I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen.
Perhaps you’ve heard of aflatoxins in peanut butter, that silent but deadly mold that you can’t usually see but that’s actually harmful?
In this article, we’ll look at how much mold the leading brands of peanut butter have and how to remove aflatoxins from peanuts or peanut butter.
Is there a peanut butter without aflatoxin? The answer is, yes! But, it’s a little complicated …
Does all peanut butter have aflatoxins
From JIF to Trader Joe’s, how much mold is in your peanut butter?
I decided to find out.
I sent two leading brands to a lab that specializes in the country’s best aflatoxin testing. The testing they use is the gold standard for trace analysis of toxins.
In addition to JIF and Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter, I sent them four other samples so I had points of comparison:
- homemade peanut butter from roasted peanuts
- peanut butter from soaked, sprouted and roasted peanuts
- homemade fermented peanut butter
- raw Jungle Peanut Butter (claims to be 99% aflatoxin-free)
I fermented one batch because I wanted to see how much it would reduce aflatoxins compared to the other homemade and store bought peanut butters.
The results surprised me quite a bit, so let’s look at the findings and lab work…!
Should I worry about aflatoxins in peanut butter
What are aflatoxins?
According to the dictionary, aflatoxins are: “any of a class of toxic compounds that are produced by certain molds found in food, and can cause liver damage and cancer”.
Aflatoxins may also produce allergic responses, digestive inflammation, autoimmune or heart issues, problems with growth and development and parasite infestation.
Several mycotoxins in agricultural products cause health hazards and death to people and animals. Aflatoxin is the most potent among mycotoxins.
Which foods have aflatoxins
From the National Cancer Institute, “Aflatoxins are a family of toxins produced by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. The main fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are abundant in warm and humid regions of the world. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage.”
One of the reasons peanut butter is no longer considered healthy is: It’s considered high in aflatoxins.
While many Americans have switched away from eating peanut butter for this reason, similar amounts of mold may pervade most other tree nuts, as well as corn, cassava and oats.
As we’ll see, in addition to careful growing practices, proper handling, processing and preparation of foods is essential.
Does natural peanut butter have aflatoxin
The short answer is, yes. But, there are products that don’t and ways to eliminate it.
As you’ll see below, many considerations affect whether or not your peanut butter has mold.
How many aflatoxins are allowed in American food products
Under FDA regulations manufacturers can have a maximum of 20 PPB (20ug/kg) total aflatoxins in food products.
Aflatoxins are actually a group of 4 toxins: AFG1, AFG2, AFB1 and AFB2.
The sum of these 4 compounds cannot be greater than 20 PPB.
How they’re measured
The value used in testing for aflatoxins is 1.4 ug/kg — or 1.4 parts per billion. So, the lab can quantify a total of 1.4 ug of total aflatoxins per kilogram.
To further convey how sensitive that is, percentages are parts per hundred.
From the FDA’s website, “The FDA may consider peanuts and peanut products containing total aflatoxins greater than 20 micrograms per kilogram (mcg/kg) or parts per billion (ppb)”.
In short, the testing method is very sensitive.
How much aflatoxin is safe
The safe limit of aflatoxins lies in the range of 4 to 30 ug/kg for human consumption. (source)
How to remove aflatoxins from peanuts
From an agricultural standpoint, there are some best practices that help to reduce or prevent the growth of aflatoxins. These include reducing moisture in growing areas and harvesting crops on time instead of delaying.
Once harvested, crops should be fully processed or stored in dry, cool places.
Peanut butter with lowest aflatoxin
Since aflatoxins are suspected in grains, nuts and legumes, including peanuts, the best way to reduce the mold is: de-hull, heat, cook and pressure cook. This can reduce aflatoxins by 50 to 70%.
For the most effective treatment: Ferment.
Fermenting can completely eliminate mycotoxins.
Fermented peanut butter has not only the lowest, but no, aflatoxins. (We’ll talk more about what fermented peanut butter is below!)
Since most people do not want to ferment their peanut butter, I also provide other options.
Modern farming
While fungicides in modern farming are dangerous for humans to use and consume, they do kill some aflatoxins that develop in the growing process.
This has led some people to conclude that organic peanuts may have more aflatoxins than conventional peanuts.
But as you’ll see below, this is not necessarily true.
When buying peanut butter, nuts, legumes and grains
To reduce exposure to aflatoxins as a consumer, it’s best to avoid these food items from overseas.
Try to buy from small, local and organic growers who care about their farm and produce, and who process their harvests efficiently and carefully.
Avoid the “grind-your-own” peanut butters that you see in natural food stores. These peanuts sit around for long periods of time exposed to various levels of moisture and temperatures, and are not measured for their aflatoxin levels.
How much aflatoxins in peanut butters tested
When I first set out to test the aflatoxin levels in peanut butters, I expected to see high numbers. Because we’re all told peanut butter is high in aflatoxins.
However, American standards are relatively stringent on aflatoxins. So, it’s not surprising, in retrospect, that most peanuts and peanut butters have relatively low aflatoxin counts.
I did not test all of the conventional peanut butter products available.
If I had, I suspect that most of the leading brands would have showed a very similar amount of aflatoxins to the amount found in the leading American brand: JIF.
Because any amount of aflatoxins may become problematic when consumed, some measurable amount of aflatoxin is likely still relevant, especially for those who eat the product on a regular basis.
These two peanuts butters showed detectable aflatoxin content:
- JIF brand was found to have 6.28 ug/kg of aflatoxins. If I had tested Skippy and other leading processed brands with added ingredients, I suspect the results would have been similar. I would never eat these products as a result (and also because they contain other ingredients, including hydrogenated oils, that are clues we should avoid this food either way: Sugar, Fully Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils [Rapeseed And Soybean], Mono And Diglycerides, Salt).
- Bulk organic peanuts from Amazon. I purchased these raw peanuts, roasted them myself, and then made peanut butter. The aflatoxin content in these peanuts was 2.12 ug/kg.
This is very interesting and helpful information because it means, of course, that most plain roasted peanuts on the market likely have aflatoxins up to the limit allowed by the U.S. government.
I wish I had also tested Maranatha brand’s organic peanut butter. I have since read that they use Valencia peanuts and claim their product is virtually aflatoxin-free. It would be nice to know for sure.
Which peanut butters did not contain aflatoxins
The following peanut butters tested did not contain aflatoxins high enough to be measured:
- Trader Joe’s organic peanut butter
- Homemade peanut butter from these peanuts that I first soaked, sprouted, de-hulled and then roasted
- Homemade peanut butter from these same peanuts that I fermented, after soaking, sprouting, de-hulling and roasting, to reduce any potential molds that may have existed
- Organic Jungle Peanut Butter, which claims to be 99.9% aflatoxin-free. I thought I’d find out for myself if this was true, and it is.
I fully expected to see a small amount of aflatoxins in Trader Joe’s product as well as some small variation in aflatoxin content between the jungle peanuts, sprouted and fermented products.
So, I found it at least slightly encouraging that none of the above products contained measurable amounts of aflatoxins!
Is aflatoxin-free peanut butter healthy
So, that’s the question that remains.
If you’re going to eat peanut butter, fermented peanut butter is the healthiest option. That’s because it contains no mold whatsoever.
I sent two fermented peanut butters to the lab, one fermented for 15 hours and the other for 24 hours. Both came back with no detectable aflatoxins, so the shorter fermenting time is acceptable.
Fermented peanut butter also contains probiotics, and any other antinutrients, such as oxalates, are greatly reduced or eliminated.
For non-fermented peanut butter, follow these tips:
- Be sure your peanuts are de-hulled, soaked, sprouted and roasted. This ensures the easiest to digest and most
nutritious alternative to fermenting. - Choose Valencia or Jungle peanuts because they are both more carefully grown and less likely to have aflatoxins.
- Also choose Valencia because instead of just PUFAs (omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), Valencia peanuts contain monounsaturated fats that help to lower triglycerides. Valencia peanuts also contain all nine essential amino acids and the antioxidant resveratrol. (source)
- Enjoy plenty of omega-3 rich foods the same day you eat peanut butter. This means good quality fish and pasture raised and finished beef.
- Never purchase the “grind-your-own” peanut butters that you see in natural food stores. These peanuts sit around for long periods of time exposed to various levels of moisture and temperatures, and are not measured for their aflatoxin levels. Similarly, do not buy peanuts and grind your own, unless they’re raw and you plan to sprout and roast them.
How to reduce aflatoxins in the body
A few herbs and supplements can help to detoxify the body of aflatoxins. My preferred choices include:
- marshmallow root and/or dandelion root — Marshmallow root and dandelion root help cleanse the liver and can improve digestive symptoms.
- activated charcoal — Activated charcoal binds to aflatoxin mold and excretes it from the body.
- bentonite clay — Drinking bentonite clay prevents and remedies aflatoxin toxicity.
Why to limit the amount of peanut butter you eat
How bad is peanut butter for you?
Personally, I would not eat store-bought peanut butter, even with undetectable aflatoxins. That’s because the products may still be rancid.
The exception to this is Jungle butter, which I believe is handled with more care. (Maranatha brand may be acceptable, too, their organic product with only 2 ingredients. I hope to have it tested in the near future, at which point I’ll update this article.)
If you make your own peanut butter with sprouting or fermenting, still consider limiting the quantity:
- Peanut butter is high in omega-6s. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids that we should greatly limit in our diets, otherwise inflammation erupts. If you eat a lot of chicken or nuts, your diet’s omega-6 ratio is already eschew. If you eat a lot of pasture-raised beef, good quality seafood and very little chicken, you may have a little more room for nuts or peanuts in your diet.
Is there a peanut butter without aflatoxin?
The answer is, yes! It’s fermented.
Learn how to make Fermented Peanut Butter here, and hear more about what it tastes like, too.
You can Pin this post here:
Dorothy says
I appreciate your study on samples of peanut butter, and your sharing the results with us.
I haven’t eat peanut butter in years, though I do eat some almond and cashew butter. Would they be likely to have mold as well?
I have some soaked and dehydrated peanuts in the freezer that have been there too long, from when I was trying to make my own peanut butter. It didn’t turn out well, so I didn’t try to make any more batches. I don’t think I roasted them, so that would probably help with the taste, and fermenting would be even better.
Peanut butter would be a good food to buy have on hand in case of emergencies, but I guess it’s not worth it because of the mold and probably the cost of the better brands. (It’s a good reminder too about chicken being high in omega 6’s).
Megan says
Hi Dorothy, Great question re other nut butters. Cashews do indeed have a big mold problem. Cashew butter would be a fun one to ferment. For 16 ounces of cashew butter, you’d need 7/8 cup water and 3-4 probiotic pills, if you decide to do it. If you make the fermented peanut butter, I think you’ll enjoy the process. So glad the post was helpful! ♡
Josh says
Hi there, I wanted to ask if almonds and or almond butter also has aflatoxins? Also if you have any healthy snacks you recommend do share! ??
Megan says
Hi, Josh, yes, good question. Aflatoxin content in almonds varies depending on the region and growing practices. This article discusses a study of California almonds where 6.9 percent of the almonds tested were considered higher than the FDA’s allowable limit for safe consumption: https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2011/05/04/Aflatoxin-levels-in-almonds-warrant-ongoing-scrutiny-US-study In general, almonds are ranked with other foods like pistachios, oats and peanuts as being an at-risk food for higher levels of aflatoxins. But, almonds grown with careful growing practices would not have this issue. Re healthy snacks, it depends of course on your overall diet and body, but I like grass-finished beef sticks. I also often bring homemade whole foods around town with me, and when I travel, so leftovers in a thermos, fruit for the kids etc. When I ate more dairy, I would also bring cheese. In the world of nuts, sprouted pumpkin seeds can be good. I hope that helps! 🙂 (Raw pumpkin seeds grown in Oregon here: https://amzn.to/3vWDgap or already sprouted here: https://amzn.to/39AR1mj )
Josh says
Thanks so much for all the info and tips! Amazing how so many foods are affected these days ?
Megan says
You’re welcome, and I’m happy it’s helpful. Yes, so true. So many big farms and not enough care with processing.
Peanut Butter Lover says
Thank you for all this research! Trader Joe’s sells a few different kinds of organic peanut butter, crunchy, creamy some with salt some without. Can you tell me what kind you tested? I want to get the exact one. Thank you!
Megan says
Sure, I got the organic creamy one, salted. Best! 🙂
Maya says
This is the most useful article I’ve seen in a while. Got any more experimentation articles like this?
Maya
Megan says
Hi Maya, thank you. This is the first article I’ve written where I had a product sent off to a lab. I do have a lot of DIY wellness articles that talk about remedies you won’t read in other places, that I learned myself, or have unique wellness perspectives. If you scroll through the health-nutrition category, you’ll see these: https://eatbeautiful.net/category/health-nutrition/
Brian says
Hi, enjoyed the article but the following is confusing to me.
“JIF brand was found to have 6.28 ug/kg of aflatoxins”
“The following peanut butters tested did not contain aflatoxins high enough to be measured (<20 ug/kg) :
<20 means less than 20. Am I reading this right?
6.28 is less than 20, right?
Maybe my coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
Megan says
Hi Brian, thank you. I understand your question and see your confusion. In the lab test results, the lab technicians use the specification “<20 ug/kg" in their chart when there is no measurable amount of aflatoxins in their sample, even though they can (have the potential to) detect measurable amounts below 20 ug/kg. So when they can not detect aflatoxins, they designate <20 ug/kg and "ND", or none detected, but when they do find aflatoxins below 20 ug/kg which they can indeed measure, that is indicated, for example 6.28ug/kg. I think the reason for this discrepancy is they are showing (and it’s indicated in another category of the lab work) “Conformity” with FDA regulations by always indicating when a sample falls under 20 ug/kg. Their testing is sensitive enough to measure the aflatoxins, but the FDA considers that level too low to measure. I hope that helps to clarify.
Ruth says
I am so addicted to peanut butter, and it generally feels more satisfying for me to eat. Unfortunately I think I eat a bit too much chicken in my diet that I probably have too much omega 6 in my diet as it is. Gotta find other ways to feel more satiated than topping up my meal with peanut butter. Just always so hungry while breastfeeding.
Megan says
Yes Ruth, great points! A very honest look at most people’s diets, really. I find the more I eat pasture-raised beef and sprouted pumpkin seed butter, the more my body feels balanced and satiated. Sprouted pumpkin seed butter is just one option. Macadamia nut butter is another good option. Also, do you eat oats, or are you grain-free?
Kathleen says
Hi Megan, I saw you mentioned oats in your last question to another writer. Have you tested oats before for mycotoxins? Asking because I initially thought Bob’s Red Mill organic rolled oats would be a swap to consider from non-organic Greek yogurt for breakfast, but oats may contain Zearalenone.
Megan says
Hi Kathleen, I’d love to have oats tested, especially the brand I buy (bulk from Natural Grocers) and Bob’s because it’s so popular, but I haven’t done it yet because of the cost of testing, and I’m always busy with the next project. I do have it on my radar, so maybe one of these days!
Bri says
Hi! I appreciate that you did this. This information is really helpful. Do you mind sharing the name of the lab you used for testing? Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Bri, sorry to see your comment and question so late, and happy to help. Yes, the lab is Twin Arbor Labs.
Bob Greene says
Although initially skeptical, I was very favorably impressed by Megan Stevens realistic, practical and thorough analysis of peanut butter. Stevens considered most of the questions consumers must answer to protect their health.
The main problem with peanut butter is the peanut– it has entirely too much omega 6 fatty acid, and nowhere near enough omega 3 fatty acid. The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in peanuts is on the order of 22,000 to 4. That astounding mismatch means the peanut is unhealthy, despite its other phytonutrients. Omega 6 fatty acid also promotes inflammatory processes in the body, and we should strive to reduce inflammation whenever possible.
Aside from the afflatoxin hazard, those who would avoid unhealthy fats should avoid peanuts, in general.
Jill says
Interesting article. I follow the logic on your recommendations, small sample sizes though it may be. One correction: all peanuts grow underground, Valencia included. I encourage you to correct the statement you made about some varieties growing on bushes. Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Jill, thank you for catching that. It is now corrected. 🙂
Danni says
I’m totally shocked! I didn’t know any of this…. What about things like almond milk etc. Would it be in that? Having just had breast cancer I’m now freaking out, as snack on almonds
Megan says
Hi Danni, good question. My guess is that aflatoxins in almond milk would be pretty low, because the number of almonds used per package is pretty low, depending on the brand. I avoid most almond milks, though, because of added vitamins and vegetable oils. We can’t avoid all exposure to aflatoxins, so we just want to reduce major sources, and buy the best quality foods we can. Re snacking on almonds, you can look for organic and activated, or organic and blanched. Overall consumption of almonds should be limited anyway, because of their high omega-6 content. (I also never buy whole almonds or almond flour from California, as they are a water thirsty crop that’s grown in that desert, helping to cause drought. I buy mine from Spain, where they are a native crop.) Organic macadamia nuts are a great alternative to almonds for snacking, or activated pumpkin seeds. I hope this helps! Here’s my favorite almond flour, if it’s helpful: https://amzn.to/3cNyJQN
Mikayla says
Thank you for your effort in researching all of this! Did you manage to look at Black Cat as well or have you heard anything of this yet? I eat plant-based and so mostly eat vegetables, grains and legumes – is it still an issue if I eat my peanut butter pretty much every other day (I might be slightly addicted :P)? Best regards!
Megan says
Hi Mikayla, thanks for your kind words and great question. Happy to help! I didn’t send Black Cat’s product to the lab, so I can’t say for sure. Their marketing is so cute. I personally would not eat it, though. They seem to focus on how long they’ve been in business, the country the peanuts are grown in and the flavor. But nothing about care in growing or handling of the peanuts etc, and they include a stabilizer in their cleaner product, which isn’t a good sign of caring about natural and safe. I know what you mean about addicted and sadly, that’s not usually a good sign that our bodies need a food for health, but rather, that there’s a less healthy attachment, such as we see with sugar, chocolate and coffee, none of them beneficial, all of them problematic to the body. I would try to reduce your overall peanut butter consumption even more, and I would personally switch to Maranatha brand, their product with just 2 ingredients, or to Jungle Nut butter, for the 2 best commercially sold products in my estimation. For the days you don’t eat peanut butter, I’d consider sprouted organic pumpkin seed butter, salted. It’s quirky, but delicious, and a better overall bet for the body IMO. Cheers!
Mikayla says
Thank you for your detailed reply!!
Megan says
You’re welcome, happy to help! 🙂
Trish says
Question: Couldn’t the amount of aflatoxins vary from batch to batch? Maybe this month TJs is good but what about the next month? Do they source their peanuts from the same company under the same guidelines? Is this mold related to moisture? If so, could sourcing peanuts during wetter winter or hot humid months contribute to the problem? Just curious. Not meaning to sound negative because I appreciate your research but it seems impossible to really know unless the company does batch testing.
Megan says
Hi Trish, no, that’s exactly right. I agree with you. I think some companies have a lot more control and oversight with growing conditions and manufacturing, and others don’t. I remember a few years ago that Trader Joe’s had a recall on their peanut butter, and I’m pretty sure it was their organic one. So it may be that things have universally improved since then as a result, or it may be a roller coaster of unpredictability. If I was going to trust any peanut butter brands, it would be Maranatha’s 2 ingredient organic product or a Jungle nut product. But fermentation is more trustworthy overall, because aflatoxins can’t survive the process.
Mark says
Have you tested nut or seed butters? I would be interested to see what Justin’s almond butter has. So far Justin’s is the only brand of pasteurized nut butters that I have found. Sunbutter says they have a “kull step” but I expect this to be tasting the sunflower seeds.
Megan says
Hi Mark, no, only the peanut butter brands I listed because each test is costly. It would indeed be interesting!
Zas says
This is a great post, thanks for going through the work to get the data and really interesting alternatives – I had no idea fermentation would be so effective on molds!
I would request one clarification:
You noted the JIF PB had 6.28 ug/kg of aflatoxins and 2.12 ug/kg for the Amazon bulk peanuts, and noted that these values were too high for you to consider consuming. Which is fair.
But then you note that “the following peanut butters tested did not contain aflatoxins high enough to be measured (<20 ug/kg)" – but is that <20 figure is potentially up to 3x and 9x higher than the same products you said you would decline for being at concerning levels!
I'm wondering if that must be a typo, or am I missing something?
Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Megan says
Hi Zas, yes, I see that seeming contradiction, and thanks for your question. In the lab test results, the lab technicians use the specification “<20 ug/kg" in their chart when there is no measurable amount of aflatoxins in their sample, even though they can (have the potential to) detect measurable amounts below 20 ug/kg. So when they can not detect aflatoxins, they designate <20 ug/kg and "ND", or none detected, but when they do find aflatoxins below 20 ug/kg which they can indeed measure, that is indicated, for example 6.28ug/kg. The reason for this discrepancy is they are showing (and it’s indicated in another category of the lab work) “Conformity” with FDA regulations by always indicating when a sample falls under 20 ug/kg. Their testing is sensitive enough to measure the aflatoxins, but the FDA considers that level too low to measure. I hope that helps to clarify.
Megan says
Zas. I also pulled out that one note, “(<20 ug/kg)", from that sentence in the post, because I can see that could be confusing for other readers as well!