Moisture and temperature are the two biggest factors in grain spoilage. Making sure the grain that goes into the bin has been dried to an optimum moisture level and checking the bins frequently to monitor temperature and identify any issues early will reduce the chances of spoilage.
When it comes time to store cereals, one of the best things a grower can do for their grain is to ensure that it’s dry and kept cool, well below 10°C.
Ochratoxin A (OTA), is a potent, naturally occurring mycotoxin that can form on stored cereal grains in high moisture conditions. OTA is produced by Penicillium verrucosum a naturally occurring soil fungus; but, unlike deoxynivalenol (also known as DON or vomitoxin) which is formed by fusarium infections in the field, OTA forms exclusively in storage.
OTA can be a risk to market access as countries can have different maximum allowable limits of OTA in grain. Make sure to monitor this regularly throughout the storage season, and to remove a minimum of one-third of bins if there’s a detectable temperature rise. Not doing so risks the development of OTA.
Click here to see more...