FROM PROCESS VARIABILITY TO PRODUCT STABILITY: EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL PROCESSING PRACTICES ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITY OF KLUIKLUI, PEANUT OIL AND ROASTED PEANUTS IN BENIN

Traditional peanut processing in Benin involves diverse artisanal practices which effects on process performance and final product quality remain insufficiently quantified. This study investigated the influence of traditional processing variants on processing kinetics, mass balance, physicochemical properties, and quality of kluiklui, peanut oil, and roasted peanuts. Process monitoring was conducted with 18 experienced female processors across four municipalities in Benin. A common peanut landrace was used as raw material. For kluiklui and peanut oil production, three processing technologies combining hot- or cold-water kneading, maize flour incorporation, and manual pressing were compared through 27 production trials. For roasted peanuts, three heat-transfer practices, namely direct pan roasting, white clay (Howe), and dried maize bran (floflo), were evaluated through 27 trials. Processing durations, thermal profiles, mass flows, extraction yields, dry matter, lipid content, water activity, texture, acidity, peroxide value, browning index, and oil density were determined. Significant differences were observed among technologies for several processing operations, particularly sorting, roasting, grinding, kneading, pressing, shaping, and frying. Oil extraction efficiency also differed, with crude oil recovery ranging from 25.3 to 32.0% of paste mass.