Reducing Insects Contaminations through Stored Foodstuffs by Use of Packaging and Repellency Essential Oils

Protection of stored agricultural products against insects is carried out with chemical insecticides They have harmful effects for human being animal and environment This research earned out on plant essential oils which are one of the harmless materials and act like contact fumigant from offering the prospect for using in stored product They should have the ability to repel the insects The objective of the present study was to test the properties of Prunus amygdalus L and Mentha viridis L for preventing the penetration of pest insects including T castaneum S granaries S pantceum and R dominica to packaged cereals As foodstuff was packaged by PE polymer and placed into a container 10 g of wheat and flour The repellent essential oils used in the interior surface of containers The releasing of insects carried out around the containers to determinate the insects penetration percentage with effect of repellents The highest concentration counted was 1 75 id of essential oil per 0 5 ml acetone The results showed that P amygdalus had the most repellency effect on T castaneum that cause 78 52% contamination deduction inside the packaged crop in comparing with control In addition M viridis caused the most repellency on S granarius (63 81%) The results demonstrated the efficacy of these essential oils for using it in organic food protection They can prevent the infestation of the stored product pests to the warehouse