Description

Abstract: This research aims to characterize the structure of the raw peanut supply chain in Thailand and aflatoxin contamination in the supply chain. The raw peanut supply chain starts from farmers who sell raw peanut to collectors or shelling plants. The collectors will then send dried peanut pods to shelling plants. After processing the peanut pods, the shelling plants will distribute peanut kernels to food industries, wholesalers and traders. Peanut kernels will then be passed through retailers, users and consumers successively. Aflatoxin contamination in the raw peanut supply chain has a log-normal distribution. Based on 40 samples from the shelling plants, 40 samples from the wholesalers, and 40 samples from the retailers, the risk of aflatoxin contamination more than 20 ppb increased when peanuts in the shelling plants were passed through retailers (64%-98%). Based from 220 peanut samples from retailers in Bangkok, the risk of aflatoxin contamination more than 20 ppb during August-September 2005 (temperature range of 24.0-37.2