One-thousand kilograms of in-pod peanuts destined for human
consumption were artificially dried up to 0.92±0.01, 0.88±0.01,
0.84±0.01 and 0.76±0.02 aW, distributed in four flexible and airpermeable
containers (called “big bag”) manufactured of polypropylene
raffia of high resistance and tenacity and used to carry out the
study from July to November 2008. The four experimental units were
placed alongside a 60 t stockpiled cell in a storage company located in
the south of Córdoba, Argentina. The stockpiled cell had air-extractors
that were used to renew the air during the storage period and
thermocouples to monitor peanut temperature.
A total of one-hundred samples were monthly collected from July
to November 2008. Five points of each big bag were sampled at each
collection time by using a compartment-sampling spear, which
enabled samples to be taken from different depths. Each 1 kg sample
was collected in polyethylene bags (to minimize water loss), sealed,
transferred immediately to the laboratory and kept at low temperature
(−20 °C). After each storage period, each sample was analyzed
for the presence of Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in kernels.