Almost every day, the usual routine of children in Kenya starting their school day involves them having a cup of hot maize porridge, which is known to energise them for a day full of learning. Later, a plate of ugali will provide them with the necessary sustenance to continue. These two traditional meals have always been a staple of the Kenyan kitchen.
The Cereal Millers Association (CMA) is urging families to pay closer attention through its nationwide “Chagua Safe. Chagua Smart.” campaign, which highlights the importance of choosing flour that is both safe and fortified.
For parents, the message is simple: every packet of safe, fortified flour is an investment in a child’s future. However, food safety experts have warned about the invisible threat in the form of aflatoxins, which are a kind of contamination that can cause serious health problems, particularly in children who are still growing.
They cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, making them difficult for consumers to detect.
Long-term exposure has been linked to stunted growth, weakened immunity and other serious health complications.
Alongside food safety, nutrition remains another concern. Although many children appear healthy, experts warn that micronutrient deficiencies, often referred to as “hidden hunger,” continue to affect growth, concentration and immunity.
For children who either rely on maize porridge made at home or those who eat in school feeding programmes, the use of contaminated flour won’t only endanger their health but will also lead to a reduction in their ability to learn.
Nutritional value is yet another factor that’s at stake. It has been established through health surveys in the country that many children in Kenya are still suffering from stunting, anaemia, as well as other nutrition-related illnesses.
To combat these issues, the law in Kenya makes it mandatory for maize as well as wheat flour which is packaged to be fortified with vital nutrients like iron, zinc, Vitamin A, folic acid and Vitamins B.
These nutrients are key in healthy growth and also in helping to lessen the spread of diseases by building up immunity and supporting the development of the brain. The result is improved concentration at school and reduced absenteeism due to illness.
CMA says its member millers have strengthened grain testing and adopted strict quality controls to reduce aflatoxin contamination before flour reaches supermarket shelves. The association believes informed consumers also have a role to play by choosing flour from reputable millers that comply with food safety and fortification standards.
