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Development of Hermetic Storage Technology in Sealed Flexible Storage Structures
Abstract and Figures
Restrictions due to the adverse effects of pesticide residues in food and the environment resulted in the imposition of strict limitations on pesticide registration by regulatory agencies. Consumer demand for chemical-free and insect contamination-free products increased the attention to the application of non-residue organic technologies for the protection of stored grain. Among the new gaseous application technologies that have successfully replaced fumigants are the manipulation of modified atmospheres (MAs) through the use of biogenerated MAs, for insect control and for quality preservation of seeds, stored paddy, polished rice, wheat, pulses, cocoa or coffee beans, and high moisture corn. This takes advantage of the atmospheric gas composition produced by the respiratory metabolism of the biological agents of the grain bulk to prevent insect development and suppress microflora activity. Sufficiently sealed structures enable insects and other aerobic organisms in the commodity, and/or the commodity itself, to generate the MA by reducing the O 2 and increasing the CO 2 concentrations. Further moisture levels stay constant preventing mold growth.
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... It inhibits moisture penetration, fungal development, insect activity, and creates a low-oxygen environment (Murdock et al., 2012;Alemayehu et al., 2023). Hermetically storing dried horticultural crops preserves their visual and organoleptic qualities (Villers et al., 2008). To ensure successful hermetic storage, products must be adequately dried (Tubbs et al., 2016). ...
Post-harvest technologies and cold chain management are essential components in preserving the quality, safety, and economic value of perishable goods throughout their supply chains. Post-harvest handling practices, including sorting, cleaning, packaging, and pre-cooling, minimize spoilage and maintain market readiness. The dry chain emphasizes moisture control to prevent microbial growth and quality degradation in non-perishable commodities like grains, while the cold chain employs temperature regulation to extend the shelf life of perishable products. Recent advancements in digital tools, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), have enhanced real-time monitoring, traceability, and supply chain optimization. These innovations, alongside emerging technologies like digital twins and advanced sensors, hold promise for improving cold chain operations and integrating sustainable practices. Future possibilities include the development of energy-efficient refrigeration systems, expanded accessibility in developing regions, and the fusion of dry and cold chain methods to tackle global food security challenges. These advancements underscore the critical role of post-harvest and cold chain systems in reducing losses and ensuring efficient global distribution.
... It inhibits moisture penetration, fungal development, insect activity, and creates a low-oxygen environment (Murdock et al., 2012;Alemayehu et al., 2023). Hermetically storing dried horticultural crops preserves their visual and organoleptic qualities (Villers et al., 2008). To ensure successful hermetic storage, products must be adequately dried (Tubbs et al., 2016). ...
Post-harvest technologies and cold chain management are essential components in preserving the quality, safety, and economic value of perishable goods throughout their supply chains. Post-harvest handling practices, including sorting, cleaning, packaging, and pre-cooling, minimize spoilage and maintain market readiness. The dry chain emphasizes moisture control to prevent microbial growth and quality degradation in non-perishable commodities like grains, while the cold chain employs temperature regulation to extend the shelf life of perishable products. Recent advancements in digital tools, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), have enhanced real-time monitoring, traceability, and supply chain optimization. These innovations, alongside emerging technologies like digital twins and advanced sensors, hold promise for improving cold chain operations and integrating sustainable practices. Future possibilities include the development of energy-efficient refrigeration systems, expanded accessibility in developing regions, and the fusion of dry and cold chain methods to tackle global food security challenges. These advancements underscore the critical role of post-harvest and cold chain systems in reducing losses and ensuring efficient global distribution.
... It inhibits moisture penetration, fungal development, insect activity, and creates a low-oxygen environment (Murdock et al., 2012;Alemayehu et al., 2023). Hermetically storing dried horticultural crops preserves their visual and organoleptic qualities (Villers et al., 2008). To ensure successful hermetic storage, products must be adequately dried (Tubbs et al., 2016). ...
Post-harvest technologies and cold chain management are essential components in preserving the quality, safety, and economic value of perishable goods throughout their supply chains. Post-harvest handling practices, including sorting, cleaning, packaging, and pre-cooling, minimize spoilage and maintain market readiness. The dry chain emphasizes moisture control to prevent microbial growth and quality degradation in non-perishable commodities like grains, while the cold chain employs temperature regulation to extend the shelf life of perishable products. Recent advancements in digital tools, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), have enhanced real-time monitoring, traceability, and supply chain optimization. These innovations, alongside emerging technologies like digital twins and advanced sensors, hold promise for improving cold chain operations and integrating sustainable practices. Future possibilities include the development of energy-efficient refrigeration systems, expanded accessibility in developing regions, and the fusion of dry and cold chain methods to tackle global food security challenges. These advancements underscore the critical role of post-harvest and cold chain systems in reducing losses and ensuring efficient global distribution.
... This underscores the environmental benefits of such technologies for smallholder farmers in food security and income generation [14]. Non-residue organic technologies like Modified Atmospheres (MAs), responding to pesticide restrictions, are gaining traction for protecting stored grain, satisfying consumer preferences for chemical-free products [15]. Hermetic storage technology has evolved globally, with innovations like remote monitoring systems and the Cocoon Lite™, enhancing its effectiveness in diverse climatic conditions [16]. ...
... Another type of bag is the GrainPro hermetic bag, manufactured by GrainPro Inc. (Philippines; https://grainpro.com/en). It utilizes a transparent, low permeability co-extruded multilayer plastic as a liner placed within a PP bag (Villers et al., 2006(Villers et al., , 2008. Two other popular double-layer hermetic bag products are the AgroZ bag and the ZeroFly bag. ...
Highlights
Fundamental engineering properties of hermetic bag liners were identified and measured to establish specifications for a new ASABE X657 standard for measurement and rating the performance of gas barrier liners in hermetic storage bags.
Results showed strong evidence of differences in properties among six types of commercially available hermetic bag gas barrier liners (P<0.05).
Critical gas barrier properties (OTR and WVTR) were measured to assess their ability to maintain initial conditions (“hermeticity”).
Critical mechanical properties, such as impact failure weight, penetration resistance, and tear strength, were measured to determine their durability during handling and storage.
Abstract. The impacts of hermetic storage bag technology on food security are well established. However, understanding the hermetic bag liner's mechanical and barrier properties with its useful life and efficacy are needed to ensure the continued successful adoption of this critically important storage technology to control biological activity. The goals of this study were to identify and quantify fundamental engineering properties as a basis for establishing an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) engineering standard for testing and rating the hermeticity of gas barrier liners in storage bags for smallholder farmers. Six commercially available hermetic storage bag liners (AgroZ, Elite, PICS, GrainPro, Storezo, Zerofly) were evaluated for mechanical properties (tensile, impact, tear, penetration resistance) and barrier properties (oxygen transmission rate and water-vapor transmission rate) following American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test methods. Results indicate significant differences (P< 0.05) in material properties among brands of storage bag liners. Values for oxygen and water vapor transmission rates were determined to ensure hermetic conditions can be achieved. Values for mechanical properties (yield and tensile strength, elongation, and toughness, tear strength, penetration resistance and impact failure weight) of gas barrier liners were quantified to ensure acceptable performance of hermetic storage bags. Keywords: Elongation, Hermetic storage, Hermetic storage bags, Impact failure weight, Oxygen Transmission Rates (OTR), Penetration resistance, Tear strength, Tensile strength, Toughness, Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR), Yield strength.
... The construction of HS structures depends upon the amount of grains to store. According to the capacity range of the structure, HS structures are called super grain bags (between 0.59 and 1 ton) or bunkers and cocoons (5000-30,000 tons) (Villers et al., 2008). Navarro et al. (1984) stated that hermetic bunkers are suitable for storing wheat of 12.5% moisture content for 4 years without any qualitative degradation. ...
The commercial availability of the cereals has been increasing due to the availability of low-gluten however; management of the cereals with its relation and susceptibility was poorly described. The efficacy of the development of Tribolium castaneum was analyzed on six different cereals i.e. wheat, rice, corn, cowpea, sorghum and barley flour. The cereals were collected from two different sources i.e. Flour mills (Source-I) and Grocery stores (Source-II) to assess the level of infestation. It was noticed that the total duration from egg to adult remains fastest on wheat flour, i.e. 41.8±0.80 days followed by sorghum flour 52.9±0.90 days and slowest on cowpea flour 65.5±1.00 days. The study of morphometric parameters of Tribolium castaneum as a result of feeding on different cereals showed statistically significant effects on the length, and breadth of different larval instars, pupa and Adult stages. The highest total larval length and breadth was recorded on wheat flour (42.80mm and 17.4mm) followed by Sorghum flour (41.40mm and 14.6mm) while the lowest total larval length and breadth was recorded on cowpea flour (28.0mm 8.1mm) followed by corn flour (30.70mm and 8.3mm). The results of this study indicated that higher rate of infestation on wheat and less on cowpea flour as compared to other cereals. Time for 50% to 90% of eggs to adult development was fastest on wheat i.e. (2.9±1.01 and 4.3±2.37) and slowest on cowpea flour i.e. (5.5 ±1.0 and 7.5±1.76). There was extensive variation in the efficacy of the different cereals with relation to the level of gluten increases the risk of insect infestation.
Conditioning under low-oxygen modified atmosphere in sealed enclosures, containers or bags is widely used for the disinfestation of grain from insect pest species. The effect of hermetic vacuum storage on the survival of primary insect pests of cereals still lacks relevant documentation. To enhance knowledge on this topic, a pilot scale experiment was undertaken. Prior to the study, batches of wheat seeds were infested by some of the most harmful insects of stored cereals, Sitophilus oryzae, S. granarius, and Rhyzopertha dominica, in order to obtain infested seed samples by all development stages. Then, 5-kg sound wheat seed lots were placed inside multilayer aluminium-plastic flexible bags and 200 g of previously infested seeds were included before vacuum packing the bags at depression levels: 30, 50 or 70 kPa. In addition to storage at an average temperature of 25.8 °C, survival rate and progeny production of insects were checked at regular time intervals after opening a series of bags. After adult recovery by sieving, the 200 g-samples were incubated for 42 d at 25.8 °C for hidden stages recovery. The exposure time for 99% reduction of survival rate and progeny production (LT99) by S. oryzae and S. granarius, at 70 kPa depression level, was observed after 37.5 and 31 d exposure, respectively. For R. dominica, LT99 was assessed at 63.5, 75.6 and 88.5 d at 70, 50 and 30 kPa depression level, respectively. Rhyzopertha dominica was observed much more tolerant than the two weevil species, especially when depression level was more than 50 kPa. This species was able to produce progeny under vacuum. The origin of the differences in susceptibility between the weevils and the lesser grain borer in relation to storage under vacuum inside flexible high-barrier multilayer aluminium-plastic bags are discussed.
Laboratory studies were carried out to identify the combinations that enhance the effectiveness of insect control based on vacuum or CO 2 in combination with increased temperatures as a quarantine treatment of storage pests. The roles of the commodity moisture content and the partial pressure of oxygen on the effectiveness of vacuum were described. For T. castaneum, E. cautella and P. interpunctella the egg stage was the most resistant to low pressure, the times needed to obtain LT 99 were 22, 45 and 49 h, respectively. For T. castaneum the larva and adults were the most susceptible stages with an LT 99 of 7 h; for E. cautella and P. interpunctella the adult was the most susceptible stage with LT 99 times of only 6 h and 5 h. The effect of CO 2 at 45 o C on reducing the exposure time for diapausing larvae of T. granarium showed that by increasing the CO 2 concentration to 90% the LT 99 value decreased to about 10 h, whereas at 35ºC the LT 99 value was 29 h. Ephestia cautella larvae were shown to be the most resistant stage to 90% CO 2 at 40 o C, with an LT 99 value of only 6 h. For Oryzaephilus surinamensis under the same conditions, the LT 99 value was 9 h for the most resistant egg stage. These encouraging results led to the idea of developing a transportable flexible storage system to render the technology a practical tool for the control of insect pests. Experiments were carried out using a 15-m 3 capacity plastic container termed the "Volcani Cube™" or "GrainPro Cocoon™". Bioassays in field trials at 30 o C demonstrated that complete mortality of test insects composed of all four developmental stages of E. cautella and Tribolium castaneum, was observed upon 3-days exposure to vacuum maintained between 23 and 75 mm Hg.
The overall accomplishment of this project was the development of environmentally and
user-friendly temporary or emergency grain storage facilities without the requirement of
chemical pesticides, to be used by farmers organizations, cooperatives, grain processors and
other intermediary parties where secure reserve stocks must be maintained yet permanent
storage structures are lacking.
The research required evaluation of the applicability of using flexible plastic sheeting
developed in Israel for modified atmosphere and gastight storage for paddy and corn stacked in
the open in the Philippines. Storage cubes and silos manufactured f?om heavy duty plastic were
used in order to provide an inexpensive solution to short and medium term preservation of dry
paddy and corn and intermediate moisture content of paddy. Prevention of serious losses of
grain in the stores was thus accomplished without the need for pesticides.
A series of preliminary trials were canried out in Israel with prototype plastic structures.
Following this, a series of trials were carried out during the second and third years of the
project, in the Philippines with paddy and corn. The Philippine investigations comprised both
storage under modified atmospheres (MAS) using carbon dioxide flushing of corn, and
biogeneration of MAS using gastight storage of corn and paddy without gas replacement. The
phenomenon of moisture migration due to temperature gradients within the grain bulks was
studied in Israel.
The field trials were accompanied by laboratory studies on the permeability of the plastic
sheeting to gases (Israel), resistance to insect penetration (Israel and the Philippines), and
resistance to rodent penetration (Israel).
A preliminary model was proposed to study the interdependent changes in gas
concentrations, dynamics of insect population and amounts of grain consumed by the insects.
Numerical experiments were run to assess the degree of gastightness of the structure expressed
as permeation rate of oxygen through the storage membrane, size of grain mass, volume of the
storage structure, number of initial insectslkg of grain, respiration rate of the insect population,
birth and death rates of the different species, and the amounts of grain consumed. This model
will enable prediction of safe storage periods under the different physical and biological
variables described above.
Carbon dioxide treatment proved effective for insect control. In view of the frequent nonavailability
of C02 in the Philippines, particularly of food-grade, the adoption of C02 enriched
atmospheres using C02 cylinders remains limited. Rodent penetration in field trials confirmed
the laboratory findings that heavy duty sealed plastic tarpaulin cubes or heavy duty sealed plastic
liners as silos provided an effective barrier to rodents when correctly set-up. Although CPE
had lower permeability to gases than PVC it was more susceptible to insect and rodent
penetration. In field trials in both Israel and the Philippines with elevated moisture content,
moisture migration was observed. Use of agricultural wastes provided insulation from diurnal
temperatwe fluctuations and was effective in preventing moisture migration.
The trials show that gastight storage provides an acceptable protection by maintaining the
number of live insects below the threshold of economic damage. Weight losses in corn stacks
under C02 purge were comparable to gastight storage in terms of preventing dry matter loss.
This study shows that gastight storage using enclosed plastic sheeting is a feasible
alternative for outdoor safe storage of paddy and corn. In the Philippine climatic conditions the
period of safe storage should not exceed four months. Under the Israeli climatic conditions
wheat storage can be extended up to 4 years. Gastight storage can preserve the quality of wheat,
corn and paddy and minimize insect damage with the added advantage of being flexible and
transportable. The technology has strong potential for adoption by farmer organizations and
cooperatives, private grain traders and millers in their post harvest operations
ABSTRAfJ' In Cyprus, barley of 10% moisture content (m.c.) was stored on two concrete platforms covered with PVC liners. The floor of one platform was lined with polyethylene on which about 4,.WO tonnes of barley were stored for 9 months. On the second platform, 2,500 tonnes of barley were loaded directly on the concrete and stored for 7 months. Insect activity was controlled in the first platform within four months, but in the second platform was only partially suppressed. 'Moisture content remained stable except for the peak layer, where moisture migration caused a marked increase. Mold damaged barley unfit for consumption was 0.0088% and 0.1874% of the total quantity in the first and second platforms, respectively. Germination remained above 95% throughout the storage periods. In Israel 15,567 tonnes of wheat of approximately 11% m.c. were stored for 15 months in a bunker bordered by earthen ramps using a PVC overliner and polyethylene underliner. Insect activity was suppressed and total damage from insects and molds were estimated at 0.15 and 0.06%, respectively. Moisture migration to the peak layer, particularly in the region of higher initial m.c., necessitated removal of damaged grain and affected germination and baking quality in that area. Elsewhere, germination averaged 95% and loaf volume was not lower than that of wheat under usual storage conditions.
Preliminary data for insect control and for quality preservation of stored cocoa beans is presented, as a methyl bromide alternative, by employing a novel approach through the use of biogenerated modified atmospheres. The respiration rates of fermented cocoa beans from Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia, were determined under laboratory conditions. Initial insect populations found in these cocoa beans samples consisted of Carpophilus spp., Ahasverus advena, Cryptolestes spp., and Psocids. Respiration rates of cocoa beans at equilibrium relative humidities (r.h.) of 59, 68, and 73% were determined at 26 o C in hermetically sealed 1 L capacity jars containing 500 g commodity. At the equilibrium r.h. of 73%, the respiration of the cocoa beans depleted the oxygen concentration to <1% and increased the carbon dioxide concentration to 23% within six days. To obtain a similar oxygen depletion for cocoa beans at 68% equilibrium r.h, a duration of 23 days was required, while for the sealed cocoa beans in equilibrium with 59% r.h. the oxygen concentration after 23 days had only decreased to 10.8%. Under field conditions in a cocoa bean storage facility in Makassar, Indonesia, a hermetically sealed flexible structure containing 6.7 tonnes of cocoa beans at an initial moisture content of 7.3% (70% equilibrium r.h.) was monitored for oxygen concentration and quality parameters of the beans. The measurements showed a decrease in oxygen concentration to 0.3% after 5.5 days. No insects survived the oxygen depleted biogenerated atmosphere. These encouraging results reveal the possibility of utilizing biogenerated atmospheres in integrated pest management (IPM) for the quality preservation (by preventing the development of FFA, molds, and mycotoxins), and insect control of cocoa pests.
Breakthrough in Storing High Quality Coffee
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World Grain Magazine
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Appropriate Technology for Maintaining Grain Quality in Small Scale Storages
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