CONDITIONING AND SAFE STORAGE OF COWPEA SEEDS USING PLASTIC HERMETIC BAGS.

Most important feature of the storage systems is to preserve the integrity of the grain for a given period with minimal loss in quality and quantity. The main objective of this study aimed to choose the proper conditions which ensure safe storage process using infrared heating at the optimum radiation intensity of 882.67 W/m² and exposure time of 15 min and the ultraviolet radiation at radiation intensity of 3.538 mW/cm² and exposure time of 40 min on storability of cowpea seeds using different types of plastic hermetic bags in comparison with polypropylene (pp) woven bags. The changes in cowpea seeds quality during storage of pre-treated cowpea seeds in terms of moisture content, protein content, total microbial count and insect detection were also determined. The results show that, the moisture content of seeds stored in pp woven bags increased in contrast with both types of studied hermetic bags, oxygen concentration for hermetic bags decreased during storage period and carbon dioxide increased unlike pp woven bag, The rate of seeds infection with microorganisms and weevils was lower comparing with the samples stored in both types of hermetic bags and crude protein content of seeds stored in hermetic bags reduced at a very slight rate in comparison with that stored in woven bag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]