|
|
|
|
|
Introduction
Home
- List of Acronyms
- List of Cooperating Sponsors
- Conversion Tables
Part One
Section I:
Commodities
- Commodity Availability
- Commodity Characteristics
- References
Section II:
Food Commodity
Fact Sheets
- Beans, Black
- Beans, Great Northern
- Beans, Kidney (Light Red, Dark Red, All types)
- Beans, Navy (Pea Beans)
- Beans, Pink
- Beans, Pinto
- Beans, Small Red
- Bulgur (BW)
- Bulgur, Soy Fortified (SFBW)
- Corn (bagged, bulk)
- Cornmeal
- Cornmeal, Soy-Fortified (CMSF)
- Corn Soy Blend (CSB)
- Corn Soy Milk (CSM)
- Corn Soy Milk, Instant (ICSM)
- Lentils
- Non Fat Dry Milk (NFDM)
- Peas
- Rice
- Rice (Parboiled)
- Sorghum
- Sorghum Grits, Soy-Fortified (SFSG)
- Fortified Refined Vegetable Oil
- Wheat
- Wheat Flour
- Wheat Soy Blend (WSB)
- Wheat Soy Milk (WSM)
Section III:
Storage/Shelflife
Specifications
- Storage Specifications
- Storage Inspection Checklist
- Shelf Life of Agricultural Commodities
- References
Section IV:
Controlling
Damage to Food
Commodities
- Cleaning and Inspecting
- Insect Control
- Rodent Control
- Reference Chart for Controlling Damage to Food Commodities
- References
Part Two
An Overview
Part Three
|
|
|
|
|
Section III:
Storage/Shelf Life Specifications |
|
Updated January 2006
I. STORAGE
SPECIFICATIONS
Storage space requirements should be
given careful attention. The amount of space necessary in a warehouse
depends
upon the total volume of food to be stored and on the number of
different
commodities. Each commodity should be stacked separately. Separate
stacks
require more usable volume than one large stack (i.e., a warehouse
large
enough to hold 50 MT of wheat will hold less than 50 MT of wheat and
sorghum
stacked separately).
The difference between gross
dimensions
of a warehouse and usable volume for storage must be
taken
into consideration. The following illustrations show gross dimensions
of
warehouses and usable volume when stacks of food are stored.
Space Utilization -
Usable Stacking Volume in
Cubic Meters
Figure 1: Warehouse
with one
stack of grain. |
Figure 2: Warehouse
with two
stack of grain. |
|
(Source:
CARE Food Resource
Manual, November 1995)
In estimating
how much usable space is needed per commodity, the following rules of
thumb
may help. (These are estimated figures)
- One MT of a bagged commodity (50
lb. bags) requires approximately
2 cubic meters of usable storage space.
- One MT of edible Vegoil in tins
requires approximately
1.4 cubic meters of usable storage space.
- In using the stacking suggestions
below, do not stack
fiberboard cases of oil tins higher than 8 layers. Do not stack flour
and
meals higher than 20 layers. Do not stack grits or whole grains higher
than
30-40 layers.
II.
STORAGE INSPECTION
CHECKLIST
Date:__________________
Inspected by: __________________
Warehouse: __________________
A.
Yard Area Surrounding
Warehouse
___ 1. Inspect the yard for
signs of rodents (i.e.,
pellets, tracks, burrows, holes, sings of feeding).
___ 2. Check to see that conditions do not attract
insects (i.e., spilled commodities or other edible materials, empty
containers,
bird nests, weeds, trash, piled or damaged packing materials).
___ 3. Remove trash and unnecessary equipment
and supplies regularly.
___ 4. Check the general security of the yard
area surrounding the warehouse.
B.
Warehouse
___ 1. Screen openings with
wire netting with mesh
not larger than 6.35 mm.
___ 2. Make doors of tightly fitting metal.
___ 3. Check for roof leaks.
___ 4. Check for holes in the walls.
___ 5. Ensure that the floor is sufficiently hard-packed
to prevent burrowing by rodents.
___ 6. Check to see that the warehouse is well
lit.
___ 7. Clean and service the anticoagulant and
rodent bait stations regularly, and keep them filled with fresh bait
(exterior
use only)
___ 8. Use rodent tracking powders (exterior use
only)
___ 9. Use multiple-catch mouse traps, snap traps,
and glue boards in the interior of the warehouse and check them weekly.
___ 10. Position commodity stacks at least one
meter from walls and other stacks.
___ 11. Keep passageways clean.
___ 12. (For large and very large warehouses)
Provide three to four meters wide central gangways.
___ 13. Stack at a reasonable height for ease
of handling and to prevent damage to containers by crushing or falling
from
stacks.
___ 14. Lift bags by the body instead of corners
(to prevent tearing or weakening of the bag).
___ 15. Place bags on stacks, do not throw.
___ 16. Make sides of stack flush.
___ 17. Provide air spaces between the individual
stacks.
___ 18. Clean empty bags thoroughly before reuse
and stack neatly.
___ 19. Use packing materials (e.g. cardboard,
wood crates) that is clean.
___ 20. Stack clean unused packing materials neatly.
___ 21. Remove broken packing materials.
___ 22. Cover the top of packing materials to
prevent spillage of food from damaged containers to ground or floor
below.
C.
Commodities
___ 1. Stack individual
commodities separately.
___ 2. Separate food stacks from non-food stocks.
___ 3. Reconstitute/re-bag commodities from damaged
container into good containers, stitch the opening and weigh for
correct
quantity before stacking.
___ 4. Store any spoiled/infested food commodity
away from good commodity.
___ 5. Observe damaged containers carefully, and
fumigate them if insects appear.
___ 6. Examine the exterior of stacked food containers
to assure that they are clean and free of mold, insects, rodents and
birds.
___ 7. Set up a program to remove damaged commodities
properly.
___ 8. Use insecticides or fogs.
___ 9. Use fumigants.
___ 10. Keep adequate records for a program of
stock rotation (i.e. what is first in, is first out, or FIFO).
___ 11. Check to see that commodities are stacked
on pallets to keep off the floor in both small and large warehouses.
III.
SHELF LIFE OF AGRICULTURAL
COMMODITIES
A GENERAL REVIEW
Shelf life refers to the average amount of time a product may be store
without nutritional or organoleptic (sensory) deterioration. A food
product
can deteriorate for several reasons: aging, microbiological decay,
chemical
and physical degradation, texture changes, etc. These modes of
deterioration
are affected by many factors, both intrinsic (of or within the product)
and
extrinsic (environmental or outside the product). Controlling
processing,
packaging, handling and storing of the product can slow deterioration
of
food products. Depending on the product, this date may be a food safety
date; however, it primarily refers to the length of time the product
can
be expected to last without significant deterioration.
Intrinsic Factors
moisture or water activity (Aw)
salt and mineral content
pH
physical state
degree of microbiological contamination
presence or absence of antimicrobial agents
|
Extrinsic Factors
storage temperature
atmosphere (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide levels)
type of packaging
light exposure
water moisture/ air permeability
handling
relative humidity
|
|
BEST IF USED BY DATE
Shelf life is different from the "Best if Used by Date", which is
intended
to tell you how long the product will retain best flavor or quality.
This
is not a food safety date and "Best if Used by Dates" are intended as
useful
guidelines. Some food may deteriorate more quickly and other foods may
last
longer than the times suggested. A number of factors can shorten the
useful
life of a food product, such as improper handling and inadequate
storage
temperatures. As the expiration date is not always noted on the
container/bag,
the inventory control methods of "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) should be
practiced
by those responsible for managing commodity inventories and
distribution
at all levels. Products kept past the "Best if Used by Date" are not
necessarily
"out of condition". Food products may be eaten after the "Best if Used
by
Date" if the product has been properly stored, handled, and the primary
container
is in good condition.
In either case, the dates assigned to
products
are based on intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and determined by
systematic
study or empirical data. Systematic studies are designed to simulate
actual
or potential storage and handling practices of a given product and
estimate
shelf life through the course of chemical and analytical testing at
specific
intervals throughout the expected shelf life. Systematic studies may
also
rely on accelerated testing when dealing with products with expected
long
shelf lives. In some cases, shelf life evaluations can be made based on
existing information, or empirical data. By gathering information from
actual
field use, an estimated shelf life can be determined; however, this
should
be confirmed through systematic studies where the mode of deterioration
is
a food safety hazard.
Often there is a conflict between
quality
and the logistic requirements of manufacturing and shipping.
Compromises
which have to be made should never sacrifice quality (or safety) and
statutory
quality standards and regulations of the product.
(Source: All Shelf Life material
provided
by Contract Management Branch, USDA)
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
Universal guidelines for controlling temperature and humidity
conditions
are impossible because these conditions and the operating environment
vary
from place to place. The basic instructions for field staff are:
- Keep all food commodities in dry
condition.
- Do not keep wet food with dry food.
- De-bag wet commodities and dry them
under
the sun. Re-bag them and weigh them.
- Cross-ventilate the warehouse if
possible.
- A sunroof in the warehouse is
preferable.
- Covering food commodities with
tarpaulin
during transporation is mandatory.
IV. References
CARE.
Food Resources Manual. 1998. Food Aid Management Website: http://www.foodaid.org.
Commodity Management Page.
Monetization
Field Manual P.L. 480 Title II Programs. USAID/DCHA/FFP/Development
Programs.
October 16, 1998.
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/ffp/monetiz.htm.
Proceedings
Commodity Storage and Loss Reduction Project Dissemination Workshops.
Port-au-Prince,
Haiti, June 29-July 2, 1998, and Johannesburg, South Africa, July
27-29,
1998. Workshops hosted by: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Food Aid
Management,
World Vision Relief and Development, and USDA/OFDA. http://www.foodaid.org.
Commodity Management Page.
Save
the Children Monetization Manual: Market Analysis, 2.2 Commodity
Selection,
pp. 2-5
Selected
Bibliography of FSRC Resources on Commodity Storage, Commodity Loss,
and
Commodity Management. Prepared by Jessica Graef for the Commodity
Storage
and Loss Reduction Project Workshop July 27-29, 1998, Johannesburg,
South
Africa (see above). Attachment J, pp. 1-10. Food Aid Management, http://www.foodaid.org.
Commodity Management Page.
|