KEBS opens testing laboratory in Meru for products safety

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has opened a laboratory in Meru County and stepped up market surveillance as it bids to restore quality of products.

According to KEBS Mount Kenya region manager Jacky Kang'iri and Meru County Manager John King'ori, the initiatives are meant to ensure all products in the market conform to quality standards.

Ms Kang'iri said KEBS had enhanced market intelligence and was working with other government agencies to combat illicit products in the market.

The establishment of a testing laboratory in Meru will ensure local businesses can access testing services closer, she said.

With various small businesses pursuing agricultural value addition and producing other goods, KEBS is taking steps to ensure that the products comply with the standards.

"We also create awareness among these groups and community on how they can attain the standardization of quality," she added.

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Ms Kang'iri said by working with the small and medium-sized businesses, KEBS is aiming to promote products safety and market access for the organisations.

"This will ensure the doors to the market are open to them, they are able to trade better, and the goods are safe for consumption," she stated during a media sensitisation forum in Meru town.

She said that agency's market surveillance personnel had stepped up monitoring of the products in the market and allowed only those that were compliant.

KEBS has also been advising small business owners on strategies to attain compliance.

Kang'iri said that by ensuring the quality of local goods, their competitiveness in the market is enhanced.

We can educate on how to improve the products, she said.

Mr King'ori said their testing facility in Meru will curb against products that pose health, safety and environmental risks.

"Meru is one of the counties cited for high levels of aflatoxin contamination, especially in maize. We have installed aflatoxin testing facility to do the analysis and provide manufacturers with results in a matter of hours," he said.

In Meru, many various groups have mobilised members and set up local factories where they produce various products, including banana wine, crisps, flour and animal feeds.

Other groups, even though have not obtained the relevant KEBS standardization marks, produce miraa juice and muguka energy drinks.

From various Miraa varieties they produces Miraa juice, miraa energy drink, miraa gin, miraa whisky, miraa beer, and miraa jelly beans.

Others are Miraa chewing gum, toffee, fudge, pellets, infusion and pellets.

But because of lack of KEBS standardization mark, these groups cannot do large scale production.