John Myers
I ate about 200 grams of peanuts (with the shell) in the evening. These tasted a bit “weird”, but I ate them anyway. The next morning my stomach was quite bloated and from midday I also got stomach cramps.
The abdominal cramps have subsided somewhat after 3 days, but are still there sporadically.
प्रश्न 1: Could the peanuts have been moldy? Keyword: aflatoxins? I didn’t notice anything visually, nor did they smell suspicious. However, the pack (bag) was stored open in the kitchen cupboard for about 7 months. But they tasted a bit “stale”.
प्रश्न 2: Is such a quantity (approx. 200 g with peel) sufficient to cause damage to health (late effects)? This fungus is said to be highly toxic and damage the liver, and it is even said to be carcinogenic.
प्रश्न 3: Are these the typical symptoms after eating food contaminated with aflatoxins?
प्रश्न 4: Are there “immediate measures” as “damage limitation”? Or what is recommended to avoid damage to health after consuming aflatoxins?
We cannot judge whether your abdominal pain is actually caused by the nuts or possibly other foods or dishes that you have eaten on the same day.
Gastrointestinal upset does not usually occur when eating foods containing aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are toxins produced by certain types of mold. They are particularly harmful if consumed regularly and can then have a carcinogenic effect. If the peanuts were actually contaminated with aflatoxins, there is nothing you can do afterwards. But you don’t have to worry about eating either.
Basically, our senses protect us from eating moldy foods. You say the taste was “weird,” but you probably wouldn’t want to eat moldy peanuts. However, aflatoxins themselves are tasteless and odorless.
Another cause of your symptoms would be that the fat contained in the peanuts has already started to go rancid. The threshold at which you can recognize a rancid taste is quite different from person to person. Consuming large amounts of rancid nuts can certainly lead to gastrointestinal upset.
If your symptoms persist, we advise you to see a doctor. Otherwise, we recommend that you avoid foods that are difficult to digest – such as cabbage, whole grain products, raw vegetables, etc. – in the next few days in order to relieve your gastrointestinal tract. Teas with caraway, fennel and anise can also serve as support.
