Toxic peanut butter: Can you test yours at home?
"If you've been using a particular brand for a long time, it doesn't mean it's safe," warns food scientist Dr Tony Obilana.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Tony Obilana, a Food Scientist at the Cape Peninsula Technology University (CPUT), about whether testing for aflatoxins in peanut products at home is possible.
The National Consumer Commission has recalled several of South Africa's top-selling peanut butter brands.
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It found brands manufactured by House of Natural Butters contained unacceptably high levels of a naturally occurring mycotoxin called Aflatoxin - a poisonous substance produced by certain fungi that are naturally found on crops like peanuts, tree nuts, maize and grains - which can be detrimental to humans.
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The regulator also called for urgent tests of peanut butter products by all producers.
Consumer Commission calls for testing of ALL peanut butter products
While manufacturers test for toxic peanut butter, can we do so at home?
The short answer is 'no'.
Testing kits are hard to come by and not designed for use by consumers.
"There are testing kits available which you can use to test for aflatoxins but most of the kits that available are only suitable for certified labs and professionals to use rather than consumers at home. These kits often involve using specialised equipment and expertise to ensure accurate results."
- Dr Tony Obilana, Food Scientist - CPUT
"If you've been using a particular brand for a long time, it doesn't mean it's always safe. The manufacturer might not be using the same supplier all the time and there's a possibility that a new supplier who comes on board can supply a bad batch of peanuts. This isn't something that's done on purpose; it could just mean that a particular batch wasn't sampled for testing."
- Dr Tony Obilana, Food Scientist - CPUT
If you have a peanut butter brand that's on the recall list, don't panic, take it back to the store for a refund and be vigilant about the types of peanut butter that aren't safe to eat right now.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.