NEWS:

29 May, 2015


The Department of Food Science and Technology at LUANAR is conducting a research meant to address the problem of aflatoxin in groundnuts.

The collaborative research which also involves the University of and Virginia Tech from USA is titled Aflatoxin Management Interventions, Education and Analysis at various steps within the value chain in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia is being funded by USAID.

One of the key focus areas of the project is the control of aflatoxin groundnut products.

Aflatoxins are chemical metabolites that contaminate groundnuts and other crops in the field or during post-harvest handling.

High aflatoxin levels pose human health risks and are also a barrier to expanding trade and commercial use of groundnuts and other crops therefore a need to get lead of them.

According to Project Principal Investigator at LUANAR, Dr Agness Mwangwela, the project aims to assess the need for development and transfer of appropriate good manufacturing practices tailored to small and medium scale peanut processors.

“In addition it aims at developing new and improving existing processes and products in the country and developing and transfer of appropriate processing technologies to mitigate aflatoxin in the final peanut based product. ,” said Dr Mwangwela.

She further said her department will identify and engage local peanut processors in the project activities which includes post-harvest interventions aimed at reducing aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts.

The project’s key research areas include; Quality characterisation and improvement of peanut butter on the Malawian retail market, Edible oil extraction from groundnut grade-outs and Characterisation and improvement of groundnut flour processing in Malawi.