No, the popular Kenyan milk brand did not fail tests for toxic chemicals
In short, online claims show that Kenya’s milk brands contain harmful chemicals tested by the Kenya Standards Bureau. The post used manufactured graphics and the station confirmed that the claim was false.
Several posts claim that the popular milk brand in Kenya is causing cancer and other serious health problems.
Many of the posts circulating online include Tuko branded graphics showing two packets of Mt. Milk in Kenya.
The graphic text reads, “Kenya Milk Mountains have been tested by Kevs and found to contain chemicals that can cause brain cancer and blindness in humans.”
The Kenya Standards Authority (KEBS) together with other major agencies ensures that milk and other foods are safe.
The blog post adds details claiming that 801 milk samples were collected from supermarkets in cities such as Nairobi, Mel, Embu and Mombasa. According to the blog, 622 is known to contain harmful chemicals and is considered unsafe.
They also claim that these chemicals can cause serious health issues, including cancer, renal failure, pediatric stunting, reproductive problems, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Together, the post received over 325,000 views and hundreds of comments.
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Context and background
Milk is one of the most consumed products in Kenya. It is handled by several companies, including the Melcentral Daily Co-op, best known for the Mount Kenya brand.
Like other foods, milk is regularly tested to ensure safety. Pollutants such as aflatoxins, pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins can occur due to poor processing. Aflatoxins in particular are carcinogenic and can occur when livestock consume contaminated feed.
Kenya faces concerns about contamination, including high aflatoxin levels and harmful preservatives.
The post claims that Kevs confirmed that the Kenya Mountain brand is highly toxic. If accurate, this will raise serious public health concerns.
But is the claim true? I checked.
There is no evidence of milk claims in Mt. Kenya
The blog does not specify which bodies performed the research it suspects it refers to. We searched and found such recent or reliable studies.
Graphics, which are distributed on social media, are the branding of the popular Tuko News website. However, no such stories were found on Tuco’s official website or social media accounts. Instead, the website flagged a blurry version of the same graphics as fake, making it clear that it didn’t come from the platform. Kevs also flagged the graphics as fake.
Additionally, the brand’s owners have posted a statement signed to Facebook from Kayes and the Kenya Dairy Commission dated March 24, 2025.
