Distribution of aflatoxins in various fractions separated from raw peanuts and defatted peanut meal [Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, contamination]

• Published in: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 44 - 47
• Main Authors: Natarajan, K.R, Rhee, K.C, Cater, C.M, Mattil, K.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer‐Verlag 01.02.1975
• Subjects: Aflatoxins - analysis; Arachis - analysis; Plant Proteins - analysis
• ISSN: 0003-021X; 1558-9331
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02901821

The present investigation is the first definitive study of the distribution of aflatoxins in a wet‐milling process of raw peanuts. The results show that the majority of the aflatoxins originally present in the peanuts remained in the solid fractions, particularly the protein fraction, during wet‐milling. In the protein concentrate preparation, the concentrates carried 81–89% of the total toxin; crude oil, 5–8%; and whey fraction, 3–14%. In the case of protein isolate preparation, 51–56% of the total toxin remained with the isolates, 22–26% with the residue, 11–17% with the whey, and 7–8% with the crude oil. Distribution of aflatoxins in the preparation of protein isolates from defatted peanut meal showed that 55–65% of the total toxin originally present in the meal remained with the protein isolates, 20–28% with the residue, and 10–20% with the whey fraction. Changes in extraction pHs for the preparation of protein isolates either from raw peanuts or defatted meal did not alter the distribution pattern mentioned above. A new approach based upon charge‐transfer (electron acceptor‐donor) complex formation is suggested to shift this aflatoxin distribution from protein products to disposable whey or residue fraction during the processing of raw peanuts and defatted meal for protein products.