1Assistant Professor-cum-Scientist, Department of Processing & Food Engineering and Technology, CAET, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar
2Associate Professor, Department of Processing and Food Engineering, APFE, VIAE & T, SHUATS, Prayagraj, U. P.
3Scientist, Borlaug Institute of South Asia (BISA), New Area Farm, Pusa, Bihar
*Correspondence E. Mail: dineshrajak437@gmail.com
Online Published on 30 June, 2023.
The present study was conducted to know the water activity in the behaviour of treated and untreated traditional grain storage. The freshly harvested maize grains (DKC 9082; 12.0% w. b.) were stored under five different types of storage i.e., in Hermetic bags (super bags), Polyethylene bags, Plastic bags and Jute bags, Metal bin and Mud bin with and without treatment at ambient condition (30± 5°c) for study. Out of fifteen, three treatments viz., T1: Jute bag with Hermetic bag; T2- Plastic with Hermetic Bag; T3- Metal bin with Hermetic bags grouped under untreated whereas, twelve treatment viz., T4- Jute bag with polythene treatment of neem; T5- Jute bag with treatment of neem, T6- Plastic bag with Polythene treatment of neem; T7- Plastic with treatment of neem, T8- Metal Bin with polythene Bag treatment of neem; T9- Metal Bin with treatment of neem; T10- Jute bag with polythene treatment of chemical; T11- Jute bag with treatment of chemical; T12- Plastic with polythene treatment of chemical; T13- Plastic bag with treatment of chemical; T14-Metal bin with polythene Bag treatment of chemical and T15 Metal Bin with treatment of chemical storage modes were placed under treatment. The variation in temperature and relative humidity were recorded on a daily basis and the physical properties such as grain moisture content, water activity was recorded monthly. The result revealed that the water activity was found as 0.55 during the initial storage days. In untreated group, the values of water activity were observed slightly increased 0.58 in T1 while T2 and T3 showed similar increased values 0.61 and 0.62 as compared to initial values. In neem leave treated storage water activity was T4 in 0.63, while T5 and T7 similar values were 0. 67, T6 in 0.64, and T8 in 0.66, the highest value increased were T9 in 0.69. In chemical treatment, the highest value was 0.70 in T15, while the lowest value was 0.63 in T10 at the 6th month of storage period in the different storage mode bag. It was concluded that the untreated group exhibited slightly increased values of the water activity in comparison to values recorded at initial stage but less than treated group.
Hermetic, Moisture, Metal bin, Mud bin, Storage, Water activity
