EU aflatoxin limits for peanuts are set in Regulation (EU) 2023/915 and differ by intended use. Groundnuts that will be sorted or treated before sale are allowed higher levels than groundnuts sold for direct consumption or used as an ingredient. For the latter, the limits are 2 micrograms per kilogram for aflatoxin B1 and 4 for the total of B1, B2, G1 and G2. Check the current regulation before you contract.
Salmonella checks on sesame from India have been a recurring issue at the EU border. Because official control lists change, ask your broker for the current position instead of relying on an older note.
How do the aflatoxin limits for peanuts work?
Aflatoxin is a toxin from moulds that grow on groundnuts in warm, damp conditions. The limit applies to the lot as sampled under the EU sampling rules. Because contamination is uneven, a small number of bad kernels can fail a large lot. The aflatoxin limits that apply to peanuts in the EU, US and Middle East compares the markets.
Your supplier controls what it can: buying dry, sound raw material, rejecting mouldy kernels by colour sorting, and storing at the right moisture. How aflatoxin is tested and controlled explains the steps.
Think about the route too. Heat and humidity in transit raise the risk of mould, so ask for dry, sealed packing and sound containers. A clean certificate at loading does not protect a lot that sits damp in a hot yard for a week. Specify the container inspection and the lining, and check the load photos.
Why are there salmonella checks on sesame from India?
Sesame is a dry seed, but it can carry salmonella from the field, drying yards or handling. It is usually eaten without cooking, as in tahini or on bread, so the risk matters. Indian sesame has been subject to extra EU checks in the past. Why Indian sesame was under extra EU checks gives the background.
Under heightened checks, lots may need an official certificate with lab results issued before they leave India, and the border may sample as well. The detail depends on the current implementing regulation, so confirm it with your customs broker or the European Commission's food safety pages.
What a supplier must be able to show
Ask for these items before you place an order:
- Recent aflatoxin results from an accredited lab on lots like yours, with the sampling method.
- A description of how raw material is bought, sorted and stored.
- A salmonella control step such as steam treatment, and the records for it.
- Lot traceability from purchase to dispatch.
- Willingness to let an independent person take a sample before loading.
Planning around the checks
Build testing into the timetable and the contract. State the limit, the lab and what happens if a lot fails. Cost depends on the tests and the grade, so a real quote comes from a sourcing review. Read reading a lab certificate so you can judge reports yourself.
Next step
We audit the plant, have lots tested and watch loading. Book a free sourcing review.