Kenya Bureau of Standards has lifted the suspension of peanut butter branded Nuteez, which was effected following reports on presence of contamination with aflatoxins.
In a statement, KEBS said the manufacturer has cooperated with the agency leading to the evaluation of its quality control measures during production of peanut butter.
“That the manufacturer has also addressed the gaps that were identified with regard to control of incoming raw materials, production process and final product testing. In view of the above measures, suspension of the Standardization Mark permit no. 965 for Peanut Butter branded Nuteez has been lifted,” it added.
Initial investigations at the factory and in the market had confirmed that indeed some of the products on sale had aflatoxins contamination.
Subsequently, KEBS suspended the Standardization Mark Permit number 965 for Nuteez peanut butter thereby stopping the production and sale of the product . It also ordered the manufacturer to recall all products it had released to the market.
In a statement issued in February after reports of contamination emerged, the Nuteez’s producer Jetlak Foods Ltd had denied them, saying it is committed to manufacturing products of the highest quality standards.
“We have not yet ascertained the authenticity of the sample tested but it is purported to have been obtained in Kabsabet and not from the company. We have reached out to the Director of Public Health with regard to this and we have invited his team to collect samples from our factory for testing and the results to be released as soon as possible,” said lawyer Kelvin Mogeni of Mogeni & Co Advocates, Legal Counsel for Jetlak Foods Ltd.
“As Jetlak Foods Ltd, we are cognisant of the rights of consumers and are fully co-operating with the Ministry. Nuteez has been in the market for over 15 years and we pride ourselves to be the market leaders in this segment. We are committed to producing the best quality food products for the country and the region at large. Everything we do is driven by customer satisfaction,” said Anup Bid, MD, Jetlak Foods.
“The company’s philosophy over the years has a lot to do with our core principle of providing our customers with quality products that will remain wholesome for them and their families for generations to come.We understand that quality is not just what we put into it, but most importantly what the customer gets out of it,” he added.
Despite the lifting of the suspension, KEBS said it shall continue to monitor the effectiveness of Jetlak Foods Ltd controls for the Peanut Butter product through Market Surveillance, factory inspections and testing.
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“It is therefore the responsibility of Jetlak Foods Ltd to ensure continued product compliance to KS EAS 60:2013 – Peanut Butter Specification in all the future products,” the statement said.
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