Miller Magazine Issue: 113 May 2019

71 ARTICLE MAY 2019 relative humidity data coming from sen- sors, like the ones developed by Centa- ur Analytics, Inc. (Figure 1). The devices are equipped with wireless connectivity with the ability to transmit data frequ- ently (e.g. every 2 hours) from inside stored grain. The data were transmitted in real time to a cloud platform enabling instant and automated grain condition predictions. APPLICATION EXAMPLE To illustrate the capabilities of the ap- proach and the way it addresses all the challenges described above, a typical grain storage scenario is presented. The silo under consideration was located at Topeka, Kansas (USA) and the storage period started in the summer (Figure 2). The steel silo diameter was D=8 m / 26ft and its height was H=16 m / 52 ft. The initial temperature and moisture content of wheat were 25 oC / 77 oF and 13.6 % respectively. The model predicts the temperature and moisture content profiles for the entire storage structure. As already mentioned above this information is correlated with mold development models that calculate the areas inside the silo with a higher risk of mold de- velopment, potentially leading to toxin contamination of the grain. Figure 3 presents these profiles after 3 and 6 months of storage time A video of the forecast for the entire storage period can be viewed in the following link: https://youtu.be/NMJMip0-VW4 . It is evident that tem- perature and moisture content profiles are non-uniform inside the structure. Higher temperature values are pre- sent at the core of the silo since the grain outer layers are cooled by the ambient temperature. Moisture accumu- lation is predicted near the grain surface after 3 months leading to an area with a high risk of mold development at the end of 6 months. THE BENEFITS Wireless sensor technology combined with advanced data analysis techniques provide predictions of the grain temperature, moisture content, and risk of mold develop- ment throughout the storage period, bringing unprece- dented benefits to the users: • prevention of mold development and mycotoxin con- tamination • cost-effective prevention strategies for mold deve- lopment • higher commodity market value • supply chain transparency REFERENCES [1] World Health Organization (WHO), https://www. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mycotoxins [2] Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Grain storage Techniques – Evolution and trends in developing countries. Agricultural Services Bulleting No. 109 [3] FAO, Mycotoxin prevention and control in foodgrains [4] Hurburgh Jr, C. R. Mycotoxins in the Grain Market, Iowa State University – Extension and Outreach. [5] Lessard, F. (2015). Integrated approach of the preven- tion of mould spoilage risks and mycotoxin contamination of stored grain – a European perspective. 10th IOBC-WPRS International Conference 2015 on Integrated Protection of Stored Products, At Zagreb, Croatia. Figure 3: Grain temperature, moisture content and mold risk profiles after 3 months (top) and 6 months (bottom) of storage. A video of the simula- tion is also available in the following link: https://youtu.be/NMJMip0-VW4