Pró-Peanut Program celebrates 20 years of operation in the Brazilian market

The Pró-Peanut Program, which monitors the food safety of products derived from peanuts, celebrates 20 years of operation in the Brazilian market in 2021. Founded by Abicab (Brazilian Association of the Chocolate, Peanut and Candy Industry) in January 2001, the program has the ABICAB Pro-Peanut Certified Quality seal, which certifies companies that meet the requirements of good manufacturing practice legislation and produce peanut-based products that are completely safe in relation to the level of aflatoxin, in accordance with the determination of national regulations .

For the vice-president of ABICAB, Renato Fechino, over these two decades, the Program has proven to be increasingly beneficial to consumers. "In addition to ensuring the healthiness of peanuts and products derived from them, the work carried out over these 20 years has brought several advances to the industry, in addition to new regulatory frameworks that were established through the work of the Association together with participating companies", celebrates the executive.

Currently, eleven companies are part of the program and have the right to the seal. All are mandatory monitored, analyzed, and undergo rigorous periodic audits of Good Manufacturing Practices and HACCP prerequisites (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) in their factories, carried out by DNV-GL Business Asssurance Assessments and Certifications. Companies that participate in the program must meet all criteria established by regulatory bodies.

"The focus of our work, both at ABICAB and the Pró-Peanut Program, is to guarantee the Brazilian consumer a certified and quality product. Peanuts are present in the Brazilian diet and are a food that has several health benefits and a high nutritional value. Therefore, over these 20 years, we have worked to reinforce good production practices in the sector, in order to guarantee safety and quality for consumers," says Fechino.

Frequent monitoring

Samples of peanut products are collected quarterly at different points of sale across the country, necessarily from companies that are part of the program, and also from manufacturers that are not. The products are analyzed by a laboratory accredited by INMETRO.

Pró-Amendoim, since its inception, has carried out more than 78 monitoring activities in the national market, guaranteeing the credibility of the seal and the healthiness of the food. When any irregularity is identified, the result of this analysis is forwarded to the competent authorities so that they can take the relevant measures.