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The effect of village processing techniques on the content of aflatoxins in corn and peanuts in Zambia
Author(s) -
Njapau Henry,
Muzungaile Elizabeth M,
Changa Raban C
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199803)76:3<450::aid-jsfa970>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - aflatoxin , food science , bran , roasting , chemistry , mycotoxin , blanching , boiling , raw material , organic chemistry
Abstract The effect of village processing techniques on the aflatoxin content of corn and peanut products was investigated. In 30 trials, corn kernels were dehulled (bran removal), soaked for 24 h, washed and dried before grinding into flour and boiling in water to a thick consistency ( Nshima ). Shelled peanuts were either dry‐roasted as whole kernels or ground into peanut meal and cooked. Dehulling, following by 24‐h soaking (steeping) and subsequent washing significantly ( P <0·05) reduced the aflatoxin B 1 content of corn flour from 900 to 150 μg kg −1 , and similarly that of aflatoxin G 1 from 929 to 114 μg kg −1 . Preparation of Nshima did not result into a substantial reduction in aflatoxin content, neither did extension of the cooking duration of 2 h afford any further decontamination. Whereas boiling peanut meal yielded a moderate reduction in the content of aflatoxins B 1 and G 1 , roasting whole peanut kernels greatly reduced ( P <0·001) the concentrations of the toxins from that in raw kernels (AFB 1 = 8600 μg kg −1 and AFG 1 =6200 μg kg −1 ) to 1300 and 1200 μg kg −1 , respectively. These results indicate that specific processing techniques carried out in Zambian villages are effective in reducing aflatoxin carry‐over into edible fractions, while others are not. © 1998 SCI.