Food safety concerns regarding aflatoxin have put an end to imports of in-shell Brazil nuts into European member states including the UK.

Nut importers explain that seeds of change were sown three years ago when stricter controls and tests for the suspected carcinogen were brought in by EU plant health inspectors. But this season retailers are fielding an increasing number of enquiries from consumers about the lack of in-shell Brazil nuts.

In-shell traders have been disgruntled by the testing procedures which crush shell and kernel together therefore giving an inaccurate reading for the likely amount of aflatoxin actually consumed as the shells are not ingested.

"It is a sad thing," said one importer. "As what are mixed nuts without Brazils?"

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