meet vitamin A requirements, and one failed on both vitamin A content and insoluble impurities.
Vitamin A, a crucial fortificant added to cooking oil to address deficiency in the population, was found to be inadequate in over 227,000 jerrycans. An additional 66,500 cans contained both insoluble impurities and insufficient vitamin A levels. The substandard oil was destined for distribution across various parts of Kenya, including major cities and towns such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kisumu. This widespread distribution has raised serious concerns about potential health risks to consumers, including digestive issues and vitamin A deficiency, which can impact vision, immune function, and skin health.
This incident has reignited criticism of Kebs and its role in allowing substandard products to enter the market. It follows a controversial episode in late 2023 when Kebs initially reported substandard cooking oil valued at 17 billion Kenyan shillings in circulation, only to later retract the statement after re-inspection and testing. In response to these findings, the Senate Trade Committee has called for more stringent enforcement of quality standards and enhanced inspection processes. Kebs has pledged to improve its monitoring and testing protocols, promising to work more closely with other regulatory bodies to ensure only high-quality products reach consumers.
The agency has also committed to holding importers accountable for substandard goods and taking necessary actions to protect public health.
