Consumers urged to prioritise food safety before purchasing

Consumers should prioritise knowing the source of their farm produce before making purchases to bolster food safety.

Wambui Mbarire, Chief Executive Officer of the Retail Trade Association of Kenya, stressed the importance of consumer vigilance. 

"Consumers should inquire about the safety of the food they intend to purchase, whether from open markets, roadside vendors, or retail centres. Ensuring food security necessitates prioritising food safety." 

The Retrak boss spoke during a media sensitisation meeting on the Food Safety Bill and the upcoming World Food Safety Day on June 7 2024.

"Safe food is a fundamental right for everyone. If it's not safe, it cannot be considered food, as it poses more harm than good," Mbarire said. 

She urged consumers to actively engage in understanding the products they consume, prompting sellers to ensure that items sold are safe for human consumption.

Grace Muchemi, General Manager of Analytical Services at the Pests Control Product Board underscored the importance of proper pesticide use in enhancing food safety.

"Farmers should meticulously follow pesticide labels, which provide usage directions. Proper pesticide use not only controls pests and diseases but also enhances food security," she explained.

Muchemi emphasised adherence to recommended dosages provided on labels saying, "It's crucial to use pesticides correctly, considering their potential toxicity and its impact on food safety."

She said PCPB is responsible for regulating pesticides in crop production and public health. 

But there is also need for policy enactment, Head of the Division of Food Safety at the Ministry of Health, Brenda Obura, said. 

Obura noted the proposed Food and Feed Safety Coordination Bill, currently at the senate, is aimed at ensuring food safety across the value chain.

“We are hoping that in the coming World Food Safety Day, we will be able to influence our policy makers to be able to pass this document.

"This is because the Bill is holding us back when it comes to dealing with issues about multi-sectoral coordination within Ministries and other institutions. The Bill will give us a niche on dealing with issues of food safety,” she said. 

The National Food Policy 2013 gave birth to the Bill. The policy has been revised because a lot has changed over a decade.

“Instead of coming up with a new policy, we thought of revising the existing one, improving it and bringing about the Food Bill,”she said.

Policy enactment will streamline regulatory processes, Obura said. They realised gaps in implementation of the National Food Policy.  

"The revised policy serves as a robust resource for addressing overlaps, mandates, capacity building, and resource mobilisation.

“At times we find that there is that conflict where you find a vet going to the market level and vice versa. We are trying to streamline this and it also applies to other food value chains,” she noted.

Obura added: “For instance, you will find that there is an instance where meat is inspected by the Department of Veterinary Services but you also find that meat is inspected by the Public Health officer.

"The meat at the slaughter house belongs to the DVS,and when the meat reaches the butchery, it belongs to the Public Health person who will inspect.” 

Once enacted, the Bill will necessitate consequential amendments across ministries and government agencies to ensure compliance with updated regulations.

She said the Bill will also give provision to the creation of a new position of the Food Safety Controller.

“We had suggested that this particular office be under the Office of the Vice President or if in future we have a Prime Minister’s Office so that it is in a neutral place where nobody will feel that one ministry is policing the other ministry,” she said.

This means that people dealing with food safety will report to one place, where data from all the food agencies will be collected.

“In case there is something, he/she knows the mandate of each ministry and whom to be reprimanded if something goes wrong along the value chain,” the official said. 

Obura also addressed the issue of counterfeit products in the food value chain, urging food business operators to prioritise consumer safety.

“Food business operators should ensure that the food they are selling is fit for human consumption,” she said, adding that when food is not safe, there is no food security.

"Ensuring the safety of food is paramount for food security," she added, adding that consumers should be aware of where they are accessing their food from.