Abstract
Inefficient post-harvest management, including threshing methods and storage structures in developing countries, results in considerable nutritional loss of maize grain. This study evaluates the effects of maize grain threshing conditions, methods, and storage structures on nutritional content of maize and mold growth on it. Freshly harvested maize grain was threshed using two techniques (manual and mechanical) at two moisture levels (17% and 23%). The threshed grains were then dried to a safe storage moisture level (13% w.b.) using a solar bubble dryer. The dried maize grains were stored in five types of storage bags for six months. Nutritional loss, color changes, and mold growth were measured at three-month intervals during the storage period. Data analysis conducted using Minitab revealed that the oil content, starch content, and mold growth were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by storage bag type, grain moisture content during threshing, and threshing techniques. Maize threshed at 17% moisture content retained higher fat and protein levels and exhibited lower mold growth than grain threshed at 23% moisture content. The type of storage bag also significantly affected the starch content of the maize grain. After six months of storage in woven polypropylene bags, starch content decreased by 2.79%, oil content by 6.72%, while protein content increased by 0.44%, and moisture content rose by 12.34%. Hermetic storage bags demonstrated minimal nutritional changes and mold growth. Promoting the use of mechanical threshers at optimal grain moisture levels and hermetic storage bags is essential for smallholder farmers to maintain the quality and safety of their maize grain, reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring food security.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Storage bags, threshing moisture and threshing technique significantly influenced maize oil and starch content.
- Treatment
- storage bag type, grain moisture content during threshing, and threshing techniquese0
- Outcome
- oil content, starch contente0
Zea maysNot reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Data analysis conducted using Minitab revealed that the oil content, starch content, and mold growth were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by storage bag type, grain moisture content during threshing, and threshing techniques.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Storage bags, threshing moisture and technique significantly influenced mold growth on maize.
- Taxon
- molde0
- Treatment
- storage bag type, grain moisture content during threshing, and threshing techniquese0
- Outcome
- mold growthe0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Data analysis conducted using Minitab revealed that the oil content, starch content, and mold growth were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by storage bag type, grain moisture content during threshing, and threshing techniques.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize threshed at 17% moisture retained higher fat and protein than grain threshed at 23%.
- Treatment
- threshed at 17% moisture contente0
- Outcome
- fat and protein levelse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- grain threshed at 23% moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize threshed at 17% moisture content retained higher fat and protein levels and exhibited lower mold growth than grain threshed at 23% moisture content.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mold growth was lower on maize threshed at 17% than at 23% moisture.
- Taxon
- molde0
- Treatment
- threshed at 17% moisture contente0
- Outcome
- mold growthe0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- grain threshed at 23% moisture contente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize threshed at 17% moisture content retained higher fat and protein levels and exhibited lower mold growth than grain threshed at 23% moisture content.”
Claim · model-written summary
After six months in woven polypropylene bags maize starch content decreased by 2.79%.
- Treatment
- storage in woven polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- starch contente0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 2.79%e0
- Qualifier
- After six monthse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After six months of storage in woven polypropylene bags, starch content decreased by 2.79%, oil content by 6.72%, while protein content increased by 0.44%, and moisture content rose by 12.34%.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
After six months in woven polypropylene bags maize oil content decreased by 6.72%.
- Treatment
- storage in woven polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- oil contente0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 6.72%e0
- Qualifier
- After six monthse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After six months of storage in woven polypropylene bags, starch content decreased by 2.79%, oil content by 6.72%, while protein content increased by 0.44%, and moisture content rose by 12.34%.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
After six months in woven polypropylene bags maize protein content increased by 0.44%.
- Treatment
- storage in woven polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- protein contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 0.44%e0
- Qualifier
- After six monthse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After six months of storage in woven polypropylene bags, starch content decreased by 2.79%, oil content by 6.72%, while protein content increased by 0.44%, and moisture content rose by 12.34%.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
After six months in woven polypropylene bags maize moisture content rose by 12.34%.
- Treatment
- storage in woven polypropylene bagse0
- Outcome
- moisture contente0
- Direction
- rosee0
- Value
- 12.34%e0
- Qualifier
- After six monthse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After six months of storage in woven polypropylene bags, starch content decreased by 2.79%, oil content by 6.72%, while protein content increased by 0.44%, and moisture content rose by 12.34%.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Hermetic bags produced minimal maize nutritional changes.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hermetic storage bags demonstrated minimal nutritional changes and mold growth.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Hermetic bags produced minimal mold growth.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hermetic storage bags demonstrated minimal nutritional changes and mold growth.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend mechanical threshing at optimal moisture and hermetic bags to preserve maize grain quality and safety.
- Outcome
- use of mechanical threshers at optimal grain moisture levels and hermetic storage bagse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Promoting the use of mechanical threshers at optimal grain moisture levels and hermetic storage bags is essential for smallholder farmers to maintain the quality and safety of their maize grain, reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring food security.”
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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.