Extrusion Cooking of Peanut Meal in the Presence of Lysine to Deactivate Aflatoxin and Improve Nutritional Quality

Approach

The goal of UGA 01A, was based on the hypothesis that extrusion cooking of peanut meal in the presence of lysine may deactivate aflatoxin and improve nutritional quality.

Achievements

Studies indicated the possibility of destroying aflatoxin at either slightly elevated pH’s or in the presence of nucleophiles, or both, either in buffer solution or during extrusion. With aflatoxin-contaminated peanut meal, in the presence of nucleophiles (lysine, glycine or methylamine) there is a significant reduction (84%) in aflatoxins B1, G1, B2, and G2. Residence time in the laboratory-scale extruder used in this research is about 0.5-1 minute. While certain of the cooked, denatured peanut meals might not be useful in food products requiring soluble, native proteins, many other foods made by extrusion and extruded meals may benefit from these ingredients where functionally is less important. A growing concern in Ghana with regard to aflatoxin contamination of foods, specifically peanuts and corn, was increasing support for research studies on this problem. A breakthrough with use of extrusion technologies to reduce or eliminate aflatoxins and assure or create new nutritious food products will have socioeconomic impact in Ghana and worldwide, where aflatoxins in foods are an issue.

Focus

Aflatoxin contamination