Reaction to a paper by Whitaker and Dickens on aflatoxin testing plans for shelled peanuts in the U.S. and the export market

The present paper examines a technical paper of Whitaker and Dickens on aflatoxin testing plans that discusses (without a literature reference) a testing plan used in The Netherlands. However, this testing plan has never been in operation. We present the current situation in The Netherlands with respect to legislation and sampling plans on aflatoxin, which has fairly important consequences for the results of the simulation study of Whitaker and Dickens. It is shown that the percentage of rejected U.S.-exported lots in The Netherlands would increase from 16% to 27% based on the actual testing plan in The Netherlands. The need for international harmonization of testing, and the role of Codex Allmentarius is also emphasized.