Aflatoxin in Indian peanuts is controlled mainly by drying pods quickly, storing them dry and removing damaged and discoloured kernels by grading and sorting. It is then tested in a lab, usually by HPLC or LC-MS/MS, on a large, well-mixed sample.
No step removes the risk on its own. Control in the field and store lowers the starting level, sorting takes out the worst kernels, and testing confirms the lot meets your limit.
Where aflatoxin comes from
Aflatoxins are produced by moulds, mainly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They can infect peanuts in the soil, especially when plants suffer drought or heat late in the season, and after harvest when pods stay damp. Insect and mechanical damage give the mould an easy way in.
Control before testing
- Harvest timing: lifting at maturity and avoiding long field delays.
- Drying: drying pods quickly to a safe moisture and keeping them off wet ground.
- Storage: dry, ventilated stores and no rewetting of pods or kernels.
- Shelling and grading: screening out small, shrivelled and immature kernels, which carry more risk.
- Sorting: colour sorting and hand picking to remove discoloured, mouldy and damaged kernels.
- Blanching: removing the skin makes defects easier to see and sort, which further lowers levels.
How testing is done
Because a few kernels can hold most of the toxin, the sample must be large and drawn from many points in the lot. The EU sets sampling rules for official checks of mycotoxins, which require a large aggregate sample built from many incremental samples. The whole sample is ground or made into a slurry, mixed, and then a sub-sample is tested.
- Screening: rapid ELISA kits or test strips give a quick yes or no in the plant.
- Confirmation: HPLC with fluorescence detection or LC-MS/MS measures B1, B2, G1 and G2 and gives total aflatoxins.
- Lab choice: use an accredited lab, such as one accredited by NABL in India, with aflatoxin in its scope.
- Report: ask for B1 and total, the method, the limit of quantification and the sample reference.
Export controls and what to ask for
Groundnut is a product under APEDA, and India runs a control procedure for groundnut exports to some markets, including the EU. It has covered registration of shelling and grading units, testing by approved labs and certification of consignments. The details change, so ask your supplier for their current registration and check the procedure with APEDA. Background on the authority is in what APEDA is and whether your supplier needs to be registered.
Ask for a lab report on the actual lot, not a generic certificate. Agree in the contract how the sample is drawn, who draws it and which lab tests it. Keep a sealed counter sample in case of a dispute at the border.
How we help
We draw samples ourselves during loading, seal them and send them to an NABL-accredited lab, then share the original report with you. We also check the plant's drying, storage and sorting during the audit. For a peanut aflatoxin plan, ask for a free sourcing review.