The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has warned manufacturers and traders against misusing its Standardization Mark (S-Mark) on beverages containing khat, commonly known as miraa or muguka, and marketed as jaba juice.
In a public notice, KEBS said it had identified cases in which manufacturers licensed to produce fruit juices and fruit drinks were using certification permits issued for those products to market khat-infused beverages.
“KEBS wishes to clarify that certification permits are valid only for the products covered by the approved scope of certification and do not extend to khat-infused beverages or any other products outside that scope,” the agency said.
KEBS explained that khat and khat-derived products are currently excluded from its product certification scheme because of regulatory considerations relating to the plant and its psychoactive compounds, including cathinone and cathine.
The standards agency said it had not issued Standardization Mark permits for any khat-infused beverages. It warned that displaying the S-Mark or claiming KEBS certification on such products misrepresents their certification status.
According to KEBS, such misuse may attract enforcement action under the Standards Act, Cap. 496.
The agency said it had revoked certification permits in identified cases of non-compliance and would continue conducting market surveillance to identify and take action against manufacturers and traders misusing the Standardization Mark.
KEBS has cautioned manufacturers and traders against displaying the S-Mark or making claims of certification on khat-infused beverages.
It has also advised consumers that the beverages are not currently certified by the agency and that any claims suggesting otherwise are misleading.
Consumers have been urged to verify the certification status of products through official KEBS channels, including SMS code 20023.
Members of the public can also report suspected misuse of the Standardization Mark through the agency’s toll-free number 1545.
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