Fungal contaminants in major food staples in Kenya have negatively impacted food security. The study
sought to investigate peanut market characteristics and their association with levels of aflatoxin in
peanuts from Western, Nyanza and Nairobi Provinces of Kenya. Data were collected from 1263 vendors in
various market outlets using a structured questionnaire, and peanuts and peanut products from each
vendor were sampled and analyzed for aflatoxin levels. Thirty seven per cent of the samples exceeded
the 10 mg/kg regulatory limit for aflatoxin levels set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). Raw
podded peanuts had the lowest (c2 ¼ 167.78; P < 0.001) levels of aflatoxin, with 96% having levels of less
than 4 mg/kg and only 4% having more than 10 mg/kg. The most aflatoxin-contaminated products were
peanut butter and spoilt peanuts, with 69% and 75% respectively, exceeding 10 mg/kg. A large proportion
of peanuts in the country (44%) were traded through informal open air markets; 71.8% of products from
supermarkets were safe according to KEBS and the EU regulatory limits, while only 52% from informal
markets met this threshold (c2 ¼ 95.13; P < 0.001). Packaging material significantly (c2 ¼ 73.89;
P < 0.001) influenced the amount of aflatoxin in the product, with the majority (68%) of peanut samples
that were stored in plastic jars having >10 mg/kg of aflatoxin. Over 70% of all storage structures were
poorly ventilated and dusty. Sorting comprised 53% of the various crop protection measures used by
traders post-harvest. To reduce aflatoxin exposure to consumers, set standards need to be complemented
by strict monitoring systems and education of producers, processors and consumers in crop commodities
other than maize, which has received the most attention in Kenya. Alternative uses of contaminated
produce need to be explored.