Apart from the usual phytosanitary requirement, an aflatoxin level measurement is mandatory to determine which market the peanuts are suitable to be exported to. EU markets require 4~8 ppb (part per billion) while most non-EU markets require 5~10 ppb.
The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA) is the entity responsible for conducting, scheduling, and implementing inspections for peanuts. All applications for inspections are processed online while lab analysis must be conducted physically. Lab results together with other export-related documents are deposited online.
Quality inspection is repeatedly done throughout the processing and packaging stages.
The first inspection is conducted upon the arrival of harvest, visual examination is done to evaluate the husk. During periods of prolonged rain, peanuts soaked in wet soil can get too mouldy for processing. Otherwise, the harvested batch undergoes cleaning and pre-selection, an aflatoxin assessment is then conducted multiple times once the batches are warehoused. Before the shipments are loaded a phytosanitary certificate will be issued.
A 3rd party inspection is occasionally required and the importer must bear the cost for this inspection.
Any issues regarding quality will be investigated to determine the party who will bear the responsibility. Freight operators are often held accountable especially for issues concerning split grains. Normally a loaded container will depart from the warehouse with a 2~3% occurrence of split grain.
The logistic chain has a total of 6 handling operations, and over the course of these operations, the occurrence of split peanuts will increase to 5~6% upon arrival.