Decision support systems for minimising mould spoilage and mycotoxins in stored cereals

Cereals are traded on a wet weight basis. Thus post-harvest thresholds for safe storage can be exceeded when batches of different moisture contents of grain are placed in silos. This can result in initiation of mould growth and contamination with mycotoxins. The objectives of this project are to devise a robust integrated sensor system to monitor CO2, temperature and RH in different positions within grain silos and combine this with biological information on boundary conditions for growth of spoilage and mycotoxigenic fungi relevant to the EU legislative limits. This will provide an effective real time Decision Support System (DSS) tool for grain silo managers to control and minimise potential for spoilage and mycotoxin contamination post-harvest. The DSS system will have wide applications in the food and feed chains post-harvest in the UK, the EU and globally, for grain silo manufacturers, and for transport of grain, especially via shipping. This will provide a significant niche market for a powerful new DSS tool in the agrifood market.