Sugar has copper and lead, not mercury, says KEBS

Some of the seized contraband sugar paraded at CID headquarters. Interior CS Fred Matiangi said the haul contained mercury. [File, Standard]

Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Charles Ongwae has discounted CS Matiangi’s narrative that seized contraband sugar has mercury.

The agency claims the first batch of sugar was not tested for mercury and results were delivered to DCI on June 11, two days before Matiangi made the claims.

Their subsequent heavy metal (mercury, lead, cadmium, copper and arsenic) tests have however found no traces of mercury in the seized consignment.

“The sugar samples were tested against EAS 749:210, before they were further tested for heavy metals contaminants and no mercury was detected. I want to be very specific that no mercury has been detected in the samples that we have tested,” Ongwae said

Ongwae told the Parliamentary Committee probing the alleged scam that some of the sugar contained copper and lead.

“The copper that was detected was above the required levels identified by the KEBS standards making it unfit for consumption,” the agency confirmed.

According to KEBS, normal sugar fit for human consumption contains 2 milligrams of copper per kilogram.

Their tests on one of the consignments however found 20.7 milligrams of the metal per kilogram.  

The MD added that the sugar was imported illegally and was not inspected by their officers.

He reiterated that they always inspect imported goods twice, in the country of origin and port of entry for verification.

The goods are then given are certificates of conformity before they allowed into trader’s shelves.

He explained that the goods imported must be approved by government agencies. The KEBS for quality, KRA for customs and tax issues and Port health for food safety.

Ongwae confirmed that more testing was being done in other parts of the country and a report would be issued to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

“Testing is still underway on sugar seized in Matuu, Kisii and Ol Kalou” he said.

War on contraband sugar

The war on contraband sugar has seen to it that two cabinet secretaries differ in public over presence of mercury in sugar.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi announced that the sugar had mercury while quoting tests from the Government Chemist, claims which were disputed by his Industrialization counterpart, Adan Mohammed on Wednesday.

“Government Chemist report has shown part of recently seized consignment of contraband sugar is unfit for human consumption yet it was seized from the market,” Matiangi said.

Howerver, his counterpart while answering questions from MPs in the Trade and Investment committee, chaired by Kanini Kega disputed those claims.

 “Tests carried out by KEBS did not find any form of toxic metal as claimed. I however call on anyone with contrary information to alert the authorities,” Mohammed said.

Due to fears of the presence of lead and copper in sugar some of the MPs like Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi says he will use honey instead of sugar