Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) says it will start enforcing new 2024 food safety standards that requires proper labelling of foods, including nutrient composition of any processed foods.
Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari says it will increase market surveillance to ensure quality controls along the food supply chain.
The standards body estimates that the country loses an estimated Ksh 72 billion in food losses due to poor safety standards.
Kebs attributes the poor safety standards to weak supply chain policies, especially in the retail sector. The standards body says it will heighten surveillance from farm to fork in light of recent food safety concerns at major outlets.
The bureau is planning to enforce the 2024 food safety standards that among other regulations proposes clear labeling and health claims with clear instructions to consumers on how to handle food products.
The standards will also regulate chemical use and composition of key foods.
The policy aims at regulating all critical points of food production including the processing.
