Pw. Wareing et al., CHANGES IN THE MYCOFLORA OF UK WHEAT SHIPPED TO TROPICAL REGIONS, International biodeterioration & biodegradation, 32(1-3), 1993, pp. 175-185
Food-aid is a major component of food security for many countries. The
integration of food-aid grain into national stocks and the maintenanc
e of quality has been a neglected area of research. Losses frequently
occur when food grain is shipped from temperate to tropical regions. T
he water content of grain at export is often at the limit for short-te
rm storage in temperate climates. When such grain is exposed to the hi
gher temperatures prevailing in tropical regions its water activity (a
(W)) may increase sufficiently to allow moulds to grow. Two consignmen
ts of wheat, exported from the UK to Asia and Africa, were monitored i
n shipboard and warehouse trials as part of a long-term investigation
of the problem of mould spoilage during shipment and storage. In both
trials, mycological analysis proved to be a very sensitive tool for de
tecting micro-environmental changes in the grain bulk. New specificati
ons, imposing stricter limits on grain water content, are suggested fo
r food-aid wheat exported from the UK.