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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nakuru- The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has raised concerns over the safety of the consumption of Okra water and uji power.
During a Media-Editors Forum on Raising Awareness of the KEBS mandate in Naivasha on Tuesday, April 30, KEBS director of Quality Assurance and Inspection Muriira Karau said Okra water should be regulated.
Karau explained that Okra water should be a public health and standards issue, and the appropriate agencies should collaborate with inventors to develop regulation measures.
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This, he argued, would assure consumers of its efficacy and safety.
Karau further revealed that the government was drafting a code of practice to guide the manufacturing and handling of not only uji power but also natural drinks hawked on the roadside.
He reiterated that this would help with these items' marketing and hygienic handling.
"A standard for traditional porridge made from various cereals and fermented will be developed to support the commercialisation and hygienic handling of this product. And even a code of practice to guide the process of production and handling. This also applies to natural juices sold on the roadside," he declared.
Director Market Surveillance, Peter Kaigwara, further said the government would investigate whether the products adhere to standards.
"This is intelligence that we have received and we shall embark on an investigation immediately," he stated.
The demand for the Okra plant in Kenya has surged unprecedentedly, triggering a rise in the commodity's price.
This comes amid claims of the plant's prowess in enhancing sexual health, especially among women.
Uji Power, a blend of arrowroot, cassava, peanut, pumpkin seeds, and an added secret ingredient, has had men hooked with the promise of vitality in bed.
Earlier, MC Jessy talked of the viral okra juice women on the internet have admitted they take for their health benefits.
The comedian-turned-politician travelling to Australia said that women who used the okra water were walking red flags.
Jessy noted okra water was a scam, warning men against associating it with ladies who use it.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
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