Method of controlling pests in stored goods

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for pest control in stored wares, especially tobacco products, which is characterized by the intermittent microwave treatment of potentially infested stored goods, whereby the duration of treatment and the mean output of the microwaves are so harmonized that the pest itself as well as its eggs are killed. The present invention therefore makes it possible to conduct effective and sustained pest control on infested goods since, in addition to beetles and larvae, the eggs of the pest are eliminated as well, and consequently the development of eggs to the larval stage at a later point in time is prevented. Secondly, using the invention's method, it is possible to dispense with highly toxic chemicals that can leave residues on the treated commodities and consequently represent a health hazard to anyone consuming the product in question. Due to the possibility of dispensing with highly toxic chemicals, the method is also very economical, as time-consuming and cost-intensive safety measures become superfluous.

1 . Method for pest control in stored wares, especially tobacco products, characterized by processing potentially infested stored commodities with intermittent microwaves, whereby the duration of treatment and the mean output of the microwaves are harmonized so that the pest itself as well as its eggs are killed:  
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized by processing infested goods for a period of time under 1 minute with microwaves at ca. 200 W to 1200 W, preferably at 700 W, whereby these parameters are adapted to the amount of infested wares to be irradiated in any given case.  
     
     
         3 . Method according to one of claims  1  or  2 , characterized by irradiation of potentially infested tobacco products with microwaves for 10 to 15 sec.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized by adapting the employed microwave frequency to the requisite microwave penetration depth into the commodity, whereby microwave frequencies are used in a range from 2 to 20 GHz, preferably 2 to 5 GHz.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to one of  claims 1  to  4 , characterized by continuously measuring the temperature and/or radiation acting on the commodity with at least one sensor, whereby the treatment temperature and/or radiation intensities are automatically adapted to reference values that can be specified in a data memory.  
     
     
         6 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  5 , characterized by harmonizing the duration of treatment, temperature and mean output of the microwaves so that the pest itself as well as its eggs are killed off, but the stored goods are not damaged.  
     
     
         7 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  6 , characterized by the fact that pest control takes place before and/or during processing of the raw commodity.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  6 , characterized by the fact that pest control takes place in the finished product.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  8 , characterized by shock freezing the stored goods subsequent to microwave processing at a minimum of −10° C. to −40° C., preferably at −25° C.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  9 , characterized by harmonizing the duration and temperature of the shock freezing and adaptation to the respective stored commodity.  
     
     
         11 . Method according to one or more of  claims 1  to  10 , characterized by shock freezing for a period of time up to 72 h.