Factors affecting the storability of agriculture commodities

Summary

This report, presented by Jason Pyo, Steven John, and Al Java, explores the factors affecting the storability of agricultural commodities. It highlights abiotic factors such as moisture content, storage conditions, and temperature, and biotic factors like insects, fungi, and rodents. The objective is to preserve grain quality by understanding how these factors influence storability. Key topics include the importance of maintaining low moisture content, proper container materials, and regular inspection to prevent spoilage and contamination, ensuring the safe storage of grains.

Takeaways

• 🌾 The report covers abiotic and biotic factors affecting the storability of agricultural commodities, presented by Jason Pyo and Steven John.
• 📊 Abiotic factors include moisture content, type of containers, storage structure, temperature, humidity, and light quality.
• 🦠 Biotic factors include insect pests, fungi, bacteria, rodents, and birds, all of which influence the storability of food grains.
• 💧 Moisture content is crucial for post-harvest processing; high moisture content can lead to spoilage despite good aeration equipment.
• 🌱 The safe moisture content is essential to prevent microorganisms from growing; this level depends on storage time.
• 🌡️ High moisture content of air and temperature can accelerate mold growth, increasing grain temperature and moisture content.
• 🚪 The material of storage containers should be non-poisonous and non-reactive with stored food materials.
• ❄️ Monitoring grain temperature and keeping it cool and dry helps prevent the growth of insects, fungi, and molds.
• 🌾 Good quality, clean, and sound grain is easier to maintain in storage than cracked and broken grain, which molds faster.
• 🌿 Regular inspection and maintaining a clean storage environment are crucial for ensuring safe storage conditions and high grain quality.

Q & A

What is the primary objective of the report on factors affecting the storability of agricultural commodities?

The primary objective of the report is to help understand various abiotic and biotic factors that influence the storability of food grains and to outline the requirements for safe storage conditions and precautions to ensure scientific storage.

How does grain quality generally refer to what aspects of the grain?

Grain quality generally refers to both the physical condition of the grain and its chemical composition, which includes factors such as color, composition of nutrients, bulk density, odor, size, and shape.

What are the two main categories of factors that affect the storability of agricultural commodities?

The two main categories of factors that affect the storability of agricultural commodities are abiotic and biotic factors.

What is an abiotic factor and why is it significant in grain preservation?

Abiotic factors are non-living factors that have a significant role in grain preservation. They determine the survival, growth, and multiplication of biotic factors in the grain storage system.

Why is moisture content so crucial in post-harvest processing and grain storage?

Moisture content is crucial because if it is too high, even the best storage equipment and management will not prevent the grain from spoiling; it only delays the inevitable. All microorganisms, including molds, require moisture to survive and multiply.

What is the safe moisture content for grain storage and why is it important?

The safe moisture content is the level below which microorganisms cannot grow. It is important because keeping all foodstuffs below their safe moisture content prevents the growth of microorganisms and spoilage.

How does the moisture content in the air affect the storage life of grain?

High moisture content in the air, along with high temperatures, accelerates the growth of molds in stored grains, which can lead to an increase in temperature and a decrease in grain quality, a phenomenon known as wet heating or damp grain heating.

What characteristics should the materials used for making containers for storing food materials have?

The materials used for making containers should not be poisonous and should not react with the food material stored. For example, lead is poisonous and should not be used, and copper should not be used for storing citrus fruit products as it can form poisonous compounds.

Why is monitoring grain temperature important during storage?

Monitoring grain temperature is important to keep stored grain cool and dry. High moisture and warm temperatures in grain allow for the rapid growth of insects, fungi, and the possible production of mycotoxins.

What are some of the biotic factors that can destroy grains or harvested crops?

Biotic factors include living organisms such as fungi, bacteria, insects, rodents, and birds that can destroy grains or harvested crops by causing contamination, loss of germination, and degradation of nutritive value.

What are some general precautionary measures for safe grain storage?

General precautionary measures for safe grain storage include maintaining high standards of cleanliness, ensuring grains are sound and healthy, storing in a place safe from pests and humidity changes, proper ventilation, drying seeds before storage, and ensuring pest control measures are in place.

Outlines

00:00

🌾 Abiotic and Biotic Factors Affecting Grain Storage

This paragraph delves into the factors influencing the storability of agricultural commodities, focusing on abiotic and biotic factors. Abiotic factors, such as moisture content, grain type, container material, storage structure, temperature, humidity, and light, play a significant role in grain preservation by affecting the conditions for biotic factors to thrive. Moisture content is crucial for post-harvest processing and is linked to the survival and multiplication of microorganisms. The safe moisture content is essential for preventing spoilage. The paragraph also discusses the importance of the initial grain condition, the effects of air moisture, and the material of storage containers. It emphasizes the need for safe storage conditions and precautions to ensure scientific storage, aiming to preserve the quality of grain, which includes its physical condition and chemical composition.

05:02

🐜 Biotic Factors and Safe Storage Practices for Grain

The second paragraph explores biotic factors that impact stored grains, including fungi, bacteria, insects, rodents, and birds, which can cause significant economic losses. Fungi can lead to a loss of germination potential, color, flavor, and nutritive value. Bacteria may invade damaged crops during storage. Insects, especially in tropical climates, are a major cause of storage loss due to their ability to damage, contaminate, and foster mold growth. Rodents cause damage by feeding and contaminating crops, with pre-harvest losses estimated at 5-15%. Birds can also consume and contaminate grain. The paragraph outlines conditions for safe storage, such as regular inspection, maintaining cleanliness, proper drying of grains before storage, ensuring proper ventilation, and pest control. It also highlights the importance of using rodent and bird-proof storage facilities and avoiding old bags to ensure the quality and safety of stored grains.

Keywords

💡Storability

Storability refers to the ability of a product, such as agricultural commodities, to be stored over time without significant degradation in quality. In the video's context, storability is influenced by various abiotic and biotic factors that affect the preservation and quality of stored grains. The script discusses the importance of maintaining optimal conditions to ensure the storability of grains, highlighting the impact of moisture content, temperature, and the presence of pests.

💡Abiotic factors

Abiotic factors are non-living elements that can significantly affect the preservation of grains. The video emphasizes that these factors, which include moisture content, temperature, humidity, and light, determine the survival, growth, and multiplication of biotic factors in grain storage systems. For instance, high moisture content can accelerate the growth of molds, leading to spoilage.

💡Biotic factors

Biotic factors represent living organisms that can cause damage to stored grains. The script mentions fungi, bacteria, insects, rodents, and birds as common biotic factors that can destroy grains or harvested crops. These organisms can lead to economic losses by causing spoilage, contamination, and a reduction in the nutritional value of the stored food.

💡Moisture content

Moisture content is a critical factor in the storability of grains. The video explains that if the moisture content is too high, it can lead to spoilage, even with the best storage practices. It is essential to keep the moisture content below a safe level to prevent the growth of microorganisms and to ensure the longevity of stored grains.

💡Storage structure

The storage structure refers to the physical environment where grains are kept. The video suggests that the type of container and the storage facility can influence the quality of stored grains. Proper selection of materials and design of storage structures is crucial to prevent contamination and to maintain optimal conditions for grain preservation.

💡Quality of grain

Quality in the context of the video pertains to both the physical condition and chemical composition of the grain. It is a multifaceted concept that includes attributes such as color, nutrient composition, bulk density, odor, and shape. The video highlights that maintaining grain quality is the primary objective of grain storage, as it directly affects the market value and consumer preferences.

💡Safe moisture content

Safe moisture content is the threshold below which microorganisms cannot grow. The video script emphasizes that keeping the moisture content of stored food materials below their safe levels is essential to prevent spoilage. It is mentioned that for sale storage, the moisture content in foot grains should be less than 14%.

💡Damp grain heating

Damp grain heating is a phenomenon where high moisture content and temperature in stored grains accelerate the growth of molds, leading to an increase in temperature and a rise in moisture levels. The video describes this as a detrimental process that not only lowers the quality of stored grains but also affects the future germination of seeds.

💡Material of containers

The material used for making storage containers is highlighted in the video as an important factor in grain preservation. Containers should be made from materials that are non-toxic and do not react with the stored food. For example, the script mentions that copper should not be used for storing citrus fruits due to the potential formation of poisonous compounds.

💡Initial grain condition

The initial condition of the grain, such as whether it is clean, sound, and free from damage, is crucial for its storability. The video explains that good quality, clean, and sound grain is easier to maintain in storage compared to cracked or broken grain, which is more susceptible to mold and insect attack.

💡Pest control

Pest control is a general precautionary measure for safe storage discussed in the video. It involves ensuring that the storage area is free from insects, rodents, and other pests that can cause damage to the stored commodities. The script suggests using rodent and bird-proof stores and maintaining proper ventilation to prevent pest infestations.

Highlights

Understanding abiotic factors like moisture content, type of containers, storage structure, temperature, humidity, and light quality in grain storage.

Exploring biotic factors such as insect pests, fungi, bacteria, rodents, and birds that influence the storability of food grains.

Emphasizing the importance of maintaining grain quality, which refers to both physical condition and chemical composition.

Discussing how grain quality depends on consumer preferences and intended end use, with physical condition primarily considered for market value.

Highlighting that moisture content in grain is crucial for post-harvest processing and storage.

Noting that high moisture content can lead to grain spoilage despite the best aeration equipment and management.

Explaining that microorganisms, including molds, require moisture to survive and multiply, making low moisture content essential.

Safe moisture content prevents microorganisms from growing, making it crucial for long-term storage.

Moisture levels above safe content can be tolerated for short storage times but must be controlled for longer durations.

Storage life of grain is closely related to its moisture content, with safe storage requiring moisture content below 14%.

High moisture content in air accelerates mold growth in stored grains, causing temperature increases and potential damage.

Moisture migration significantly influences crop quality during storage, affected by ambient humidity and temperature.

The choice of container material is crucial, as some materials can react with food or be poisonous, affecting storage safety.

Monitoring grain temperature and keeping stored grain cool and dry are essential to prevent insect and fungi growth.

Initial grain condition, such as cleanliness and soundness, is vital for easier maintenance during storage, reducing mold and insect attacks.

Transcripts

factors affecting storability of

agricultural Commodities abiotic and

biotic factors presented by Jason pyo

Steven John Al Java objectives this

report will help us to understand

various abiotic factors like moisture

content of grain type of containers

storage structure temperature humidity

light quality of stor grains and biotic

factors like insect pest fungi bacteria

rodents and birds influences the

storability of the foot grains it also

brings requirement of the safe storage

conditions and precautions to be

followed for ensuring scientific

storage the overall objective of grain

storage is to preserve the Quality

quality generally refers to both

physical condition of grain and its

chemical composition grain quality is

not always easy to Define

as it depends upon consumer preferences

and the intended end use of the product

nevertheless

the physical condition of the grain is

primarily considered for its value or

price in the market these criteria

assigned to grain are the

intrinsic veral qualities which include

color composition of nutrients bulk

density odor Roma size shape Etc which

are influenced by various factors which

can cause damage to the stored food

materials abiotic and biotic factors the

storability of agricultural Commodities

are affected by several factors which

can be classified into two main

categories biotic factors and abiotic

factors what is abiotic factors abiotic

factors have a significant role in Grain

preservation these are the factors which

are not due to living organism abiotic

factors determine the survival growth

and multiplication of biotic factors in

Grain storage system the various abiotic

factors which damage the stored food

materials are discussed below first we

have moisture content moisture content

of grain plays a crucial role in post

Harvest processing and is associated

with most of the induced characteristics

if grain moisture content is to high

even the best eration equipment and

monitoring management will not prevent

the grain from spoiling it only delays

the inevitable all

microorganisms including molds require

moisture to survive and multiply if the

moisture content in a product going into

store is low microorganisms will be

unable to grow provided that the

moisture in the store is also kept low

moisture should therefore be prevented

from entering the store the moisture

content below which microorganisms

cannot grow is referred to as the safe

moisture content in general it is

essential that all food stuffs are kept

below their safe moisture content is to

some extent related to the storage time

time moisture levels above the safe

moisture content can be tolerated if

storage for short times is required

second we have effect of moisture

content in food grains the storage life

of the grain is closely related to its

moisture content for sale storage the

moisture content in the foot grains

should be less than 14% the moisture

content in the mature grain about 16 to

18% therefore the grain should

thoroughly dry to bring down the

moisture content below low

14% third the effects of moisture

content of air high moisture content of

air as well as high temperature

accelerates the growth of mols in the

stor foot grains this may result in

increase in temperature up to 66°

cus and the moisture content of the foot

grains may increase from 14 to 18% this

known as wet heating of grains or damp

grain heating The Damp grain heating not

only lowers the quality of storage foot

grains but also adversely affects the

future germination of seeds fourth the

moisture migration moisture migration is

considered to be one of the most

important influencers on crop quality

during storage which is easily affected

by storage conditions such as ambient

humidity and temperature moisture

migration is more of the problem in a

peak fifth the effect of material of the

containers the container used for

storing different types of food food

materials should be carefully selected

the materials of the containers also

play an important role the materials

used for making containers for storing

food materials should have the following

characteristics one the material used

for making containers should not be

poisonous for example lead is a

poisonous metal therefore it should not

be used for making containers two the

material of the container should not

react with the food material stored for

example citrus fruits react with copper

to from poisonous compounds therefore

the containers made of copper should not

be used for storing citrus fruit

products such as orange juice next we

have the grain temperature it is

important to monitor grain temperature

and to keep stored grain cool and dry by

regular Iration or by turning it high

moisture and warm temperatures in Grain

allow for the rapid growth of insects

fungi and the possible production of MOT

toxins

and next we have initial grain condition

good quality clean sound grain is much

easier to maintain in storage than

cracked and broken grain broken kernels

will mold three two four times faster

than whole kernels broken grain also is

more susceptible to insect attack since

some insects feed only on broken or

cracked

kernels and then we have also dockage

forign matter forign material dockage

can impact your bottom line so it's

important to know the causitive factors

to their presence in your grain the

percentages of foreign materials dockage

can be direct indicators of problems

that typically occur in the field before

Harvest begins factors such as disease

and we pressure are key contributors and

as these levels rise they can negatively

affect the price of your grain lastly

light light a form of energy that can

degrade the food value of foods store

food in dark areas

what is biotic factors biotic factors

stand for all those living organisms

that destroy grains or harvested crops

some of such common organism are fungi

bacteria insects rodents and Birds first

we have fungi fungi contamination and

stored food grains is a global concern

and affects the food economics directly

and indirectly fungi Invasion causes

loss of germination Hotpot generation

color flavor and degradation of

nutritive value second bacteria bacteria

prevalence to the store durable crops

may be low they may however invade

already damaged portion of the crop

products during storage and their

multiplications third insects and

tropical climates insects are often the

major cause of storage loss they can

damage and contaminate produce eat a

considerable quantity produce heat and

Foster mold growth some insects actually

feed and develop inside individual

grains leaving a distinct hole when they

emerge fourth rodents rodents are the

major vertebrate pest causing damage to

various crops and commodities by feeding

and indirect damage by spoilage

contamination and hoarding during on

farm and post Harvest stages the

analysis of the reviews on preh harvest

losses indicates a range of 5 to 15%

damage lastly we have Birds Birds

consume some grain foods but also

contaminate a greater quantity with

droppings losses caused by birds can be

avoided by preventing their access to

the stored Commodities conditions of

safe storage inspect grain frequently

during storage regular inspection helps

maintain a storage environment which is

conducive to good grain quality by

monitoring any significant buildup in

pest populations grain temperature

moisture migration spillage and grain

residues

monitoring grain condition the majority

of grain monitoring systems track

temperature and moisture levels

including the ability to spot moisture

or heat Pockets within the stored grain

keeping on top of these issues ensures

that the grain is of the highest quality

and lowers the risk of detrimental

factors such as mold or germination

General precautionary measures for safe

storage maintain high standard of

cleanliness the grains to be stored

should be sound healthy and free of

trash Storehouse should be at such a

place where grain remains safe from

insect pest rats and humidity changes

that favors more moisture the proper

ventilation for air crossing should be

maintained in storehouses the seed must

be dried before storage in the store

houses must be kept dry and well aerated

it means the seed and storage area

should be kept dry before use the

moisture content of seed should be

minimized up to 8 to 12% or below

for safe storage purposes the storage

area should be safe from

rain Pest Control must be ensured at

adequate level in the storage area use

rodent and bird proof stores having

controlled ventilation leakage free

Floors doors and windows the old bags

must be avoided and new ones should be

dried before use that's all thank you