Aflatoxin Screener - Under Developement

Our founder Jock Brandis has an affinity for old farm equipment and techniques and the old farmers who remember those sorts of things.  Jock was having a conversation with an old North Carolina peanut farmer, discussing the aflatoxin issue.  The old farmer recalled that aflatoxin had been a problem for local farmers in the 40's.  They learned that infected peanuts could be identified under black light.  When viewed under ultra violet light aflatoxin contaminated peanuts appear brighter than uncontaminated peanuts.

Armed with this information Jock fashioned a darkened box with viewing ports where shallow trays of peanuts could be viewed under arrays of ultra violet light.  Two screeners working on each side of the box pick out the contaminated peanuts and discard them in a slot cut into the middle of the tray.

Seen here in cut away two screeners sort the peanuts illuminate by arrays of ultra violet lights seen attached to the top of the box with long screws.  We are experimenting with solar powered applications.

Recent testing has suggested that 4 operators can screen 2000 lbs of peanuts in a day.  Field testing in Haiti reduced aflatoxin contamination down to 11 parts per billion.  Better than the acceptable USDA standard.