January 8, 2025 | Bulletin of Entomological Research |
Researchers from the Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Egypt, conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of vapour heat treatment as a postharvest method for controlling insect pests in stored Siwi date fruits. Stored dates are susceptible to infestation by a variety of pests, which can compromise both yield and market acceptability, particularly in export markets. Effective pest control measures that also maintain fruit quality are essential for postharvest handling.
The study targeted five common stored-product pests: Ephestia cautella (almond moth), Plodia interpunctella (Indian meal moth), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (saw-toothed grain beetle), Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle), and Stegobium paniceum (drugstore beetle). Infested dates were exposed to vapour heat at 46.5°C and 95% relative humidity for 30 minutes. Insects were placed in eight different positions within the chamber to test treatment uniformity.
The results showed 100% mortality of all pest species at a height of 120 cm from the heat source. Additionally, vapour heat treatment reduced microbial load and had no significant effect on the chemical or physical quality of the dates (P ≤ 0.05). The findings support vapour heat as an effective, safe, and environmentally friendly method for pest control in stored dates intended for export.
