Question

name three living organism are different category which damage grains during storage

Answer 1

These are the factors, which are not due to any living organism. The various Abiotic factors which damage the stored food materials are:

(a) Temperature

(b) Moisture content in food grains

(c) Moisture in the air (humidity)

(d) Material of the containers used for storage.

Now let us discuss how these factors agent the stored food materials.

(a) Effect of Temperature:

Temperature is an important factor for the safe storage of foodgrains and other food materials as it affects the growth of insects and microorganisms which attack the stored food materials. The insects which attack the stored foodgrains have maximum growth rate between 30` C and 32`C. Micro-organisms and enzymes which damage the food materials are most active between 30`C and 40`C. Therefore, the damage to the stored food materials can be significantly reduced by storing them at lower temperatures.

(b) Effect of Moisture Content in Foodgrains:

The storage life of the grain is closely related to its moisture content. For safe storage, the moisture content in the foodgrains should be less than 14 per cent. The moisture content in a mature grain is about 16 to 18 per cent. Therefore, the grains should be thoroughly dried to bring down the moisture content below 14 per cent. However, the grain should not be completely dried to bring down the moisture is essential for maintaining the integrity of the grain. High moisture content in food grains adversely affects the storage in the following ways:

1. It increases the rate of physical and chemical changes brought about by the action of microorganisms and enzymes.

2. It increases the population and activity of insects, bacteria and other microorganisms.

3. The respiration of a large population of insects releases large amount of heat, which may raise