UK issues travel alert over fake alcohol risk in Kenya

The United Kingdom has added Kenya to its list of countries where British travellers should exercise caution when consuming alcoholic drinks due to the risk of methanol poisoning from counterfeit or tainted beverages.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) announced that Kenya is among eight new countries where incidents of methanol poisoning involving travellers have been recorded.

Others include Nigeria, Uganda, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Russia.

The updated guidance expands on existing travel warnings for destinations such as Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, where British tourists have previously fallen victim to contaminated alcohol.

Methanol, an industrial alcohol found in substances like antifreeze and paint thinners, is sometimes illegally mixed with spirit-based drinks to cut costs.

Unlike ethanol – the main ingredient of alcoholic beverages – which is prepared by fermentation, methanol is processed through synthetic processes and is highly poisonous and should not be consumed.

The chemical is tasteless and odourless, making it nearly impossible to detect.

Even small amounts as little as 30ml can cause blindness or death within 12 to 48 hours of consumption, according to Doctors Without Borders.

Early signs of methanol poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion. More severe symptoms, such as blurred vision, blindness, and difficulty breathing, can develop within two days of consumption.

Hamish Falconer, the UK Minister for Consular and Crisis, urged British travellers visiting Kenya and other affected destinations to exercise caution, buy only sealed drinks from licensed outlets, and avoid homemade or pre-mixed cocktails.

In response, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) said all methanol in the country is denatured by adding denatonium benzoate, making it too bitter to be mistaken for alcohol.

“All methanol in the country is denatured by adding the bitterest chemical called denatonium benzoate. This means that methanol found in Kenya can never be mistaken for alcohol, as this component makes its taste extremely bitter for human ingestion,” the state agency said in a Wednesday statement.

An industry study released in May shows that illicit alcohol accounted for 60% of all alcohol sales in Kenya in 2024, as high taxes on legal drinks and the low prices of illicit liquor push people towards harmful drinks.

The survey by the London-based market research company Euromonitor attributed this to affordability, easy access and weak enforcement at the county level.