Mzansi residents are concerned as more peanut butter brands are removed from shelves. Clover joins a growing list of South African food producers recalling peanut butter products contaminated with aflatoxin, a dangerous toxin linked to serious health issues.
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) said it is investigating Clover after the company recalled over 10 000 units of their Go Nuts Peanut Butter due to high aflatoxin levels.
Concerned about the peanut butter recall, Thembi Mpanza from Johannesburg emphasises how companies need to take consumer health more seriously.
‘I threw away my peanut butter’
“I threw away the peanut butter I had, and I stopped eating it completely because it gave me a stomach ache and messed with my taste buds after I had some. The peanut butter recall made me question how these companies can operate without taking our health seriously. They should consider extra precautions when making products.”
Also reflecting concern about the peanut butter recall, Mosibudi Chauke from Johannesburg highlights that it’s scary to think manufacturers might be prioritising production over safety.
“It is scary to think that we are being poisoned by manufacturers who are not following the health and safety of their products. I love peanut butter, but now I am hesitant to eat it due to these recalls being made in the past few months.”
Meanwhile, Lerato Mabuela from Pretoria says the peanut butter recall has made her feel anxious because it is a norm in their household.
“I recently returned peanut butter products to the stores, and I am not going to be buying peanut butter anytime soon or trying to alternate until this toxic chemical is cleared by the health department.”
Lerato Mabuela
“We decided to finish the peanut butter we had already opened, but I’m not comfortable eating it anymore. I wasn’t well in the past two weeks, and the doctor couldn’t tell what was wrong, but she gave me antibiotics just in case it was something serious. There should be more information on recalls and their symptoms. Now I’m sick and not sure if it’s that or not.”
Beware of these brands
Consumers who have Clover’s Go Nuts peanut 400g with the 12, 18, and 19 June 2025 and 19 July 2025 best-before dates are urged to stop consuming the product and return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.
This comes after peanut butter product recalls that failed to meet the acceptable levels of aflatoxin which include Pick ‘n Pay’s 1 kg No Name, Dis-Chem’s Lifestyle Brand 400g and 800g of their smooth and crunchy, Wazoogles, Eat Naked, and Woolworths’ peanut butter dairy ice cream.
Acting National Consumer Commissioner Thezi Mabuza says the call for suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors of these products to immediately test their products for levels of aflatoxin has been an eye-opener.
“From the test results that were received by the commission, there is an indication that suppliers were not compliant with their protocols and regulations. We are expecting suppliers, to be specific, the retailers, to immediately recall those brands that are non-compliant,” she said.
“South African consumers who have the recalled products must immediately stop consuming these products and return the products to a point of purchase for a full refund, with or without proof of purchase.”
Acting National Consumer Commissioner Thezi Mabuza
Additionally, she cautioned that the risk of consuming products with higher than acceptable levels of aflatoxin may lead to health complications like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
What makes it dangerous?
According to Johannesburg-based owner of Nandhi Solutions and food safety assurance expert, Cindy Moodley, aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain moulds, particularly Aspergillus species, which can contaminate various agricultural products such as grains, nuts, and seeds.
These toxins are potent carcinogens and can pose significant health risks to consumers if ingested in sufficient quantities.
She says some of the dangers and health risks associated with aflatoxin contamination include:
- Liver damage: Aflatoxins are mainly broken down in the liver. Long-term exposure to them can harm the liver, causing liver cancer, hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
- Immunosuppression: It weakens the immune system, making people more prone to infections and illnesses.
- Acute toxicity: Consuming a lot of aflatoxins quickly can cause severe poisoning with symptoms like vomiting, stomach pain, seizures, and sometimes death.
- Reproductive issues: Aflatoxin exposure may lead to reproductive problems such as infertility, miscarriages, and birth defects.
- Contaminated food supply: Aflatoxin contamination can cause farmers and producers to lose money possibly leading to food shortages in affected areas.
To reduce the dangers of aflatoxin contamination, Moodley says it’s crucial to store, process, and monitor food properly.
Watch out for these signs
Furthermore, if a person with a peanut allergy thinks they ate contaminated peanuts, Moodley urges them to watch for signs of both aflatoxin poisoning and an allergic reaction such as:
- Skin reactions
- Respiratory symptoms
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Cardiovascular symptoms
- Anaphylaxis
If you ate contaminated peanut butter…
Moodley advises that you should take the following steps:
- If you notice any signs of an allergic reaction like itching, hives, swelling, trouble breathing, or stomach issues, you need to act quickly. Seek medical attention.
- Use Epinephrine: If the allergy is severe or shows signs of anaphylaxis (a life-threatening reaction), use your epinephrine auto-injector right away, like an EpiPen. Then, they must seek emergency medical help promptly while following the instructions for the auto-injector.
- Avoid further exposure: Stop eating contaminated peanut butter or any other peanut foods. People with peanut allergies need to be careful with foods they didn’t prepare themselves, as they might be at risk of cross-contamination.
- Inform others: If the peanut butter that might be contaminated was eaten in a shared place or given by someone else, tell others about the possible danger.
“Quickly seeking medical help is vital for someone who thinks they ate contaminated peanut butter. It’s essential to take allergic reactions seriously and be ready to act fast in case of an emergency,” she says.
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