NCPB sets up five more aflatoxin labs
National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Managing Director Joseph Kimote (left)and NCPB chairman Mutea Iringo hand over a bag of rice to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya at a past event. Mr Kimote says the new labs will reduce aflatoxin costs for millers and others in the maize value chain.
What you need to know:
- The board has trained a number of staff on how to test for aflatoxin levels in maize, wheat and other foods.
- A processor must have a machine for testing aflatoxin as a condition for guaranteeing quality of flour.
Aflatoxin is produced by a fungus that grows on maize, wheat, groundnuts and other crops.
The country has set up five additional laboratories in an effort to ensure households are not exposed to toxic cereals.
The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has built the laboratories in its Meru, Kitale, Eldoret, Nakuru and Machakos depots to enable farmers and millers test aflatoxin levels at an affordable cost.
“Farmers and those in the food value chain like traders and agro-processors can now access the quality testing services,” NCPB Managing Director Joseph Kimote said yesterday.
The board has trained a number of staff on how to test for aflatoxin levels in maize, wheat and other foods. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and millers have raised concerns over high level of aflatoxin in maize, the country’s staple food.
A processor must have a machine for testing aflatoxin as a condition for guaranteeing quality of flour. One such gadget goes for at least Sh1 million.
Poisonous
Aflatoxin is produced by a fungus that grows on maize, wheat, groundnuts and other crops.
The allowable aflatoxin level in maize in Kenya is 10 per billion parts. Levels above that are considered poisonous.
Kebs MD Bernard Njiraini and technical adviser Martin Masibo say poor storage and heavy rains contribute to high aflatoxin levels in maize.
“We carry out regular inspections and test for aflatoxin to ensure flour and other products meet the recommended standards. Unfortunately, some companies flout the guidelines,” Mr Masibo said.
He added that public health officials are carrying out surveillance to ensure Kenyans are not exposed to harmful food.
Contaminated flour
“There have been complaints about contaminated flour but our teams act fast and pull the products from shelves. Licences of such firms are usually cancelled,” he added.
Millers are reluctant to buy cereals with aflatoxin levels of 10 and above but farmers want the limit lowered to 20 parts per billion.
“Mexico has a limit of 20, China 40, Egypt 30 and South Korea 25. Lowering ours to 20 will enable Kenya compete favourably in the liberalised market,” Grain Belt Millers Association chairman Kipngetich Mutai said.
