The Ministry of Health has raised concerns about consumable products on the market, noting that most do not meet the required nutritional threshold.

The ministry cited the 2025 Kenya Market Assessment Report, which found that only 10 per cent of packaged foods met the nutritional content threshold set by the Kenya Nutrient Profile Model.

The statistics indicate a shift in Kenyans' dietary preferences, with a move from natural, wholesome foods to processed and packaged foods harming the population's health.

Further reports indicate that processed food is quickly becoming a staple for Kenyans, particularly in urban areas. However, it contains excessive amounts of salt, fat and sugar, which is dangerous for the population's health.

The report by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), highlighted that at least 90 per cent of packaged food sold in most supermarkets had high fat, salt, and sugar content, lifting the lid on the dangers lurking in the packaged food sold in the Kenyan market.

This could lead to a surge in cases of non-communicable diseases, a trend that has put the government on high alert.

Consequently, the Health Ministry has revealed that plans are underway to implement measures that set specific limits for fat, sugar and sodium content across 21 categories of processed food sold in Kenya.

“The categorisation of foods will be in groups, especially in beverages, dairy, snacks, and cereals to tailor the nutrient threshold appropriately,” Public Health and Safety Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said.

The ATNI report also revealed that out of the packaged foods sold in Kenya, 50 per cent did not meet the health requirements, with 32.2 per cent classified as healthy, yet most of them are marketed as healthier options.

This was out of a pool containing carbonated drinks, rice, juices, pasta, noodles, biscuits and confectionery, dairy products and ice cream, cereals and instant coffee, edibles and sauces.

As such, Muthoni disclosed that the government would enforce tighter measures on the packaging of such foods to ensure that all the necessary details about the contents of the processed foods are revealed.

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“We have noticed a trend where such processed foods are sold with very attractive branding and graphics, but the front-of-pack labelling does not disclose whether it is healthy or unhealthy,” she noted.

To avert this, she assured that the ministry was looking at instituting reforms that would place the power of knowledge and choice in the hands of the consumers.