Kebs MD Ongwae denies claims of mercury in sugar
Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director Charles Ongwae. He has denied allegations that sugar in the country contains mercury. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Mr Ongwae said copper was found in sugar samples taken from contraband sugar impounded in Kitui, Kisii, Isinya and Ol Kalou.
The national standards body on Thursday said its tests on sugar claimed to contain mercury have revealed nothing alarming.
Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director Charles Ongwae told MPs that a sample of sugar they tested had no heavy metals.
DIRTY SUGAR
Mr Ongwae told the National Assembly’s Committee on Trade that he was not aware where Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i got the results showing the alleged dirty sugar had mercury.
"We carried out the tests following public outcry that sugar consumed in the country have mercury and from the samples we tested there was no such thing," Mr Ongwae said.
But he said it might be possible to get different results if another sample is taken.
Mr Ongwae said copper was found in sugar samples taken from contraband sugar impounded in Kitui, Kisii, Isinya and Ol Kalou.
He said the allowed amount of copper in sugar is 2 milligrams per kilogramme but in the samples taken the sugar had 20.7 milligrams of copper per kilogramme.
