Most packaged food in Kenya would need health warning label under new rules: report
Kenya released its nutrient profile model this month, and committed to using it to develop front-of-package labels.
The report by the non-profit Access to Nutrition Initiative found that under those rules, 90% of products sold by both international companies like Coca-Cola and Nestle and local firms such as Brookside Dairy Ltd and Manji Foods Industries contained either too much salt, sugar or saturated fat.
Around two-thirds of the products would also be deemed "unhealthy" based on models used internationally like Nutri-Score, which — unlike the Kenyan model — also take into account positive nutrients.
Neither the Kenyan government nor the companies responded to requests for comment.
ATNI has previously tracked products globally and in countries like the US and India, but the Kenya report, alongside one from Tanzania, is the first of its kind in an African country.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
5 hours ago
- The South African
Caracal killed by off-lead pack of dogs in Deep South
A male caracal has been killed in a dog attack near Soetwater in Kommetjie, raising urgent concerns about irresponsible pet ownership and its deadly impact on local wildlife. According to the Urban Caracal Project, the attack involved four off-lead domestic dogs, allegedly walked into the area by a woman approaching from the direction of the crayfish factory – an area where dogs are strictly prohibited. The location is also recognised as a vital African oystercatcher breeding site, further compounding the ecological damage caused by the incident. Wildlife experts and conservationists have condemned the event, calling it a stark reminder of the threat dogs pose to native fauna, even when unintentionally. 'Dogs are non-native predators in these natural spaces,' conservationists explained. 'Even without meaning to, they trample nests, harass animals, and in tragic cases like this, kill wildlife.' Caracals – medium-sized wild cats native to South Africa – are especially vulnerable to dog attacks. On the Cape Peninsula, adult male caracals weigh around 11.4kg, compared to domestic dogs that often weigh more than three times as much. This size disadvantage, combined with pack behaviour, makes fatal outcomes likely in dog encounters. Adding to the threat, dogs can transmit diseases like canine distemper, which can infect wild cats and cause serious illness or death. A mortality analysis of Cape Town's caracals indicates that dog attacks are a significant and growing cause of death among the species, alongside other human-related threats like vehicle collisions and poisoning. Wildlife advocates are urging all pet owners to follow regulations strictly: Keep dogs on a lead in all shared natural areas in all shared natural areas Avoid walking dogs in restricted zones , including known wildlife corridors and breeding habitats , including known wildlife corridors and breeding habitats Pick up after pets to reduce the spread of parasites and disease to reduce the spread of parasites and disease Ensure vaccinations are up to date, especially for illnesses that can affect wild populations 'Natural spaces must be safe havens for wildlife,' conservationists warn. 'It only takes one careless walk for irreversible damage to be done.' The incident has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of leash laws and better signage in sensitive areas. Authorities are expected to follow up on the reports, though no formal statement has yet been issued regarding possible legal action or fines. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Eyewitness News
6 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Global Fund to cut R1.4 billion to SA for HIV, TB and malaria
The Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and malaria (Global Fund) has notified Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi that it will reduce funding to South Africa by R1.4 billion. Global Fund said it would be reducing allocations for the seventh grant cycle from R8.5 billion to about R7.1 billion, a 16% reduction. Of this, 55% would be allocated to the National Department of Health and the rest to non-profit organisations such as the Networking HIV & AIDS Community of Southern Africa, Beyond Zero, and the AIDS Foundation of South Africa. The fund informed recipient countries in May that it would be revising over 200 grants amidst funding shortfalls. Global Fund was established in 2002 and provides funding for HIV, TB and malaria programmes in over 100 countries. According to its 2024 results report, 72% of its funding from 2021 to 2024 went to sub-Saharan Africa. Other African countries also received notification of funding cuts. Mozambique's allocation decreased by 12%, Malawi's by 8% and Zimbabwe by 11%. The shortfall in funding is due to Global Fund not having received money pledged by national governments. Over US$4 billion of the shortfall is due to the United States not fulfilling its pledge. We reported last month how Mozambique's health system has crumbled amidst USAID funding cuts. In South Africa, funding cuts from PEPFAR earlier this year have led to clinics closing down, health staff getting retrenched, and people struggling to access HIV medication. 'As you know, the external financing landscape for global health programs is going through significant changes, with substantial impact on lifesaving services for the fight against the three diseases and health and community systems,' the Global Fund said in its letter to South African representatives. The letter continued that while the Global Fund has 'received some significant donor payments in recent days', prospects to give the full grant cycle 7 (GC7) pledges 'remain highly uncertain' and still face a risk of funding shortfalls. 'This is a difficult and unavoidable decision, which may require your country to reconsider how best to use the remaining GC7 grant amounts together with domestic resources and other sources of funds to keep saving lives,' the Global Fund said.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Legacy of Uganda's end-of-life 'grandmother' lives on
Josephine Namwanjje (right), 28, prays while holding a Bible for her brother Jonathan Luzige, a colon cancer patient, at their home in Nabbingo. Hospice Africa Uganda, founded in 1993 by Dr Anne Merriman, brought holistic end-of-life care to Uganda at a time when it was offered in only three African countries Image: Badru Katumba / AFP In a small home in Uganda's capital, Jane Mwesige, a nurse with a hospice that has transformed African end-of-life care, breaks into a gospel song about surrendering to God, a favourite of her patient Jonathan Luzige. These home visits, combining affordable medical care and spiritual support, are part of Mwesige's routine with Hospice Africa Uganda. Founded in 1993 by Dr Anne Merriman, it brought holistic end-of-life care to Uganda at a time when it was offered in only three African countries. By the time Merriman died this May, aged 90, she had treated more than 40,000 Ugandans and her model had spread to 37 countries on the continent. In his worn-brick home, Luzige's colon cancer makes it difficult to move, but he eagerly joins in the singing. "I feel very happy, and it made me feel stronger knowing there are people who are able to care for me," said Luzige, 30. Jane Mwesige (Centre), a nurse at Hospice Africa Uganda, knocks the door of patient Jonathan Luzige's home while carrying morphine and other medicines for a home visit in Nabbingo. Image: Badru Katumba / AFP "Palliative care is all about taking care of patients," said Mwesige. "Every one of us, or one of our relatives, may need the service." Born in Britain to Irish parents, Merriman trained as a doctor and became a nun before leaving her order to help establish palliative care in Singapore. When she arrived in Uganda, it was in the grips of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and she had raised only enough charitable funding for three months of work and a skeleton crew. The famously persuasive Merriman convinced Uganda's government to allow the import of morphine powder, which she used to make an oral solution she had developed in Singapore. Simple enough to make in a bucket over her kitchen sink, it became invaluable to thousands. Hospice Africa Uganda, which now runs from a mix of NGO and charitable funding, distributes the solution in recycled plastic bottles for free to hospitals and clinicians. Mary Nakaliika, 24, an adopted daughter of Dr. Anne Merriman and nurse who treated her in her last days in Kampala. By the time Merriman died in May 2025, aged 90, she had treated more than 40 000 patients in Uganda and her model had spread to 37 African countries. Image: Badru Katumba / AFP
