Imported sugar is inspected by KEBS agents in the country of origin, MD Charles Ongwae has said.
"...majority of sugar has been inspected at the country of origin. The tested parameters are within the Kenyan standards..." he said.
Appearing before the National Assembly Trade Committee on Thursday, Ongwae said after the tests are done, they are issued with a certificate of conformity.
"Some of these imports which come are sampled and tested at the point of entry for surveillance purposes," he said.
Ongwae said certified products by KEBS have access to other EAC markets without other verification processes in the same way Kenya accepts certified products by national standards bodies of the EAC partner states.
"We have created platforms that consumers can use to verify whether the products they have are certified by KEBS," he said.
Police have linked the poisonous sugar being impounded around the country to a company owned by a billionaire businessman from Eldoret.
At the same time, West Kenya Sugar has denied any link to the semi-raw sugar that has found its way into the market before being processed for human consumption.
Managing Director Tejveer Rai issued a statement denying that the sugar impounded in different parts of the country is part of its imports.
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Last week, security agents recovered sugar in the godowns of Rai Paper — formerly Panpaper Mills — in Webuye, which is a sister company to West Kenya and Sukari Industries.
The company later issued a statement saying the sugar was being stored awaiting testing in its plant which produces the Kabras brand.
ILLICIT GOODS
Used underwear's, alcohol, sugar and powder milk.
These are some of the contraband goods the country is trying to get rid of, PS Betty Maina told the Trade Committee.
She was among the officials called in to explain to Kenyans why we had contraband sugar in the country and the ongoing war on counterfeits.
Betty said Kenya has had more than 350 operations to rid the country of the goods.
"The final report is being compiled and will be released ones it's done. This operation tells you that the country has a serious problem with the illicit good which puts its people's health at risk," she said.
She said the challenge is something that is of a national importance.
Other goods listed are Gas, cables, Cigarettes, paint, tyres, narcotics cosmetics, Household goods.