The occurrence of aflatoxins in peanuts imported into Czechoslovakia for human consumption

Abstract

Results of 492 analyses for aflatoxin in raw shelled peanuts imported into Czechoslovakia during 1982-1984 are presented. Most samples (55.3%) had aflatoxin content less than the detection limit of the radioimmunochemical screening method (0.8 micrograms/kg). Further analyses showed that 239 out of 410 samples of roasted peanuts contained aflatoxin below the detection limit. Only 1.9% of all peanut samples were found to have contamination level more than 5 micrograms/kg aflatoxin. The highest levels of aflatoxin observed were in a raw peanut sample containing 202.1 micrograms/kg and in a roasted peanut sample containing 32.6 micrograms/kg.