Toxicological and microbiological studies on high protein food beverage powders prepared from the Nigerian 'red skin' groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea) protein concentrate

Four different formulations of food beverage powders with particle sizes between 300 and 425 μm were prepared from the Nigerian ‘red skin’ groundnut protein concentrate (GPC). They were packaged in 500 gauge polyethylene film bags and in air‐tight lacquered tin containers, then stored at 5°C and 25°C respectively for 60 days. During storage, samples were periodically evaluated for the possible presence of toxic compounds, specifically mycotoxins, other pathogenic microflora, trypsin inhibitors and lectins. There were no detectable levels of either aflatoxins, trypsin inhibitors or lectins in either fresh or stored samples. The total plate count of bacteria ranged from a low of 450 CFU/g to a high of 2.8×103 CFU/g during storage. There were no positive confirmation of either coliforms, faecal coliforms, Salmonellae or other pathogenic enterococci. Generally, mould counts were less than 20 CFU/g in all products. The absence of antinutritional factors and pathogenic microflora reflected the efficacy of the production process in destroying these deleterious factors if they were present in the first place and indicated that the high protein GPC‐based beverage powders thus produced were safe and edible products.