Wet harvest? Take steps now to protect stored cereals from OTA

Many growers faced a challenging harvest this year due to cool, wet weather. Harvesting under these conditions can result in tough cereals and grain quality concerns. For growers bringing grain off at higher moisture levels, careful drying, cooling and monitoring is especially important. The concern is Ochratoxin A (OTA) can develop in stored cereal grain when moisture and temperature conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Unlike deoxynivalenol (DON), which develops in the field as a result of Fusarium infection, OTA develops during storage. Grain stored above safe moisture levels, condensation or water entering the bin, contaminated dust or soil, and residues from previously stored grain are all conditions that can contribute to OTA development.  

Keep it clean is recommending making storage management a priority this fall.

Get grain dry.
Harvest or dry cereals to safe moisture levels for storage as soon as possible. Avoid mixing tough or damp grain with dry grain, as localized areas of higher moisture can create conditions for fungal growth and OTA development. 

Cool it quickly.
Use aeration to bring grain temperatures down quickly and uniformly. Ideally, cool grain to well below 10°C and, as outside temperatures fall, ideally below 0°C. Keeping grain cold also helps reduce condensation and slow fungal growth. 

Start with clean equipment and bins.
Before storing this year’s grain, thoroughly clean bins and grain-handling equipment and remove old grain, dust and debris. These materials can contribute to the conditions that allow OTA-producing fungi to become established.

Keep checking bins.
Safe storage is not a one-time job. Monitor bins regularly for temperature changes and other signs of deterioration. If a temperature rise is detected, move at least one-third of the grain from the affected bin. 

Protect quality and marketability

Once OTA develops, it is not destroyed through normal heat treatment, processing or milling, making prevention during storage critical. Good storage management protects more than grain quality. It helps protect the value and marketability of the crop. 

For more information and practical storage recommendations, visit Keep it Clean: Practice Safe Storage to Prevent OTA in Cereals.