OZONE APPLICATION IN WHEAT STORAGE 3648
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Date
2023-12
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JAU JUNAGADH
Abstract
The storage of wheat grains plays a crucial role in national economy. Wheat is
the second most important food crop of India after paddy, which contributes nearly one third of the total food grain production. India holds second place among the wheat growing countries of the world. Triticum aestivum known as common bread or chapatti
wheat. It is good for making chapatti and bakery products. GW 496 variety is cultivated
throughout India. It provides 20 per cent of total calories for human race.
The major problem in bulk storage of wheat is a loss in both quality and quantity
of food grains because of pests, insects. The main reasons for applying ozone in wheat
grain are for pest and insect control. As ozone does not leave any residues in the treated
food, there is no need for an aeration step after treatment, and also due to the excellent
results of ozonation, it has been considered a “green alternative” to improve wheat
quality. The chemicals used in traditional storage methods like phosphine and methyl
bromide which are toxic and carcinogenic. Ozone treatment replaces these chemicals.
The system for disinfestation of wheat during bulk storage using ozone gas was
developed during experiment. In total, 26 GI metal cylindrical storage bins (25 kg
capacity) were fabricated for storage. Wheat storage bins have vertical cylindrical
shape. At the bottom, a perforated floor is provided. A vertically mounted perforated
pipe is located at the center of the cylinder. An ozone generator is connected to the
bottom side of the bin to deliver ozone evenly to the grain mass. Monitoring
temperature and relative humidity inside storage bin was performed with an IoT-based
sensor and microcontroller. The variable was subjected to specific constraints during
the optimization process, with the end goal being to reduce grain damage while
minimizing the number of live insects (Rhyzopertha dominica), achieve the
recommended germination percentage, and achieve kernel weight.
In this experiment, wheat grains were treated by gaseous ozone with various
ozone exposure time (0 min, 30 min, 60 min, 90 min and 120 min) and at various
frequency cycles (7 days, 14 days, 21 days). During the process we applied two
replicate of 13 different combinations. The observed data were analysed to find out the
effect of ozonation on insect population, germination, grain damage, thousand kernel
weight, moisture content, carbohydrate, starch, gluten content and protein content of
wheat grains after every 30 days of storage period up to 360 days of storage. As well
as colour, odour, bulk density and hardness of wheat also determined after every 120
days of interval up to 360 days of storage. The economics of ozone treated and untreated
wheat grains up to 360 days was carried out. The results were statistically analyzed by
completely randomized design with two replications
ii
The data demonstrated that ozone used in bin storage have maximum 15 insects
per kg at 30 min ozone exposure time and 21 days ozone cycle as compare to 111 insects
per kg in control sample after 360 days of storage. The pest namely Rhyzopertha
dominica and Corcyra cephalonica were identified and recorded during bulk storage
duration of wheat grains. The change from 100 to 74 % in germination percentage was
observed in ozone treated sample for the storage period of 30 days to 360 days. Ozone
treatment maintain the germination percentage during storage. The change from 0 to
19% in damaged grain and 45.17 to 42.56% in thousand grains weight was observed in
ozone-treated sample for the storage period of 360 days. The change from 10.51 to
10.40 % in moisture content was observed in ozone-treated sample for the storage
period of 30 days to 360 days. A slightly decrease from 78.73 to 75.41% in total
carbohydrate percentage, 68.29 to 65.48% in starch content, 8.92 to 7.01 % in gluten
content and 10.38 to 7.33 % in protein content were recorded in ozone-treated sample
for the storage period of 30 days to 360 days. The change in sensory score from 7.63 to
6.75 for colour and 8.25 to 6.00 for odour was observed in ozone-treated sample for the
storage period of 30 days to 360 days. The change of 0.77 to 0.84 g/cm3
in bulk density,
1.5 to 3.2% in surface area and 0.39 to 0.76 % in hardness were observed in ozone treated sample for the storage period of 30 days to 360 days.
Based on the results obtained during experiments, it could be concluded to apply
ozone gas in the storage at 1000 ppm concentration, 30 min of ozone exposure time and
14 days rotational cycle to obtain minimum grain damage, minimum insect infestation
and cost reliable treatment during 12 month of storage period. At this treatment, the
minimum grain damage was 6% recorded which has FCI approval category (< 10%).
The insect density was 2.5 insect per kg at the 360 days of storage for 90 min and 120
min ozone exposure time and 14 days cycle are the next best treatment recommended
due to minimum damaged grain up to 5% and 4.5% respectively. The 14 days cycle is
more economical than 7 days cycle. The total cost of ozone disinfestation of grain per
1000 kg of wheat grains during 12 month of storage was estimated 18844 ₹. This study
provided new insights into how stored wheat grain responds to ozone treatment and
highlighted the role of treatment time durations and cycle for physicochemical
characteristics of the grains