The Safe Foods Reference Laboratory (SAF- LAB)

SAFE FOODS REFERENCE LABORATORY

(SAF-LAB-PROJECT)

INFRUSTRUCTURE SUPPORT GRANT BY

NATIONAL RESEARCH FUND - KENYA

 MANDATE

“Contributing to quality laboratory analysis for safe foods and feeds to satisfy market demands for Kenya’s produce”

The Safe Foods Reference Laboratory (SAF- LAB), Egerton University

Location

The SAF- LAB is located at Njoro campus, 22km from Nakuru off Nairobi-Kisumu highway, approximately 200km from Nairobi, and 170 Km away from Kisumu city and is housed in Room PL12 located on the 1^st floor of the Physical Sciences Complex within Tatton Agricultural Park, Njoro campus, Kenya

SAF-LAB EQUIPMENT, WEBSITE, BANK DETAILS & CONTACT PERSON

A: WEBPAGE DISPLAYING SAFLAB EQUIPMENT, FUNCTIONS AND USES

https://research.egerton.ac.ke/news-list/safe-lab-project

B:  THE BANK, ACCOUNT NAME AND ACCOUNT NUMBER OF THE SAFLAB FACILITY

Kenya Commercial Bank – Egerton branch

Project Account Name: E.U. OSSREA YOUNG SCH PROJECT

Project Account Number: 110-185-3492

C: PARTICULARS OF THE CONTACT PERSON

Name: Prof. Charles Muleke Inyagwa  - Project Coordinator and Contact Person

Mobile : +254 (0) 722 912 661

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

Office:  Room PL12, Physical Sciences Complex, Njoro Campus, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The National Research Fund (NRF) - Kenya funded the Safe Foods Reference Laboratory (SAF- LAB), facility at Egerton University at Ksh.39,006,150.00 in 2018, to establish and equip a modern food safety reference laboratory. This is after the institution successfully bided and won the highly competitive pioneer infrastructure grant from amongst other training institutions in Kenya. The facility was launched and commissioned by the Principal Secretary, State Department for University Education and Research, Amb. Simon Nabukwesi, on the 18^th June, 2021. Prior to this, the NRF - Board of Trustees (BOT) held a stakeholder meeting to inspect and validate the facility at Egerton University on 15^th June, 2021, lead by Prof. Walter Oyawa, Dr. Habil Olaka, Mr. Jared Osoro and Jemimah Onsare (NRF-CEO). The infrastructure is strategically positioned at Egerton to serve as food safety reference laboratory equipped with modern research facilities to serve researchers countrywide. It comprises the advanced parasitology, analytical chemistry and microbiology wings. The facility is used for the detection of toxic heavy metals, antibiotic residuals, poisons, toxins and pathogenic microbes to ensure food safety and increase consumer confidence at national and international market. Investment in these research equipment is expected to spur the horticultural industry in Kenya to meet export market standards as farmers will be in a position to have their produce tested for the detection of pesticides and herbicides in vegetables, fruits, flowers and will significantly contribute to the quality of laboratory analyses for safe foods, feeds and water to meet the local, regional and international export markets for Kenya’s produce. Work at this facility is complimenting food safety efforts undertaken by other relevant agencies such as KEBS, PCPB, Gov’t Chemist. Egerton University sincerely appreciates the efforts by NRF in creating a provision for equipping our academia institutions which also fulfils the targets under the national education sector strategic plan for 2018-2022.  This report provides an in depth technical and financial account, the sharing framework and sustainability plan of the SAF LAB at Egerton University

INTRODUCTION

The concern for safe foods is both an individual, family, community, national and global issue that requires serious attention. The loss of health due to consumption of unsafe foods leading to lost working hours, high cost of treatment and even death be-hooves professionals to greatly minimize the risks of human exposure to possible agents that can cause ill health. These include pathogenic microorganisms, antibiotic residues, herbicides, insecticides, acaricides and other toxins. Detection and determination of the levels of these disease causing agents is key to providing sound advice and intervention in reducing human exposure and associated risks. Cancer cases in Kenya have greatly increased, multiple resistant microorganisms have appeared, increased cases of allergies, food poisoning, death due eating of infected meats and aflatoxin poisoning have occurred at different times in Kenya. The European Union has imposed stringent measures to stop Kenyan vegetables, fruits and flower exports with high pesticide levels from accessing their market leading to huge losses. Foods, feeds and water in the Kenyan markets do not at times have the requisite concentrations of minerals and vitamins for the intended health benefits for man and animals. It is therefore important to determine the suitability of foods, feeds and water in terms of mineral and vitamins. It is envisaged that the SAF- LAB laboratory established at Egerton will commercially be used; for undertaking analysis of drugs, poisons, minerals and vitamins in foods, feeds and water for economic and forensic use; analysis of pesticides in vegetables, fruits and flowers for domestic and export purposes; produce useful microorganisms for use in food preparations and preservation in conjunction with food industries; produce food and feed supplements for industry; and training facility for in-service county courses and graduate in microbiology and toxicology. The SAF- LAB is playing an essential role in establishing uniform procedures in the country’s official food and feed controls. The improvement of the food safety and control system is of critical importance not only for Kenya’s pre-accession process but also for domestic production and trade. The laboratory is contributing to the quality and reliability of laboratory analyses and the improvement of consumer confidence as well as compliment efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the government chemist in aligning the Kenyan food, feeds and water control system with that of the world markets. In addition, the laboratory will improve the National capacity to deal with forensic cases that at times takes too long thus making jurisprudence difficult.

Funding of the SAF- LAB

The National Research Fund (NRF) funded the facility at Ksh. 39,006,150.00 under National Research Fund (NRF) Infrastructure Grant No: NRF/1/IFRA/015-2018, towards procuring, installing and commissioning scientific equipment at the SAF- LAB and creating visibility about the SAF- LAB through Website. To date SAF- LAB has procured and installed high end scientific equipment valued at Ksh. 39,006,150.00.

SAF LAB Vision/Goal

Striving towards safe and quality foods, feeds and water through excellent laboratory analysis to comply with national and international standards.

General Objectives

Contributing to the quality of laboratory analyses for safe foods, feeds and water to stakeholders and consumers.

Specific Objectives

1. To equip a modern SAF- LAB laboratory building at Egerton University, Njoro
2. To procure, install and commission the SAF- LAB equipment.
3. To enhance existing technical capacity and operationalise SAF- LAB facility.

Outcomes

1. Modern SAF- LAB equipment installed and
2. Integrated SAF- LAB building equipped at Egerton University
3. Research capacity of academic and technical staff
4. Undergraduates, post graduates and in-service students
5. Consultancies in safe foods, feeds and water

Benefits of SAF LAB to Egerton University and Other Stakeholders

1. Provides high end equipment for cutting edge
2. Enhanced research capacity of academic and technical staff
3. Train undergraduates, post graduates and county government personnel
4. Contribute to the quality of laboratory analysis for food safety to meet local, regional and international export markets for Kenya’s
5. Provide consultancies in safe foods, feeds and water at the facility
6. Support standardization of food safety quality control procedures
7. Contribute to the quality and reliability of laboratory analyses
8. Improve the national capacity to deal with forensic cases.
9. Contribute to reliability of laboratory analyses and for consumer confidence
10. Compliment food safety efforts by MoALF, KBS, PCPB, Gov’t Chemist

Areas of Focus for the SAF- LAB

• Food, feeds & water safety reference laboratory for detection of pathogenic microbes, heavy metals, drugs, poisons & toxins.
• Mineral analysis - analysis of minerals and pesticides in vegetables, fruits and flowers for domestic and export.
• Microbiology - produce useful microorganisms and supplements.
• Training and research facility for in-service county courses and graduate in microbiology.
• Experiential short courses for students and colleges technologists
• Commercial sample analysis