Govt warns over toxic peanut butter as ‘Nuteez’ maker refutes claims
By NASIBO KABALE and HILARY KIMUYUThe Government Chemist has confirmed the presence of aflatoxin, a poisonous substance, in peanut butter brand ‘Nuteez’, making it unfit for human consumption.
Government Chemist Francis Maina said that the peanut butter was found to be containing 24.08ppb aflatoxin, 14.08ppb more than the required limit.
“It is true that they had high levels of aflatoxin and therefore unfit for human consumption,” he said.
Jetlak Foods Limited has however refuted claims that its product has been declared unfit for human consumption.
The denial came after a viral letter, purportedly sent to the company by the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, warned about the peanut butter.
But in a rebuttal, the company, in a statement pinned on its website, said it had not received such a letter from the government.
‘INVESTIGATING CLAIM’
“As Jetlak Foods Limited, we are not in receipt of any letter or correspondence thereof from Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and we are therefor in the process of investigating the purported claim,” the statement read in part.
In the purported letter dated January 29, and addressed to Jetlak Foods, who manufacture ‘Nuteez’ peanut butter, the Government Chemist said that the product’s total aflatoxins found in it exceeds the maximum required limit hence not fit for human consumption.
“Peanut 800g plastic container contains 28.08ppb aflatoxin, 18.08ppb more than the required limit,” read the analysis from a report from government chemist.
Aflatoxins are a family of toxins produced by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts.
The main fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are abundant in warm and humid regions of the world.
A spokesperson for the ministry of Interior did not respond to our queries on the authenticity of the letter.