NutriNuts: Mitigation of aflatoxins occurrence in Ethiopian peanuts used in therapeutic food products to reduce malnutrition in Africa

花生被曲霉属真菌污染，这种真菌会产生一种叫做黄曲霉毒素的致癌化合物。由于埃塞俄比亚花生中的黄曲霉毒素含量很高，当地加工商，如我们的合作伙伴Hilina enrichment PLC (HI)，被迫以更高的成本从国外进口高达50%的花生。HI希望确保，使用和保护他们当地的花生供应链免受黄曲霉毒素的侵害。该项目将开发从收获前到加工的工具，目标是使Hilinas的花生供应几乎100%来自当地农民。为实现这一目标，创新方法将包括：(i)收获前：为农民提供农艺建议/培训，以提高产量并降低黄曲霉毒素风险；（ii）收获后：开发垂直托盘家庭干燥系统，并用自制机械脱壳装置取代目前的“浸泡”方法；（iii）开发运输过程中的保护措施；（iv）开发新的花生生产线，优化花生废料的分类和回收。该项目将增加对当地生产的高质量（低毒）花生的采购和供应。这将提高产品的安全性，符合英国的法规，并提供潜在的出口机会。

Peanuts are contaminated by fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus that produce carcinogenic compounds called aflatoxins. Due to high aflatoxin contamination in Ethiopian peanuts, local processors, such as our partner Hilina Enriched PLC (HI), are forced to import up to 50% of their peanuts from abroad at a greater cost. HI would like to secure, use and protect their local peanut supply chain against aflatoxins. This project will develop tools, from preharvest to processing, with the goal of achieving nearly 100% of Hilinas’ peanut supply sourced from local farmers. To achieve this goal, the innovative approach will include: (i) Pre-harvest: agronomic recommendations/training for farmers to increase yield and reduce aflatoxin risks, (ii) post-harvest: development of a vertical tray home-drying system and replacement of the current “soaking” methodology with home-made mechanical shelling devices, (iii) development of protection during transport and (iv) development of new peanut-based product lines with optimised sorting and recycling of the peanut waste. The project will increase the acquisition an increased supply of locally produced high quality (low toxin) peanuts for HI. This will increase the safety of the product, matching UK regulations, and provide potenial opportunities for export.