Bought It Because of the Trend, but Carcinogen Detected: "Don't Eat It If You Have It at Home"

Emart Recalls American-Made "100% Peanut Butter Creamy"
Mold Toxin 'Aflatoxin' Exceeds Safety Limits
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: "Consumers Should Immediately Return Purchased Products"

Sales of American-made peanut butter imported and sold by Emart have been suspended and a recall has been implemented after it was confirmed that the product contained levels of the mold toxin aflatoxin exceeding the permissible limit.

Photo of the discontinued '100% Peanut Butter Creamy' product. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Commissioner Oh Yu-kyoung) announced on December 16 that it had issued an immediate recall order after aflatoxin was detected above the allowable standard in the “100% Peanut Butter Creamy” product imported by Emart, which is headquartered in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.

According to test results from the Incheon Metropolitan City Institute of Health and Environment, the total aflatoxin content was 30.6 μg/kg, far exceeding the standard of 15 μg/kg. In particular, the highly toxic aflatoxin B1 measured 25.6 μg/kg, which is well above the permissible limit of 10 μg/kg.

The recalled product is marked with an expiration date of April 30, 2027, and was imported from ANDALUCIA NUTS in the United States. The total import volume was approximately 19,620 kg, packaged in 510 g units and distributed domestically.

Nutiful Peanut Butter Smooth. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

A representative from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety emphasized, "Consumers who have already purchased this product should immediately stop consuming it and return it to the place of purchase," adding that "the recall process is being carried out swiftly."

This incident is similar to a case in August of this year, when aflatoxin was detected in peanut butter. At that time, the “Nutiful Peanut Butter Smooth” product, manufactured by Foodholic in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and sold by Kubrick Corporation in Gangnam, Seoul, was also recalled after mold toxin levels exceeded the standard.

Aflatoxin is a mold toxin that can develop in grains and nuts under hot and humid conditions. Long-term consumption can cause health problems such as liver damage, bleeding, and diarrhea, and it is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that it will continue to strengthen inspections of imported foods and prioritize consumer safety in its management policies.