Abstract
Maize ( Zea mays ) is an important staple food crop produced by the majority of smallholder farmers that provides household food security through direct consumption and income generation. However, postharvest grain losses caused by insect pests during storage pose a major constraint to household food security. Hermetic storage technology is an alternative method that minimises postharvest losses by depleting oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide levels within the storage container through metabolic respiration of the grains, insects, and microorganism. Maize grain was stored for 180 days in hermetic bags or open-weave polypropylene bags to compare quality preservation when subject to initial grain moisture contents of 12, 14, 16, and 18 percent and infestation by Sitophilus zeamais . The moisture content of grain in hermetic bags remained unchanged while in polypropylene bags decreased. Dry grains (12% moisture content) stored well in hermetic bags and suffered 1.2% weight loss while for equivalent grains in polypropylene bags the weight loss was 35.8%. Moist grains (18% moisture content) recorded the lowest insect density (7 adults/kg grain) in hermetic bags while polypropylene bags had the highest (1273 adults/kg grain). Hermetic and polypropylene bags recorded the lowest (0–4 adults/kg grain) and highest (16–41 adults/kg grain) Prostephanus truncatus population, respectively. Discoloured grains were 4, 6, and 12 times more in grains at 14, 16, and 18 than 12 percent moisture content in hermetic bags. Grains at 18% moisture content recorded significantly lower oxygen (10.2%) and higher carbon dioxide (18.9%) levels. Holes made by P. truncatus in the hermetic bags were observed. In conclusion, storage of moist grains (14–18% moisture content) in hermetic bags may pose health risk due to grain discolouration caused by fungal growth that produces mycotoxins if the grains enter the food chain. The study was on only one site which was hot and dry and further investigation under cool, hot, and humid conditions is required.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Moisture content remained unchanged in hermetic bags.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Outcome
- moisture content of graine0
- Direction
- remained unchangede0
- Comparator
- polypropylene bagse0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The moisture content of grain in hermetic bags remained unchanged while in polypropylene bags decreased.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Moisture content decreased in polypropylene bags.
- Treatment
- polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- moisture content of graine0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Comparator
- hermetic bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The moisture content of grain in hermetic bags remained unchanged while in polypropylene bags decreased.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Dry grain in hermetic bags lost 1.2% weight.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Outcome
- weight losse0
- Direction
- stored welle0
- Value
- 1.2%e0
- Qualifier
- 12% moisture contente0
- Comparator
- polypropylene bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Dry grains (12% moisture content) stored well in hermetic bags and suffered 1.2% weight loss while for equivalent grains in polypropylene bags the weight loss was 35.8%.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Equivalent dry grain in polypropylene bags lost 35.8% weight.
- Treatment
- polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- weight losse0
- Value
- 35.8%e0
- Qualifier
- 12% moisture contente0
- Comparator
- hermetic bagse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Dry grains (12% moisture content) stored well in hermetic bags and suffered 1.2% weight loss while for equivalent grains in polypropylene bags the weight loss was 35.8%.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
At 18% moisture, hermetic bags had the lowest insect density of 7 adults/kg grain.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Interactor
- Sitophilus zeamais
Sitophilus zeamaise1pest - Outcome
- insect densitye0
- Direction
- loweste0
- Value
- 7 adults/kg graine0
- Qualifier
- 18% moisture contente0
- Comparator
- polypropylene bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Moist grains (18% moisture content) recorded the lowest insect density (7 adults/kg grain) in hermetic bags while polypropylene bags had the highest (1273 adults/kg grain).”
e1“infestation by Sitophilus zeamais .”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
At 18% moisture, polypropylene bags had the highest insect density of 1273 adults/kg grain.
- Treatment
- polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- insect densitye0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Value
- 1273 adults/kg graine0
- Qualifier
- 18% moisture contente0
- Comparator
- hermetic bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Moist grains (18% moisture content) recorded the lowest insect density (7 adults/kg grain) in hermetic bags while polypropylene bags had the highest (1273 adults/kg grain).”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Hermetic bags had 0–4 Prostephanus truncatus adults per kg grain.
- Treatment
- Hermetice0
- Interactor
- Prostephanus truncatus
Prostephanus truncatuse0pest - Outcome
- Prostephanus truncatus populatione0
- Direction
- loweste0
- Value
- 0–4 adults/kg graine0
- Comparator
- polypropylene bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hermetic and polypropylene bags recorded the lowest (0–4 adults/kg grain) and highest (16–41 adults/kg grain) Prostephanus truncatus population, respectively.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Polypropylene bags had 16–41 Prostephanus truncatus adults per kg grain.
- Treatment
- polypropylene bagse0
- Interactor
- Prostephanus truncatusProstephanus truncatuse0pest
- Outcome
- Prostephanus truncatus populatione0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Value
- 16–41 adults/kg graine0
- Comparator
- Hermetice0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hermetic and polypropylene bags recorded the lowest (0–4 adults/kg grain) and highest (16–41 adults/kg grain) Prostephanus truncatus population, respectively.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
In hermetic bags, grain discolouration was 4 at 14 moisture relative to 12%.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Outcome
- Discoloured grainse0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 4e0
- Qualifier
- 14e0
- Comparator
- 12 percent moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Discoloured grains were 4, 6, and 12 times more in grains at 14, 16, and 18 than 12 percent moisture content in hermetic bags.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
In hermetic bags, grain discolouration was 6 at 16 moisture relative to 12%.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Outcome
- Discoloured grainse0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 6e0
- Qualifier
- 16e0
- Comparator
- 12 percent moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Discoloured grains were 4, 6, and 12 times more in grains at 14, 16, and 18 than 12 percent moisture content in hermetic bags.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
In hermetic bags, grain discolouration was 12 at 18 moisture relative to 12%.
- Treatment
- hermetic bagse0
- Outcome
- Discoloured grainse0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 12e0
- Qualifier
- 18e0
- Comparator
- 12 percent moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Discoloured grains were 4, 6, and 12 times more in grains at 14, 16, and 18 than 12 percent moisture content in hermetic bags.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
At 18% grain moisture, oxygen was significantly lower at 10.2%.
- Treatment
- 18% moisture contente0
- Outcome
- oxygene0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 10.2%e0
- Qualifier
- 18% moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grains at 18% moisture content recorded significantly lower oxygen (10.2%) and higher carbon dioxide (18.9%) levels.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
At 18% grain moisture, carbon dioxide was higher at 18.9%.
- Treatment
- 18% moisture contente0
- Outcome
- carbon dioxidee0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 18.9%e0
- Qualifier
- 18% moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grains at 18% moisture content recorded significantly lower oxygen (10.2%) and higher carbon dioxide (18.9%) levels.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
P. truncatus made holes in hermetic bags.
- Interactor
- P. truncatusProstephanus truncatuse0pest
- Outcome
- Holes made by P. truncatus in the hermetic bagse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Holes made by P. truncatus in the hermetic bags were observed.”
t0“Maize Grain”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors warned that storing moist grain in hermetic bags may pose a health risk from fungal discolouration and mycotoxins.
- Outcome
- storage of moist grains (14–18% moisture content) in hermetic bagse0
- Qualifier
- health risk due to grain discolouration caused by fungal growthe0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“storage of moist grains (14–18% moisture content) in hermetic bags may pose health risk due to grain discolouration caused by fungal growth that produces mycotoxins if the grains enter the food chain.”
t0“Maize Grain”
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Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.