Prevention of losses of food grains during post-harvest storage has always been a challenge to everyone concerned about food resources. In order to save food from myriad pests such as rodents, insects and fungi, the department of Food Protectants and Infestation control was established. The strengths of the department lie in  multi-disciplinary science and technology approaches to deal with the diverse post-harvest problems of infestation in stored food grains, spices and processed foods; pest control in households and food processing units; and prophylactic measures. The department has the best expertise in the science and technology of fumigation of food grains and spices such as wheat, rice, oilseeds, coffee, chillies and tobacco. The department offers expert services in rodent control and newer methods; and in safer poison baits and traps. The department is a recognised centre to generate data on pesticidal product registration and mammalian toxicity and for safety evaluation and residue certification.

· Basic and applied aspects of stored product entomology and
  microbiology

· Stored product infestation control-physical, chemical and biological
  methods

· Fumigation science & technology

· Rodent pest management

· Newer pesticides: Plant-based, microbial and environment-friendly
  biopesticides; non-toxic food grain protectants

· Chemical pesticides: Technology, residue analysis and abatement

· Toxicology and mode of action of pesticides

· Microbial degradation and environmental studies

· Storage structures

· Prophylactic treatment

Major Technologies Developed/Transferred

· Ballooning technique for moisture-sensitive commodities

· Fumigant detector for phosphine fumigant

· Controlled atmosphere storage

· Non-food rodent bait

· Plant-based bio-insecticides for stored product insect control

· Cockroach trap

· ELISA kit for DDT and Endosulfan

Major Projects Completed

· Production of insecticide-specific bio-emulsifier using HCH-degrading
  Pseudomonas Ptm+ strain on solid state fermentation

· Development and application of simple test kits for pesticide
  residues in plant derived foods

· Development of bio-insecticide for the protection of stored grain from
  Decalepis hamiltonii

· Studies on the efficacy of some synthetic chemicals and plant
  extracts for rodent repellence

· Phosphine resistance in insect pests of stored grain

· The biological basis for the differential toxicity of organophosphorus
  insecticides

· Biofumigants based on natural flavours

· Development and validation of ELISA kits to detect toxic components of aregemone oils in edible oils

· Development of ELISA kits for selected pesticide residues in foods,
  including export commodities, and ELISA kit validation.

· Development of alternatives to GC, HPLC and ELISA methods of
  analysis of pesticide residues in grain

 
Technical Services Offered

TESTING AS PER REGULATORY PROTOCOLS UNDERTAKEN ON REQUEST

· Fumigation: testing of fabrics for gas retention

· Analysis of aluminium phosphide tablets and insecticide formulations to BIS standards

· Pesticide residues (in export foods)

· Microbial load of food commodities and soil

· Bio-efficacy and persistence studies on different surfaces of
  pesticide formulations against stored product insect and household
  insect species (housefly, cockroach, mosquito)

· Toxicity on different surfaces such as cement, tiles, bricks and jute

· Termite/Ant control

· Toxicity for non-target/beneficial insects such as silkworm, honey
  bees Testing of repellents against household and storage insects
  and pests Mammalian/bird toxicity

· Safety evaluation

GENERAL TRAINING/CONSULTANCY OFFERED

· Fumigation

· Household infestation control

· Rodent control

· Termite/Ant control

· Seed-borne fungi

· Toxicity evaluation of pesticides

· Pesticide residue analysis and abatement

· Technical advice to food exporters

Head                                                                                    Department of Food Protectants and Infestation Control                  Central Food Technological Research Institute
Mysore - 570 013, India
Phone : + 91 - 821 - 2513210
Fax : + 91 - 821 - 2517233

Email: fpic @ cftri . res . in                                                       Top