ELIMINATION OF CRUPTOLESTES FERRUNGINEUS S. IN WHEAT BY RADIO FREQUENCY DIELECTRIC HEATING AT DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONTENTS

Radio frequency (RF) dielectric heating was tested to control Cryptolestes ferrungineus S. in the bulk wheat samples (ca.152 g, dia. = 50 mm, ht.= 100 mm) at the MCs (%, w. b.) of 12, 15, and 18 using a pilotscale RF heater (1.5 kW, 27.12MHz) in the batch mode. When the temperature of the hottest spot (geometric center) of the sample, TH was at 80°C, all the adult insects were found dead at the cold spots, near bottom-wall, at 50.7°C to 56.0°C depending up on the wheat MCs. The temperatures of the insect-slurries higher than that of the bulk wheat by 0.8°C to 15.1°C indicated the selective heating of the insects. The mortalities of adult insects were almost constant within the quarantine period, QP1 (5 wk). The elapsed time during QP1 had a significant effect only on the insectsʹ mortalities with the wheat at 12% MC. The wheat MC had only marginal significance on the absolute mortalities of insects. The larvae were completely destroyed at temperatures between 55°C and 60°C. The complete mortality of all life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults) of the insect was achieved at TH = 80°C without any emergence of the insects during QP2 (8 wk). The RF treatment enhanced the germination of the wheat kernels at 12% MC while it was decreased by 2% to 33% depending up on the wheat MC, and the treatment temperature. Temperature had no significant effect on the falling numbers, and the yields of flour, bran, and shorts, and the peak-bandwidth and the MC of the wheat, and the flour protein values. The means of the mixing-development-time deferred from the controls mostly for the wheat at 15% MC and TH = 70°C, and 18% MC and TH = 70°C and 80°C. The mean-peak-height and the color values varied between 4% and 16%, and 3% and 6% off the controls depending up on the temperatures. The uniform temperature of 60°C should be enough to control all life stages of the insect completely with a little or no changes in the important product quaities and germination of the wheat at MCs safe for the storage. Future research mainly focused on better estimation of the insect-to-grain electric field intensities is essential.