Design, development and techniques for controlling grains post-harvest losses with metal silo for small and medium scale farmers

Spatiotemporal assessment of post-harvest mycotoxin contamination in rural North Indian food systems

The spatiotemporal trends in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation were analyzed in a range of food commodities (maize, groundnut, pearl millet, rice, and wheat) in village settings in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, India. Samples (n = 1549) were collected across six communities and six time points spanning a calendar year and were analyzed for mycotoxins using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. AFB1 and FB1 were common across surveyed villages, with moderate to high detection rates (45-75%) observed across commodities. AFB1 levels in maize and groundnuts and FB1 levels in maize and pearl millet frequently exceeded regulatory threshold levels of 15 μg/kg (AFB1) and 2 μg/g (FB1). DON was analyzed in wheat, with 3% of samples yielding detectable levels and none exceeding 1 μg/g. In rice, AFB1 levels were highest in the bran and husk and lower in the kernel. Commodity type significantly influenced AFB1 detection status, while commodity type, season, and visual quality influenced samples' legal status. Storage characteristics and household socioeconomic status indicators did not have significant effects on contamination. No significant effects of any variables on FB1 detection or legal status were observed. Data on mycotoxin contamination, combined with data on local dietary intake, were used to estimate spatiotemporal mycotoxin exposure profiles. Estimated seasonal per capita exposure levels for AFB1 (5.4-39.3 ng/kg body weight/day) and FB1 (~0-2.4 μg/kg body weight/day) exceeded provisional maximum tolerable daily intake levels (1 ng/kg body weight/day for AFB1 and 2 μg/kg body weight/day for FB1) in some seasons and locations. This study demonstrates substantial dietary mycotoxin exposure risk in Unnao food systems and serves as an evidentiary foundation for participatory food safety intervention in the region.

Postharvest Storage Practices of Maize in Rift Valley and Lower Eastern Regions of Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study

An assessment of local farmers' knowledge, attitude, and practices on postharvest maize storage and management was carried out with a view of understanding its role in maize contamination with mycotoxins and postharvest losses in Rift Valley and Lower Eastern Regions of Kenya among 165 and 149 farmers, respectively. Differences between the two regions were analyzed using the Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and two-sample t-test. The median quantity of maize harvested by farmers in the two regions after shelling was 585 kg. A median of 20 kg of maize was put aside as a result of rotting before shelling, and there was a significant mean difference in maize set aside as a result of rotting between the two regions (107.88 kg vs. 31.96 kg; t (306.25) = 5.707, P value <0.001). The quantity of discoloured and mouldy maize consumed ranged from 0 to 90 kg; 7 (2.2%) respondents consumed mouldy maize, 36 (11.5%) fed it to cows, and 19 (6.1%) fed it to poultry. A small percentage (3.5%) believed mouldy maize is safe for human consumption, 23.6% for animal consumption, while 15.0% considered it safe for brewing, with the differences between the two regions being statistically significant (P value <0.05). Nearly half of the respondents (48.4%) kept maize on cobs indoors, 47.1% left it in the field without covering, and 33.1% consumed and sold maize while still green, with more farmers from Lower Eastern practicing this. The results of the study suggest that there were poor postharvest practices and low awareness levels among maize farmers and that this can lead to postharvest losses due to Fusarium spp. infection and mycotoxin contamination that poses a threat to human and animal food safety. This calls for interventions on better postharvest practices.

Understanding Food Loss and Waste-Why Are We Losing and Wasting Food?

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported that approximately one-third of all produced foods (1.3 billion tons of edible food) for human consumption is lost and wasted every year across the entire supply chain. Significant impacts of food loss and waste (FLW) have increased interest in establishing prevention programs around the world. This paper aims to provide an overview of FLW occurrence and prevention. Economic, political, cultural, and socio-demographic drivers of FLW are described, highlighting the global variation. This approach might be particularly helpful for scientists, governors, and policy makers to identify the global variation and to focus on future implications. The main focus here was to identify the cause of the FLW occurrence throughout the food supply chain. We have created a framework for FLW occurrence at each stage of the food supply chain. Several feasible solutions are provided based on the framework.

Testing the Insecticidal Activity of Nanostructured Alumina on Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Under Laboratory Conditions Using Galvanized Steel Containers

Most stored-grain pest insects increase their population within a relatively short time, causing serious damage to stored products. Sitophilus oryzae (L.) is one of the world’s major stored-grain pest insects and was chosen as the model insect for our studies. This study compared the efficacy of three different dusts under laboratory conditions: aluminum dust (nanostructured alumina), DiatomiD^®, and Protect-It^® (commercial diatomaceous earth). Parental survival, grain damage, and progeny production were measured at 250 and 500 ppm in treated wheat. The tests were conducted in 400 mL galvanized steel jars, an experimental model used for the first time to measure the effectiveness of nanostructured alumina, since most studies have been typically performed in small petri dishes. Parental survival obtained was highest in the untreated controls, followed in decreasing order by DiatomiD^®, Protect-It^®, and nanostructured alumina (NSA). NSA caused the greatest mortality. All treatments significantly reduced grain weight loss and frass production in wheat infested by S. oryzae. The degree of progeny (F1) suppression was directly related to the product and treatment rate, progeny being significantly suppressed by NSA in wheat followed by Protect-It^® and DiatomiD^®. Therefore, NSA had a greater impact on insect population dynamics.

Ecological Networks in Stored Grain: Key Postharvest Nodes for Emerging Pests, Pathogens, and Mycotoxins

Wheat is at peak quality soon after harvest. Subsequently, diverse biota use wheat as a resource in storage, including insects and mycotoxin-producing fungi. Transportation networks for stored grain are crucial to food security and provide a model system for an analysis of the population structure, evolution, and dispersal of biota in networks. We evaluated the structure of rail networks for grain transport in the United States and Eastern Australia to identify the shortest paths for the anthropogenic dispersal of pests and mycotoxins, as well as the major sources, sinks, and bridges for movement. We found important differences in the risk profile in these two countries and identified priority control points for sampling, detection, and management. An understanding of these key locations and roles within the network is a new type of basic research result in postharvest science and will provide insights for the integrated pest management of high-risk subpopulations, such as pesticide-resistant insect pests.