Management Practices of Peanuts Applied by Producers of Manhica and Magude Districts and Consumers of Five Markets of Maputo Municipalities and the Contribution of these Practices for the Exposure to Aflatoxins

Author(s): Elsa Maria Salvador, Felícia Maurício Cumbe

The excessive humidity and high temperature favor peanuts to be contaminated with fungi producers of aflatoxins, which has adverse effects to the health of consumers. The aflatoxins can develop in any step of chain peanuts production when the management fails. The present study aimed to assess the practices of maneuverer of peanuts from the producing place of consumption and its influence to contamination by aflatoxins. It was a descriptive study held in Magude and Manhiça and five markets of Maputo, Mozambique. A questionnaire with semi-structured questions were used to collect data about the practices of producing, storage and consumption. In the two Districts the peanut is cultivated traditionally with weak technical assistance and in consortium with maize. The harvesting is manual and the dry is made naturally in the sun, in the field and at home. The storage is in raffia bags, traditional pest and insect control are implemented. The consumers know the integrity of the peanut and the signals of deterioration. The storage is made under room temperature or in the refrigerator, on both cases the storage period could be more than a month. Some consumers affirm to consume peanuts presenting wires with the appearance of spider webs which is evidence of fungi development and they are provably exposing themselves to aflatoxins. The practices and procedures of both producers and consumers favor the growing of fungi; the consumption of contaminated peanuts with fungi could be considered a strong exposure to aflatoxins consequently risks to health. With the find it can suspect the existence of consumer developing diseases in asymptomatic stage.