Dangerous Mold in Peanut Butter

I love peanut butter. I eat it mixed in smoothies, with a sliced banana, and sometimes even right off a spoon. Unfortunately, some of the things I’ve been hearing about mold and a cancer causing agent in peanut butter is making me a bit hesitant. Here’s the “scoop”.

Peanuts are susceptible to a fungi known as Aspergillus which produces aflatoxins (a known carcinogen) that can inflame and impair the liver, even possibly leading to cancer or liver shutdown. Workers around peanuts are actually said to wear protection (like facial masks for breathing) from the mold and danger it creates.

In most cases, the mold cannot be seen in peanut butter and unfortunately there’s been no way determined to completely eliminate it from peanuts and peanut butter. This mold is something to be aware of, especially if you may be suffering from candida. Also, even if the Aspergillus fungus is killed through heating, the dangerous aflatoxins will remain. It seems there’s no winning here!

The Aspergillus fungus prefers warm, wet/humid conditions so some say that peanuts and peanut butters produced in dry areas (such as Arizona) are safer. Refrigerating your peanut butter at home is another option as the cool environment is said to slow the growth of the mold.

In addition, the lesser amount of time that peanut butter sits on the shelf, the better. This is also true in situations where you can freshly grind peanuts into peanut butter at health food stores. Think about this: while the FDA and USDA regulate the levels of aflatoxins upon production (since it can’t be eliminated), once the products hit the stores- there is no further regulation and who can determine how much the mold has continued to grow since sitting on the shelf?

Transport times are also a consideration and it may be worth checking product labels to see where your peanut butter is produced- overseas or somewhere more local? Other nut butters (such as almond) may be a less risky option with regards to aflatoxins. Unfortunately, it almond butter is a LOT more expensive than peanut butter. Some say that soaking nuts for several hours can be an option for helping to neutralize aflatoxins.

Pesticides are another concern with peanut butter so buying organic can be important here. Peanuts are often rotated with cotton which is sprayed heavily and of course the butter is also subject to the sprays that were used directly for peanuts. Other things to watch out for in peanut butter are hydrogenated oils, one of the worst things you can add to your diet, as well as as extra sugar.

Normally there are lots of easy alternatives when something turns out not to be as healthy as previously thought, but in this particular peanut butter case there unfortunately seems to be no obvious catch-all solution. Since peanut butter does offer some health benefits, too, I will likely to proceed by purchasing the best possible, most locally produced organic kind that I can find. I may even give into the cost and purchase some almond butter next time I stop at the health store.

Photo By: Somadjinn