Abstract
Aflatoxin B1, contamination was surveyed in Virginia, large-type, (5,595 lots) and Spanish-Runner, small-type (19,863 lots), raw shelled peanuts, imported to Japan during September 1972 to December 1991. The regulation level of aflatoxin B1 in food is 10 ppb in Japan. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 0.4% (24 lots of 5,595) of large-type raw shelled peanut samples, and 0.1% (5 lots) of the samples were rejected as having above the regulation level of aflatoxin B1. Aflatoxin B1 contamination of small-type raw shelled peanuts was detected in exports from 20 of 31 countries. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 3.4% (670 of 19,863 lots) of small-type raw shelled peanut samples and 1.4% (269 lots) were rejected as having above the regulation level of aflatoxin B1. The mean aflatoxin B1 levels for large-and small-type raw shelled peanuts were 56 ppb (range 0.3-608 ppb) and 202 ppb (range 0.1-8,065 ppb), respectively.
