Spoilage relating to the storage and transport of cereals and oil seeds.

Cereal grains are liable to damage during shipment as a result of mould growth that generates both heat and moisture. Such heating, like that for insect infestation, results in moisture migration that can cause damage to other parts of the stow. Increasing storage temperature may also increase equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) above the threshold for mould growth. To avoid damage, the initial water content and the loading temperature have to be considered together to prevent any part of the stow exceeding this threshold. Temperature differences between the centre of the grain and its periphery, whether due to mould or insect heating, shipboard sources of heat or decreasing ambient temperatures, must be minimised and the period of time from loading to discharge kept as short as possible.