Aflatoxin control program for Peanuts

Under provisions of a USDA Marketing Agreement, an aflatoxin control program for peanuts produced in the United States is administered by the Peanut Administrative Committee composed of peanut growers and shellers. Regulations of this committee contain provisions about the quality of peanuts acquired from farmers, storage of unshelled peanuts, aflatoxin testing, quality and disposition of processed lots, and indemnification of handlers for losses caused by lots which test over 25 parts-perbillion aflatoxin. Effects of the control program on aflatoxin concentrations in peanut products are discussed. Paper number 4978 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, NC 27607.