Dola, Kifaru maize flour brands now fit for human consumption

Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has lifted a suspension on Kifaru and Dola maize flour brands, saying they are now fit for human consumption.

The brands had been suspended for not having met the required standards.

In a statement released on Wednesday, KEBS commended Alpha Grain Millers for “stopping production of the affected product in the period it was required to and conducting and monitoring to completion the recall exercise of the product in the market.”

It has however urged the firm to ensure continued compliance of its products or it will be forced to take legal action against the miller.

The two are among five brands of maize flour suspended recently over the sale of substandard flour, reportedly contaminated with high levels of cancer-causing aflatoxins.

Kifaru maize flour was suspended alongside Dola maize flour, manufactured by Kitui Flour Mills, Starehe made by Pan African Grain in Nairobi, 210 Two Ten Maize Meal by the Thika-based Kenblest Limited and Jembe maize meal manufactured by Kensalrise Limited in Eldoret.

Kebs said they had instructed the manufacturers to immediately discontinue making the maize flour and recall those already in the market.

It also said it had detected high levels of aflatoxin after conducting several tests on the product in the markets during their routine market surveillance.

“It is then that it was established that the brands have failed because their levels of aflatoxin are higher than the maximum limit allowed by relevant Kenya standards,” Kebs said.