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As far as I have been able to find out without checking the ingredients of
every brand, commercial peanut butters contain salt, sometimes sugar, and
what are known as stabilizers, which prevent the oil and solids from
separating. Preservatives are not generally found in peanut butter because
peanut butter has such a low moisture content that it does not support the
growth of bacteria-at least, that's what is claimed by leading
peanutbutterologists.
That's why people are able to keep opened peanut butter on the shelf rather
than refrigerate it. The fact that you can do this, however, does not
necessarily mean that you should.
For one thing, the oils in peanut butter CAN go rancid, especially in heat.
That jar on your shelf will eventually start to smell "off" if you leave it
long enough, and should be thrown out at that point.
Peanuts, hence peanut butter, are also susceptible to an Aspergillus mold
that produces the potential liver carcinogen called aflatoxin. Both
commercial and "natural" peanut butters are equally subject to this problem
as Aspergillus occurs naturally on peanuts as well as on a number of other
food products. Amounts of aflatoxin in human food are closely regulated in
the United States and, I assume, in Canada, and most authorities seem to
agree that risk from aflatoxin in foods in the industrial world is very low.
That being said, the risk of aflatoxin contamination is apparently lowest
when the peanuts are ground soon after picking and immediately placed in an
airtight container. As a result, this may be one of those cases (and they do
occur) where buying the big supermarket brand is the safer choice. About
5-10 years ago when the Consumers Union in the US tested various brands of
peanut butter for their aflatoxin content, the highest levels were found in
peanut butter "ground fresh" in health food stores, whereas the lowest
levels were found in the big supermarket brands such as Skippy.
Another possible reason to be afraid of peanut butter is the stabilizers
used to keep peanut butter from separating. Generally these are fats of some
type; they used to use hydrogenated vegetable oils but these are being
phased out. I don't have information on what's being used to replace them.
I have not been able to find any evidence that birds are placed in any
danger by consuming the relatively small amounts of sugar, stabilizers, or
salt found in commercial peanut butter. If I were going to worry about
anything it would be cracked corn, which can also grow the Aspergillus
fungus that produces aflatoxin and is not transported and stored in airtight
jars.
WF
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of George Forsyth
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:06 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Cc: George Forsyth
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] suet with flour - oops
Be careful with the salt, sugar, and preservatives that are added to many
commercial peanut butters. The peanut butter that can sit at room
temperature in your cupboard probably won't go rancid in the winter
outdoors.
George
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>As far as I have been able to find out without checking =
the
ingredients of every brand, commercial peanut butters contain salt, =
sometimes
sugar, and what are known as stabilizers, which prevent the oil and =
solids from
separating. Preservatives are not generally found in peanut butter =
because peanut
butter has such a low moisture content that it does not support the =
growth of
bacteria—at least, that’s what is claimed by leading =
peanutbutterologists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>That’s why people are able to keep opened peanut =
butter on
the shelf rather than refrigerate it. The fact that you can do this, =
however,
does not necessarily mean that you should.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For one thing, the oils in peanut butter CAN go rancid,
especially in heat. That jar on your shelf will eventually start to =
smell
“off” if you leave it long enough, and should be thrown out =
at that
point.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Peanuts, hence peanut butter, are also susceptible to an
Aspergillus mold that produces the potential liver carcinogen called =
aflatoxin.
Both commercial and “natural” peanut butters are equally =
subject to
this problem as Aspergillus occurs naturally on peanuts as well as on a =
number
of other food products. Amounts of aflatoxin in human food are closely
regulated in the United States and, I assume, in Canada, and most =
authorities
seem to agree that risk from aflatoxin in foods in the industrial world =
is very
low.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>That being said, the risk of aflatoxin contamination is =
apparently
lowest when the peanuts are ground soon after picking and immediately =
placed in
an airtight container. As a result, this may be one of those cases (and =
they do
occur) where buying the big supermarket brand is the safer choice. About =
5-10
years ago when the Consumers Union in the US tested various brands of =
peanut
butter for their aflatoxin content, the highest levels were found in =
peanut
butter “ground fresh” in health food stores, whereas the =
lowest
levels were found in the big supermarket brands such as =
Skippy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Another possible reason to be afraid of peanut butter is =
the
stabilizers used to keep peanut butter from separating. Generally these =
are
fats of some type; they used to use hydrogenated vegetable oils but =
these are
being phased out. I don’t have information on what’s being =
used to
replace them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I have not been able to find any evidence that birds are =
placed
in any danger by consuming the relatively small amounts of sugar, =
stabilizers,
or salt found in commercial peanut butter. If I were going to worry =
about
anything it would be cracked corn, which can also grow the Aspergillus =
fungus
that produces aflatoxin and is not transported and stored in airtight =
jars.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>WF<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt =
0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span>=
</b><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] =
<b>On
Behalf Of </b>George Forsyth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:06 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br>
<b>Cc:</b> George Forsyth<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [NatureNS] suet with flour - =
oops<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Be careful with the =
salt,
sugar, and preservatives that are added to many commercial peanut =
butters. The
peanut butter that can sit at room temperature in your cupboard probably =
won't
go rancid in the winter outdoors.<br>
<br>
George<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
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