How to compare peanut meal analysis and aflatoxin documentation

Start with the product identity

A peanut meal analysis is useful only when the name describes the material being tested. “Peanut meal” can refer to a protein-rich material left after oil is removed, but the exact product may differ according to which peanut fractions are included and how the material was processed. Whole-kernel material, material containing hulls, and other peanut processing fractions are not interchangeable for interpreting an analysis.

Ask the supplier’s specification or lot document to identify the product and its included fractions. Processing route matters too: how much oil remains affects both fat analysis and the ingredient’s contribution to a ration. Without a clear identity and processing description, a protein figure alone cannot tell you whether two offers are comparable.

Compare values on the same moisture basis

Moisture changes the apparent concentration of nutrients in a sample. An analysis reported as received includes the water present in that sample; a dry-matter basis expresses nutrient content after accounting for moisture. If two peanut meal analyses use different bases, their protein or fat values can look different even when the underlying dry material is more similar.

Read the basis stated for each result before comparing it, and check whether moisture is reported alongside the other values. If the basis is missing or unclear, the numbers are not ready for a like-for-like comparison. This distinction is particularly important when a nutritionist uses an analysis to calculate a ration or compare ingredients by nutrient contribution.

Read protein, fat and energy together

Crude protein is a key comparison field for peanut meal, but it should not be read in isolation. Residual fat is affected by oil removal and contributes energy, while the product’s identity and included fractions also influence how the analysis should be interpreted. A protein value without a clear moisture basis and product description gives an incomplete picture.

Energy may appear as an analyzed or calculated value, depending on the document and method used. Compare energy figures only when their basis and calculation or measurement approach are clear. For feed formulation, have the nutritionist assess the values together and determine whether the analysis provides the information needed for the intended ration; do not infer performance from one number.

Treat aflatoxin records as use-specific documentation

Aflatoxin documentation matters because peanuts and peanut-derived materials can be evaluated for these naturally occurring contaminants, but the relevant requirement depends on the product’s intended use and applicable rules. Documentation for peanuts intended for human consumption is not automatically the right document or acceptance criterion for a feed ingredient. A feed buyer should identify the intended species and use, then verify the current requirements that apply to that product and destination.

Check what material the report covers, whether it refers to the offered lot, which aflatoxin or testing basis it identifies, and whether the result is expressed in a way that can be compared with the buyer’s requirement. A document for raw peanuts should not be assumed to characterize a processed meal unless its scope makes that connection clear. Where regulations or contractual limits apply, confirm the current requirements with the appropriate qualified regulatory or technical contact.

Build a useful comparison before buying

A practical comparison records the product name and included fractions, processing route, moisture basis, protein, fat, moisture and energy fields, plus the method or basis needed to interpret each result. Keep the aflatoxin report with the corresponding product and lot information, and distinguish feed-use documentation from human-food documentation. Missing information is a reason to pause the comparison, not a reason to fill in assumed values.

For a bulk purchase, share the intended use and the analysis fields your formulator or quality team needs when requesting an offer. The [Peanuts](/ingredients/peanuts) page is the natural starting point for buyers sourcing peanuts; discuss the exact peanut-derived product required rather than assuming a general peanut offer is peanut meal.

Common questions.