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Spoilage and heating of stored agricultural products

Chapter 2 - Self-heating
When a stored material increases in temperature by generating heat without drawing heat from its
surroundings the action is called self-heating. The increase in temperature occurs in two phases. Phase
one is known as biological heating, which normally occurs up to 55C and exceptionally up to 75C. Phase
two is known as chemical heating, which occurs from above 75C to at least 150C. Biological heating is
caused by the activity of plant cells, molds, bacteria, insects, and mites. Chemical heating is caused by
oxidation. This chemical reaction may increase the temperature to the ignition point, depending on the
commodity and storage conditions (Fig. 2). For information on the theory of thermal ignition see Beever
and Thorne (1982). For information on evaluating and controlling the hazards of self-heated material see
Bowes (1984).

Figure 2 - Schema showing progression of self-heating in stored products.

Stored materials vary widely in their tendency to self-heat (Table 2). Cornmeal feeds and fish meal have a
high tendency to self-heat, whereas shelled peanuts and various grains have a relatively low tendency to
do so (National Fire Protection Association 1949). Generally, processed products have a higher tendency to
self-heat than do whole grains. Spoilage and heating problems are discussed in Part II of the manual.

Table 2 - Stored materials and their tendency to self-heat*

Tendency to self-heat

High Moderate Low Very slight Possible

Alfalfa meal Brewers' grains Cottonseed Grain (various) Burlap bags

* National Fire Protection Association, 1949. See table 14 for comprehensive list of commodities.

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Tendency to self-heat
High Moderate Low Very slight Possible
Cornmeal feeds Cocoa bean shells Hides Sawdust

Fish meal Feeds (various) Jute

Fish scrap Hay Linseed

Tung nut meals Manure Peanuts (shelled)

Wool wastes Powdered eggs

Powdered milk

Sisal

* National Fire Protection Association, 1949. See table 14 for comprehensive list of commodities.

Chemical heating
When the biological heating exceeds 75C, a purely chemical process may occur and raise the temperature
of the material to ignition. This chemical process, known as oxidation, releases heat. The oxygen required
for oxidation can be available either as free oxygen in the air or as liberated oxygen in chemical reactions.
Chemical oxidation proceeds at a more rapid rate if preceded by biological heating.

Self-ignition
The self-heating of a stored commodity to its ignition temperature is called self-ignition. The terms
spontaneous ignition and spontaneous combustion are also used but the term self-ignition is preferred.
Self-ignition may be affected by a variety of chemical and physical factors (American Insurance Association
1983; Bowen 1982).
The following general conditions affect self-ignition:

The rate at which heat is generated by the fuel material.

The oxygen supply available.
The rate of heat loss to surroundings.

A number of vegetable and animal oils and fats undergo sufficient oxidation at normal temperatures in air
to self-ignite. Examples are linseed, soybean, and fish oils. The reaction is promoted by exposure of a
relatively large surface area of the material to the oxygen in the air as occurs when a fibrous material such
as a cloth or bag is impregnated with the oil or fat. Enough air must be available to permit oxidation but
not to dissipate the heat.
Some vegetable products are susceptible to self-ignition due to their inherent oxidizable oil content
(examples are corn meal and rice bran), whereas others such as hemp, jute, and sisal appear to self-ignite
only if impregnated with an oxidizable oil, even though they may heat when wet with water.
Moisture content is a factor in self-ignition. Although small amounts of moisture may increase the rates of
oxidation and heat generation in many materials, moisture may also reduce the likelihood of ignition by
promoting dissipation of the generated heat. However, high moisture content may contribute to the
biological heating (American Insurance Association 1983).

Biological spoilage and heating

Enzymes
Enzymes are specialized proteins of living matter that catalyze, or speed up, chemical reactions. During

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the processes of growth and maturation, plant material in the field goes through a number of chemical
reactions that are catalyzed by enzymes. Freshly harvested seeds entering the bin are often immature and
may have increased enzymatic activity, resulting in high respiration rates and in heat production. High
seed moistures and green weed seeds and debris also favor increased enzymatic activity. During this early
storage period, carefully monitor the stored commodity.

Molds
Products in storage provide food and an environment for many organisms and microorganisms, including
molds (fungi). Of these, the spoilage molds, certain storage or post-harvest molds (Christensen and
Kaufmann 1969), are the most important cause of deterioration of grain and its products.
Spoilage molds exist as spores in soil, on decaying debris, in harvesting equipment, and within storage
structures and are gathered by the combine harvester and distributed among the grains. The various types
of spoilage fungi each require a different relative humidity level and temperature for their growth and
development. Some species, like Aspergillus amstelodami (a yellow-green mold sometimes found growing
on the top of homemade jams), grow at low humidities, affect seed germination, and produce water during
their growth, which enable more damaging molds to grow. Such molds include Aspergillus candidus
(colonies are white) and Penicillium species (green or blue green), both of which impair seed germination
and are frequently associated with hot spots in bins of grain. Hot spots are areas within a bulk commodity
that have a higher temperature than the surrounding material.
The development of an artificially induced hot spot was studied in wheat bulks by Sinha and Wallace
(1965). Heating was initiated by Penicillium species growing in a grain pocket at -5C to +8C and with
18.5 to 21.8% moisture. The hot spot reached a maximum of 64C and cooled in 2 weeks.
Preharvest molds, originating from the growing plant, also occur on grains in storage. Some preharvest
molds may produce harmful toxins on developing grains in the field. For information on pre-harvest and
post-harvest molds see Christensen and Sauer (1982).

Bacteria

Although bacteria outnumber molds on grain surfaces and in flour, they are not usually important during
storage of these commodities in Canada. This is because during most years crops are harvested and
binned dry, and species of bacteria require a high relative humidity (90-95%) for their growth. Numbers of
bacteria decrease during storage when the moisture content is too low for growth. Their numbers are also
decreased during artificial drying of grain. When the moisture content is adequate, their growth
contributes to self-heating and to production of sour and putrid odors (Semeniuk 1954). A general account
of the bacteria associated with stored grain is given by Wallace (1973).

Insects

More than 60 species of insects can occur in stored grain and grain products in Canada (Sinha and Watters
1985). Insect metabolic activity within dry grain bulks containing 15% M.C. or less can result in heating up
to 42C (Cotton and Wilbur 1982). Insect-induced hot spots occur most frequently in southern Alberta,
where grain is often binned at an ambient temperature of 30C. Ambient temperature is the temperature
of the surrounding medium, in this case, the atmosphere. A further consequence of this localized insect
metabolic activity is an increase in product moisture content above15% in the vicinity of the hot spot,
permitting spoilage molds to grow and sometimes producing temperatures up to 62C.
Several of the insects infesting farm-stored grain are destructive. These include rusty grain beetles, red
flour beetles, squarenosed fungus beetles, sawtoothed grain beetles, granary weevils, hairy spider beetles,
and meal moths (Loschiavo 1984).
Some of the insects that occur in stored products in the Prairie Provinces survive freezing temperatures
(the rusty grain beetle survives -5 to -10C for long periods), but they cannot reproduce below 17C.
Where grain temperatures remain above 17C for long periods, as occurs in the centre of unaerated grain
bulks, insects can do extensive damage. The effect of insect damage is worsened in high moisture grains.

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Mites
Mites are fragile creatures and are difficult to see. Their presence gives a strong minty odor to grain,
which, when heavily infested, becomes unpalatable as animal feed. About eight kinds of mites are common
in stored grain in Canada, all of which can withstand low temperatures. Mites feed on broken grain, weed
seeds, and molds present on the grain and thrive in moist grain. They spread mold spores on and in their
bodies, and through their metabolic activity can, like insects, encourage development of spoilage molds
(Sinha and Wallace 1973).

Advanced biological heating

Mold-induced heating of stored grains, pellets, feeds, and hay attains temperatures of 55C and remains at
this level for weeks. The heating then either gradually subsides or passes into the next stage where
thermophilic molds take over. These sometimes carry the temperature to 60C and may be succeeded by
thermophilic bacteria and actinomycetes that carry it up to 75C, the maximum temperature attained by
microbiological activity (Christensen and Sauer 1982).

Date Modified: 2009-12-21

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