Gov’t Issues Alert on Sherehe Maize Flour Brand Over High Aflatoxin Levels

The Ministry of Health has issued a warning regarding a local maize flour brand due to elevated levels of aflatoxin.

In a letter addressed to county health officers and copied to the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Office of the Director General for Health has declared Sherehe GSM maize flour unfit for human consumption.

The letter from Acting Director General for Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, highlights that the maize flour brand has exceeded the permissible aflatoxin limits, measured in parts per billion (ppb).

“Laboratory analysis on April 30 of Sherehe GSM maize flour with no batch number has shown that the flour contains a high level of aflatoxin above the requirements of 10.0 ppb. The level records 714 ppb,” reads the letter dated May 6.

The Health Ministry has mandated the confiscation of all existing stock of the contaminated maize flour from the local market. Nairobi County officers have been instructed to immediately halt the milling and distribution of the Sherehe GSM maize flour.

Additionally, the ministry has ordered increased surveillance of all food products on the market and called for regular updates on the measures taken.

Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain fungi, commonly found on crops such as maize, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. These fungi can contaminate crops during growth, harvest, and storage.

People can be exposed to aflatoxins by consuming contaminated plant products or through meat and dairy products from animals that have ingested contaminated feed.

Ingesting food with aflatoxin concentrations of 1 milligram per kilogram or higher can lead to aflatoxicosis, with symptoms including vomiting, abdominal pain, fluid buildup in the lungs, and liver damage.

Aflatoxins are potent carcinogens, posing risks to all organ systems, particularly the liver and kidneys, and can even lead to liver cancer.