Impact of kernel breakage and storage conditions on mildew growth in grain piles

Grain storage is vital in today's world, however the annual grain losses due to mycotoxin contamination reach 250 million tons all over the world. During harvesting, processing and storage (damping and compression), mechanical damage to kernels inevitably creates fracture/breakage and thereafter mildew in the grain silo. One issue that the effect of breakage type and position on mildew under one dimensional (1D) loading was not fully understood up to date. In this paper, the effects of different fracture types and spatial positions on mold proliferation under compressive storage conditions were investigated. First, this study simulates the storage of grain piles under 1D load conditions using in total nine tests in three studies. The effect of breakage type and spatial position on mildew under different compression load were researched. The dry matter loss, grain temperature along with colony count were compared among different breakage type and positions of broken kernels. The results proved that as the moisture content increased, the compression of the pile was larger and the porosity was correspondingly lower, which in turn caused an increase in the temperature and the number of broken kernels. These factors were the main causes of mould in the pile. It is imperative that kernels exposed to the endosperm should be prioritized by screening if necessary, and attention should be paid to the center of the silo during ventilation, which can effectively reduce the mould in the pile. In conclusion, this study aims to understand the fungal contamination under varied kernel fractures and further help to reduce economic losses and improve the food safety after proper management.