Role of the Division of Food Safety and Quality Control, Ministry of Public Health & Sanitation.

Introduction

The Division of Food safety and quality control is one of the core divisions within the Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation. The division is mandated to ensure safety of food meant for human consumption and protection of the consumer against foodborne diseases/illnesses. The division strives to ensure confidence in the food safety and integrity of the food supply in order to protect the health of the consumers. Consumers expect protection from hazards occurring along the entire food chain; from the primary producer through to the consumer (farm/water-to-table continuum). The division has a fundamental role to in ensuring that food derived from modern biotechnology applications or techniques meet biosafety requirements.

Biosafety is a concept that refers to measures put in place to mitigate or protect human health and the environment from possible adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety provides a comprehensive and holistic regime designed to ensure that the development, handling, transport and use of products of modern biotechnology are undertaken in a manner that maximizes benefits while preventing or reducing risks to the environment and human health. The Protocol is a subsidiary agreement to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Kenya signed the Biosafety Protocol in 2000 and fulfilled the ratification requirements in 2003. One of the key obligations expected from the Parties to the Protocol is promotion and facilitation of public awareness, education and participation in biosafety activities as stipulated in article 23.

The National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology is the designated competent authority that handles all matters pertaining to biosafety in Kenya. The National Biosafety Committee (NBC) is the technical arm of the Council charged with the mandates of overseeing coordination and implementation of biosafety issues. The multiple roles of NBC include receiving, reviewing and making approval or rejection decisions on applications to introduce biotechnology products for research or commercial purposes into the country. The NBC platform is a broad one with multi-stakeholder representation. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), the Division of Food Safety and Quality Control, and the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) are among the key biosafety regulatory agencies represented on the NBC

Approval process for handling of applications/requests by the NB

Biosafety issues under mandate of the institution:

• Surveillance, control and prevention of foodborne diseases/illnesses,
• Sampling of GMO food for analysis,
• Issuance of import and export certificates for GMO food,
• Inspection of GM food and food establishments.

GM products and regulatory activities handled under the mandate of the institution:

• GM food meant for human consumption including food aid and locally produced and marketed, imported and exported GMO food.

Point of interaction/interaction with other agencies:

• Member of NBC,
• Secretariat of National Food Safety Coordination Committee,
• Member of National Codex Committee,
• Member of several Technical Committees on development of food standards,
• The Department collaborates with the Director Veterinary Services in ensuring safety of food of animal origin.

Detection and screening of GMOs and GM products at the ports of entry:

• The Department does screening of documentation of GMO food and GMO food aid in accordance with NBC procedures.

Food safety assessments:

• The Department Participates in safety assessment of GM foods

Release and Post Environmental Release Monitoring:

• • Surveillance of GM foods after placement on the market to ascertain human safety upon consumption. This includes monitoring of any consumer health concerns.

1. Focal Contact Details

National Focal Point
Mr. Harrison K. Macharia (BCH National Focal Point)
Head, Biological Sciences, Chief Science Secretary
National Council for Science and Technology (NCST)
Utalii House, Uhuru Highway,
P.O. Box 30623,
Nairobi
Kenya.

Telephone: +254 20 318 249
Fax: +254 20 318 249

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2. Regulatory Agency Focal Point

Chief Public Health Officer
Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation
Afya House, Cathedral Road,
P.O. Box 30016-00100,
Nairobi
Kenya.

Telephone: +254 2717077
Fax: +254 2710055
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Our Partners

For more information please visit: -

National Biosafety Office

Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS)

Kenya Bureau of Standards

National Environment Management Agency (NEMA)

Pest Control Produce Board

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Department of Veterinary Services