By Shadrack Nyakoe
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has closed down meat outlets in six major Supermarkets in Nairobi after samples revealed excess preservatives in the meat.
The Thursday afternoon crackdown saw the meet section of Tuskys Supermarket along Kenyatta Avenue shut down.
Samples indicated the meat has 63,000 milligrams per kilogram of Sodium metabisulfite preservative.
The maximum required limit is 500 milligrams per kilogram.
Nairobi City County Health Executive Mohamed Dagane said that the county has constituted a task force to sample meat sections in 40 supermarkets.
Sonko has now directed county health officers to intensify the crackdown and ensure consumers are protected from unscrupulous traders.
“I have directed the county health officers to conduct daily inspections in all meat eateries so that we protect Nairobi residents from consuming poisonous food,” Sonko said.
Other Supermarkets whose meet sections were shut down include, The point Naivas limited Buruburu (15,604mg/kg), Muthaiga Fine Meat Limited (8783mg/kg), Naivas Gateway Mall (3386 mg/kg) among others.
The six were found to be having excessive amounts of preservatives after laboratory tests done in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
The crackdown comes after an expose on NTV revealed use of excess of Sodium metabisulfite to dupe unsuspecting buyers to thinking the meat is fresh.
The chemical prevents foul smell and redens the meat even after staying for long without being refrigerated.
“We exist to protect human lives,” Dagane said.
County Director of Public Health Wilson Lang’at said that the county will expand the crackdown to butcheries and all eateries in Nairobi.
“We will continue with the tastes in all the major supermarkets as well as eateries in town,” Langat said.
The CBD has an influx of eateries that are also suspected to be using illegal food preservatives.
Langat said the county has been doing food sampling in the city but results have been taking long to come out.