How to eat peanuts more safely?

Peanuts are a food with very high nutritional value and are deeply loved by consumers. People call them "longevity nuts". "Compendium of Materia Medica" mentions that "longevity nuts can strengthen the spleen and stomach, and are suitable for people who have difficulty digesting food". Peanut kernels have a high protein content (20%-36%) and are easily absorbed by the human body. They are rich in 8 essential amino acids, especially lysine, tryptophan and leucine. In addition, peanuts are also rich in many functional ingredients, such as various vitamins, resveratrol, etc.

However, peanuts are susceptible to infection by Aspergillus flavus during planting and storage, which can produce aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are classified as "Class I carcinogens" by the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research agency, among which aflatoxin B1 is 10 times more toxic than potassium cyanide and 68 times more toxic than arsenic. Aflatoxins are physically and chemically stable and difficult to degrade through the body's own metabolic activities. Large amounts of aflatoxins accumulated in the body may cause liver damage and even induce liver cancer.

Although aflatoxin is highly toxic and carcinogenic, the overall quality and safety of peanuts in my country is good. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' risk assessment results over the past decade have shown that peanuts contaminated with aflatoxin are extremely rare, and consumers can eat them with confidence.

So, how to choose high-quality peanuts?

1. Observe the color. Choose peanuts that are bright in color, plump in grains, and intact. Peanuts will become darker in color after becoming moldy, and in severe cases, black or yellow-brown mycelium will be produced.

2. Smell. Choose fresh peanuts with a peanut aroma. Peanuts that have been stored for a long time usually have a rancid smell, and peanuts with a rancid smell are more likely to be contaminated by aflatoxin.

3. Taste. Choose peanuts that have a slightly sweet taste. Moldy peanuts generally have a moldy smell and a bitter taste.

4. Check the content. Use aflatoxin rapid detection technology and products to test whether aflatoxin is present.

5. Good storage. Peanuts should be kept dry during storage to prevent them from getting moldy, but not exposed to direct sunlight.

6. Pick out moldy grains. Pick out moldy grains and rinse before cooking.

7. Scientific cooking. Peanuts are generally eaten raw, fried, stir-fried, and boiled, among which boiling is the most popular method among consumers.

8. Spit out the bad seeds. Spit out the seeds if you smell something strange.