Downtown Africa
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has approved two new standards that will guide quality and safety requirements for hermetic bags for the storage of grains.
Through the new standards, KEBS has addressed the use of hermetic storage for woven polypropylene bags and rigid plastic silos for the storage of dried food commodities, derived products and seeds without the use of pesticides as a preservative in storage.
Hermetic bags are air-tight bags that prevent air/water from getting into the cereals stored in them. The new standards ensure that these bags preserve the contents while restricting the existence of cereal pests by depleting oxygen supply levels producing carbon dioxide.
Requirements for the outer bag and hermetic liner include and are not limited to breaking force of the sacking, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), oxygen transmission rate (OTR), packaging and labeling among others specified.
“As part of our contribution to food security, these standards will go a long way in ensuring that grains and cereals are effectively protected from infestation and moisture loss, thereby, reducing post-harvest loss.” says, Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, KEBS.
This article was initially published at africabusinesscommunities.com. You can start earning money by becoming our Independent Reporter or Contributor. Contact us at IR@downtownafrica.com
Want to read more about the Africa other media don’t usually focus on? Go to [https://downtownafrica.com/subscribe/]
