Storage quality of dehulled split pulses as influenced by packaging material

Efficacy of various packaging materials in preserving split dal of blackgram, redgram, and chickpea was assessed at Post-harvest Technology Centre, Bapatla during 2022-23. No natural infestation by pulse beetle, red flour beetle, or almond moth was detected in GrainPro bags and aluminium pouches even after 90 days of storage. Under artificial infestation, GrainPro bags exhibited adult populations of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), as low as 0.33 for blackgram and chickpea dal, with zero infestation observed in redgram dal. Aluminium pouches recorded adult populations of C. maculatus at 0.67 for blackgram, 2.0 for chickpea dal, and zero infestation in redgram dal. GrainPro bags recorded adult populations of T. castaneum at 1.33 for blackgram and chickpea dal, and zero infestation in redgram dal, while aluminium pouches had populations at 1.0 for blackgram, 2.33 for chickpea dal, and zero infestation in redgram dal. GrainPro bags exhibited minimal grain damage (<1.0%) and weight loss (<0.1%), while aluminium pouches also showed negligible levels of grain damage and weight loss (1.0% and 0.12% in blackgram dal, 1.67% and 0.04% in redgram dal, and 0.33% and 0.01% in chickpea dal, respectively). GrainPro bags and aluminium pouches exhibited the lowest levels of fungal growth under both natural (1.0 × 10³ CFU/g or slightly more) and artificial infestation (2.0 x 10³ to 6.0 × 10³ CFU/g) coupled with minimal bacterial growth (0.8x10⁷ to 5.0 × 10⁷ CFU/g under artificial infestation). There was no much deviation in the colour of the products stored in GrainPro bags and aluminium pouches under both conditions, highlighting their superior protective qualities. On the contrary, the woven polymer bag recorded significantly higher adult populations with substantial grain damage and weight loss (4.33% and 0.31% in blackgram dal, 7.7% and 1.15% in redgram dal, and 24.0% and 2.2% in chickpea dal, respectively).