Infection of Aspergillus Flavus and Physical Quality of Peanuts Collected from Farmers,Local Markets,and Processors

Sixteen peanut samples collected from farmers, collectors, retailers and food processors in Banjarnegara District, Central Java were analyzed for their physical quality and A. flavus infection. On average, the moisture content of peanut kernels was 8.8%, while the damaged kernels (46.7%) and A. flavus infection (45.1%) were considerably high. Six, five and five samples were infected by non-toxic (-), slightly toxic (+), and toxic (++) A. flavus, respectively. Infection of A. flavus positively correlated with damaged kernel (r =0.71). This suggests that high damaged kernels and infection of A. flavus need to be decreased through proper handling and storage practices.