UK GOVERNMENT ISSUES TRAVEL ALERT OVER FAKE ALCOHOL IN KENYA

The United Kingdom has issued a new travel advisory, cautioning its citizens about the potential dangers of consuming alcoholic drinks in Kenya. 

This warning, prompted by confirmed cases of methanol poisoning among travellers, places Kenya on a list of countries where vigilance is essential. In an update from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Kenya was named alongside seven other nations Nigeria, Uganda, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Russia where such incidents have been reported. 

The advisory expands on existing warnings for destinations like Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Methanol, a toxic industrial chemical used in products like antifreeze, is sometimes illicitly added to spirits as a cheap substitute for safe, consumable ethanol. While ethanol is produced through fermentation, methanol is synthetically made and is highly poisonous even in small quantities.

A particular danger of methanol is that it is both odourless and tasteless, making contamination undetectable to consumers. Symptoms often mimic common illness, including nausea and dizziness, but can rapidly escalate to blurred vision, respiratory difficulty and coma.

Responding to the alert, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has stated that all methanol legally sold within the country is denatured with denatonium benzoate, “The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) assures the public that all methanol in the country is denatured with denatonium benzoate, the world’s most bitter chemical, to prevent accidental or intentional consumption.”