Mineral Salts as Protectants in Maida and Suji against Red Flourbeetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst and their Effect on the Quality and Acceptability

Milled cereals are more susceptible to the hazards of storage such as moisture, temperature, fungi, bacteria, insects and other pests. Among the milled cereals, maida and suji are invariably infested by rust red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, which may start from the field, field drying, stacking, threshing, milling and transportation. The flour beetles cause discolouration of the flour, secrete off-smelling liquids into flour, contaminate by their cast skins, fecal pellets and uric acid resulting in urinary infections in mammals. The need for disinfection is particularly acute in warm countries, where insects breed rapidly.