Aromat makers accuse biosafety authority of being malicious

Manufacturers of Aromat seasoning have defended the product against allegations that it was harmful.

Unilever Kenya maintains Aromat did not contain Genetically Modified (GM) content and dismissed claims by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) that the product was putting consumers’ lives at risk.

Unilever Kenya secretary Inviolata Oriwo said on Wednesday that Aromat had been in the market since 2001 and no health complaints had been raised against it.

“Aromat is not a new product as claimed by the authority. The allegation that it is harmful is baseless and malicious,” Ms Oriwo said.

She added that the safety of Aromat had been confirmed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and that there had never been any suggestion that the certification was erroneous.

Ms Oriwo also opposed an application by the NBA seeking to lift orders which restrained it from recalling and stopping the sale of the product.

“The facts of the case clearly call for investigations of the issues raised since the company has not breached the law or committed any offence as claimed by the authority,” Ms Oriwo said.

The NBA sought to lift the orders, saying, Aromat had been found by other government agencies to contain GM content, which continued to put the lives of consumers at risk.

Justice Isaac Lenaola had stopped the authority from banning the sale or interfering in any way with the distribution of Aromat pending hearing and determination of the case.

The judge also stopped the arrest and prosecution of Unilever’s directors and employees in relation to the sale of the product.

Unilever said it had been an importer and distributor of Aromat food seasoning since 2001 with necessary certification and labelling as authorised by Kebs.