Aflatoxin limits for peanuts depend on where you sell and how the peanuts will be used. The EU is among the strictest markets, with separate limits for aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins. The US applies an FDA action level for total aflatoxins, and Gulf states follow their own Gulf and national standards.
Limits are reviewed from time to time. Use the figures below as a starting point and confirm the current rule with your own food authority before you write a contract.
European Union and UK
The EU sets maximum levels for contaminants in food in its contaminants regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/915, which replaced the older Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006. For groundnuts it has two sets of limits.
- Groundnuts for direct human consumption or use as a food ingredient: 2 µg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 4 µg/kg for total aflatoxins.
- Groundnuts to be sorted or physically treated before human consumption: 8 µg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 15 µg/kg for total aflatoxins.
Why the two EU limits matter
The higher limit only applies if the goods are clearly labelled and will be sorted or treated before reaching consumers. If your contract and labelling do not say so, the lower limit applies. Many rejections happen because the buyer and supplier assumed the higher limit.
The UK kept limits based on the EU rules after it left the EU. Check the current position with the Food Standards Agency, as UK and EU law can now diverge.
United States, Gulf and other markets
The US Food and Drug Administration uses an action level of 20 parts per billion (µg/kg) for total aflatoxins in peanuts and peanut products for human food. Feed limits are higher and depend on the animal. Many US buyers set tighter private limits in their own specs, so read the purchase specification, not just the regulation.
Gulf Cooperation Council states use Gulf standards issued through the GCC Standardization Organization, and individual countries can add their own rules. Other markets often refer to Codex Alimentarius, which has set a maximum level of 15 µg/kg total aflatoxins for peanuts intended for further processing.
Limits, product categories and sampling rules differ between these markets. Ask your importer, customs broker or the national food authority for the current limit for your exact product.
Limits only work with proper sampling
Aflatoxin is spread very unevenly through a lot. A few contaminated kernels can carry most of the toxin. A small grab sample can pass while the lot fails at the border. The EU sets sampling rules for official checks, and your contract should ask for samples drawn in a comparable way. How this works in practice is covered in how aflatoxin in Indian peanuts is tested and controlled, and reading the result in reading a lab certificate.
How we help
We write your market's aflatoxin limit and sampling method into the spec, then have samples tested at an NABL-accredited lab before shipment. To set this up for your next peanut order, ask for a free sourcing review.