Free phosphine in the void space of food commodities during phosphine fumigation

Abstract

On fumigation with six phosfume tablets/tonne, cereals and the milled products of wheat showed higher amount of free phosphine in their void space than those of grams, dhals, coffee beans and paddy, the latter retaining the least amount of only 40μg/mg. The milled products of wheat showed lesser amounts of free phosphine in their void space than that of whole wheat. On the other hand, rice retained a larger quantity of free phosphine than that of paddy, but dhals retained lesser amounts of free phosphine than the corresponding grams before milling. Arabica coffee beans retained lesser amounts of free phosphine than Robusta coffee beans. It is not advisable to offer the same dose of 6 tablets/tonne for all the commodities as the free phosphine content (effective fumigant) in the void space of different commodities is different. © 1993 Academic Press.