Aflatoxins in Raw and Processed Peanuts Commercialized in Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Abstract

From a total of 131 samples of raw and processed peanut commercialized in several supermarkets of Florianopolis city, the capital of Santa Catarina State, collected from December, 1998 to July, 1999 and surveyed for aflatoxin contamination, only 12% of them were contaminated (being the most contaminated the pacoquinha followed by fried peanut with testae). The levels of aflatoxin B₁ and G₁ in the pacoquinha samples reached up to 127.3 and 57.1 μgkg^-1 respectively which were higher than the MRL allowed by the Brazilian legislation (30 μgkg^-1). On the other hand, no aflatoxin contamination was detected in the following peanut products : fried and roasted peanut without testae, roasted peanut covered with honey, peanut with chocolate, Japanese peanut, and peanut butter of all brands surveyed, as well as on all raw peanut samples, corresponding to 88% of the total samples.