Abstract
Vitamin contents of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation.
Abstract
There were substantial losses of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin in wheat, maize and sorghum grains at 3 infestation levels (25, 50 and 75%) caused by releasing 2 insect species, Trogoderma granarium and Rhyzopertha dominica separately and in mixed populations. Losses were 65 to 69% (thiamin), 50 to 67% (riboflavin) and 10 to 32% (niacin) due to T. granarium and 23 to 29% (thiamin), 13 to 18% (riboflavin) and 4 to 14% (niacin) due to R. dominica at 75% level of infestation. Storage of grains (1-4 months) in insect-free conditions did not show appreciable changes in the vitamin contents.
