The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has moved to allay fears over alleged methanol poisoning risks, dismissing reports that Kenya is among countries facing danger from counterfeit or tainted alcoholic drinks.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 22, KEBS said it had taken note of the circulating media reports but assured Kenyans that there is no cause for alarm.
“The attention of the Kenya Bureau of Standards has been drawn to media reports on a directive that includes Kenya in a list of eight countries with the risk of methanol poisoning from counterfeit or tainted alcoholic drinks,” the agency stated.
KEBS clarified that all methanol available in Kenya is denatured using denatonium benzoate, one of the bitterest chemicals known, making it impossible to mistake for alcohol.
“KEBS would like to assure the public that all methanol in the country is denatured by adding denatonium benzoate, which makes its taste extremely bitter and unsuitable for human ingestion,” the statement added.
The bureau further noted that both locally produced and imported methanol must comply with established safety standards developed by its Industrial Solvents and Chemical Technical Committee. These include KS 2471:2013 (methanol for industrial use), KS 2582-1:2014 (safety of chemical products), KS 2583:2014 (denatonium benzoate test methods), and KS 2584:2018 (transport of dangerous goods).
“To prevent abuse, all consignments of methanol except those meant strictly for laboratory use must be denatured with denatonium benzoate,” KEBS explained. “When tested in accordance with KS 2583, all grades of methanol except laboratory-grade must contain not less than 8 ppm of denatonium benzoate.”
The agency emphasized that these measures are part of the certification and compliance checks before methanol is approved for industrial application in Kenya.
“The above standards guide the issuance of product certification marks and ensure methanol meets safety and quality requirements before use,” KEBS added.
This clarification comes just months after KEBS dismissed similar claims alleging that contaminated sugar had entered the local market. In July, the agency maintained that both imported and locally produced sugar undergo rigorous inspection and testing before being cleared for sale.
KEBS urged the public to rely only on verified information from credible sources and disregard unverified claims circulating on social media and other informal platforms.
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