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Moulds in Food Grains - wheat
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According to a World Health Organization
paper titled, ”Mycotoxin”, Mycotoxin are found in moldy (affected with fungus)
grains and food. These molds can cause human disease due to production of aflatoxin
(cancer causing), trichothecenes, Ochratoxins, Cirtinin and other toxins.
What is worrisome?
This Aflatoxin causes abdominal
pain, vomiting, hepatitis, and death after acute exposure to high concentration
in food. Chronic low dose exposure to aflatoxin can result in low growth in
children.
The issue is highlighted due to
Indian grain especially paddy and wheat are stored in outdoors under tarpaulins
throughout the rainy season. Rainy
season get these stored grain infected with mould.
After this the grain is
converted into flour or flour based product, which is contained in air tight
containers to prevent mold.
However, the Mycotoxin already travels into the
food. The Indian government is aware of the consequences, and there are
regulations in place to prevent the purchase of moldy grains from farmers. But
there are no studies or research is done in procuring grains in stores using
CAP (Cover and Plinth) methods.
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| Storage of Grains |
What should be done?
There are enough technologies,
like steel, cement and other building material can be used in storing the food
grain. Proper utilization of resources should be the priority. India is a growing economy, and food grain
production has been increased in recent years, but failure of storing it in
proper place will create huge burden of disease among population.
Punjab has built public private
partnership for Basmati rice storage, and the facility is temperature
controlled grain silos. The government can formulate certain policies after
learning from Punjab.
Lesson to be learnt
from abroad.
North America and mid-west has
been procuring the grain under large grain silos and a railway system to export
those.
United States of America has
permanent storage capacity of nearly equal to annual grain production.
However, in India only four
Silos are there in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hapur – Ghaziabad. 6 percent
around 1800000 tonnes is wasted as it is extremely fungus ridden, while at
other side, the major population starves to hunger.
