Using Cold Treatment for Disinfestation of Stored Products in USA and Europe

Stored-product insect populations are usually controlled by the use of insecticides. However, the development of resistance to several traditional insecticides, in both the U.S. and Europe, necessitates the evaluation of newer compounds and non-toxic methods for control of resistant insect populations. The application of extreme temperatures is one of the solutions suggested. The use of elevated temperatures, known as heat treatment, has been evaluated with success against several species in many commodities. However, there are not many data available for the use of cold treatments for this purpose, despite the fact that there is evidence that this method can be also successful, with no adverse effects on product quality (as is often observed in the case of heat treatment). The basic objective of the present collaboration is to estimate the efficacy of cold treatments against stored-product insects, and the factors that affect its application.