Main hazards in cereals:

Insect damage – identify species and count numbers per kilogram. Compare against relevant standards, and the standard that was specified when the commodity was ordered, as described on tender, shipping or phytosanitary documents.

Physical damage – sieve and count damaged fractions. Compare against international standards, and the standard that was specified in the order.

Moisture content – measure using internationally agreed (ISO) oven methods, or calibrated electrical resistance and capacitance meters. Compare result with the specified standard for the commodity.

Chemical changes – fats in cereals stored for long periods are subject to oxidation which may lead to rancidity and off-odours, so tests for free fatty acid (FFA) content may be appropriate. The sample would be compared against a control sample. In rice, the FFA content declines at a known rate, so this test can be useful in providing a rough guide to the age of a consignment.

Wetting of dried products – leads to microbiological contamination, which may also follow in the wake of insect infestation as the metabolism of insects raises the moisture content of the commodity. Laboratory analysis would involve plating grains on microbiological growth media to identify contaminant species and assessing the numbers per gram of sample. Mycotoxins may be produced in cereals or pulses as a result of fungal growth.