Kinetics of aflatoxin degradation during peanut roasting

This study investigated aflatoxin degradation during peanut roasting. First, peanuts contaminated with three initial aflatoxin concentrations (35, 332 and 695μg/kg) were roasted at 180°C for up to 20min. The percentage of aflatoxin degradation after 20min were 55, 64 and 81% for peanuts contaminated with aflatoxin at 35, 332 and 695μg/kg, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05), showing that initial concentration influences aflatoxin reduction. Thereafter, peanut samples contaminated with an initial aflatoxin concentration of 85μg/kg were roasted at 160, 180 and 200°C for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25min, then residual concentrations of aflatoxin were determined. Roasting at 160, 180 and 200°C resulted in an aflatoxin reduction of 61.6, 83.6 and 89.7%, respectively. This study has provided quantitative data reinforcing the fact that roasting alone is not enough to control aflatoxins in peanuts.