Making peanuts safe

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Aflatoxin in peanuts remains an unsolved problem for people with a small food budget, and a private sector partner is providing solutions

Contamination of peanuts and peanut products by aflatoxins pose serious health challenges for all populations. Consumed in high amounts over a long period, aflatoxin contributes to cancer, stunted growth and various cognitive diseases due to immune compromises. But the prevalence of peanuts unfit for human consumption is exceptionally high among low-income consumers in developing countries. In Kenya’s cities and towns, many peanut consumers live in high-density areas who cannot afford to pay for better quality products. Hence, they buy the lowest grades of peanuts, often rejected by food processors, supermarkets, and restaurants. With the help of the CRP-GLDC Innovation Fund, Athanas Matheka, owner and Managing Director of the Greenforest Foods Ltd set out to change this.

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Authors: Michael Hauser and Immaculate Edel, ICRISAT Nairobi

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