Logistics & Packaging
Specialized Packaging and Logistics Tools
Specialized packaging tools — ventilated crates, ice fish boxes, and composite laminated pouches — are the final line of defense …
NSPRI
Executive Director
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute
The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) is Nigeria's foremost research institute dedicated to stored products science. Located at KM 3 Asa-Dam Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. We advance post-harvest research for national food security.
Posts by NSPRI (41)
Storage Technology
Perishable Storage: Advanced Infrastructure Options
Advanced perishable storage infrastructure ranges from ventilated yam barns and cassava trenches to diffused light stores and evaporative cooling structures.
Storage Technology
Maintenance Engineering for Large-Scale Silos
Large-scale IIAS silo maintenance requires seal integrity checks, thermal protection, corrosion control with food-grade paint, and strict site sanitation protocols.
Storage Technology
Conventional vs. Inert Atmosphere Silo Systems
Conventional silos require chemical fumigants while Improved Inert Atmosphere Silos (IIAS) use compressed nitrogen to provide chemical-free pest control for …
Storage Technology
Management of Ventilated Cribs and Bulk Warehouses
Ventilated cribs and bulk warehouses require specific maintenance protocols — from rodent control and rust protection to east-west orientation and …
Storage Technology
The Mechanics of Hermetic Storage Containers
Hermetic containers create oxygen-free environments where pests suffocate — rigid containers must be filled to the brim while flexible bags …
Storage Technology
Small-Scale Grain Storage: Improved Rhumbu Structures
The improved rhumbu adds elevation, rodent guards, plastic airtight lining, and flow design to the traditional mud grain store — …
Pest & Disease Management
Non-Chemical Crop Protection: Diatomaceous Earth (NSPRIDUST®)
NSPRIDUST® — natural diatomaceous earth — provides chemical-free pest control at 100g per 100kg of grain, physically dehydrating insects without …
Storage Technology
Scale-Specific Storage Management
Storage strategies must match operational scale — from hermetic bags for under 2 tons at household level to automated IIAS …
Processing & Value Addition
Operational Maintenance for Multi-Crop Dryer Systems
Multi-crop dryer maintenance requires daily cleaning, safety monitoring of heat sources, soot prevention in heat exchangers, and proper battery care …
Processing & Value Addition
Multi-Crop Drying Technology
Multi-crop dryers enable year-round processing independent of weather — with double-walled construction and food-grade stainless steel inner chambers for maximum …
Processing & Value Addition
Maintenance Protocols for Solar Dryers
Regular solar dryer maintenance — cleaning, contamination control, careful tray handling, and dust protection — extends lifespan and ensures consistent …
Processing & Value Addition
Operation and Management of Solar Dryers
Proper solar dryer operation requires pre-drying preparation, careful loading with closed doors, and complete cooling before packaging to prevent moisture …
Processing & Value Addition
Solar Drying Technologies
Solar dryers — from compact trays to parabolic systems — provide clean, enclosed drying environments protected from dust, rain, insects, …
Processing & Value Addition
Value-Addition Processing for Roots and Tubers
Processing roots and tubers into dried chips, flakes, or flour extends shelf life significantly — modern solar and artificial dryers …
Processing & Value Addition
Curing Roots and Tubers
Curing forms protective tissue over harvest wounds in roots and tubers, reducing moisture loss and blocking spoilage — with specific …
Processing & Value Addition
Postharvest Handling: Trimming, Cleaning, Sorting, and Grading
The standard postharvest preparation sequence: Trimming & Cleaning → Sorting → Grading → Thermal Cooling, with strict separation of damaged …
Harvesting Protocols
Harvesting Protocols for Livestock and Fisheries
Minimizing animal stress before slaughter is critical — physical stress triggers metabolic changes that accelerate tissue breakdown and spoilage in …
Logistics & Packaging
Field Logistics for Horticultural Preservation
Thermal management, gentle handling, and smart loading during harvest prevent heat stress and physical damage to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Harvesting Protocols
Harvesting Protocols for Fruits and Vegetables
Fruit and vegetable harvest timing based on clear maturity indices — from leafy greens to tomatoes, mangoes, and plantains — …
Harvesting Protocols
Maturity Indices and Techniques for Roots and Tubers
Root and tuber crops require clear maturity indicators and gentle harvesting in moist soil to prevent bruising, cuts, and broken …
Harvesting Protocols
Precision Harvesting of Grains, Oilseeds, and Beverage Crops
Precision timing of grain harvest prevents over-drying, shattering, and pest attacks — delayed harvesting significantly increases postharvest losses.
Harvesting Protocols
Agronomic Foundations for Postharvest Loss Reduction
Effective postharvest loss reduction begins in the field — certified seeds, weed control, targeted protection, and timely harvesting are the …
Pest & Disease Management
Avian Impacts and Anthropogenic Spoilage Factors
Birds contaminate stored commodities while human error — improper threshing, inadequate drying, and overloading — significantly contributes to postharvest losses.
Pest & Disease Management
Micro-organisms: Mycotoxin Hazards and Market Disqualification
Fungal mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxins are highly carcinogenic — strict moisture control is the first line of defense …
Pest & Disease Management
Rodent Dynamics: Structural Damage and Public Health Risks
Rodents destroy packaging and infrastructure, contaminate stored food, and act as vectors for deadly zoonotic diseases including Lassa fever.
Pest & Disease Management
Biotic Threats: Arthropod Infestations and Management
Insects, mites, and booklice cause physical damage and secondary mold vulnerability in stored grains — moisture and warmth accelerate pest …
Storage Technology
Chemical Degradation Patterns of Nutrient Profiles
Unfavorable storage conditions trigger permanent chemical changes in nutrients — carbohydrates oxidize, fats turn rancid, and vitamins degrade under heat.
Storage Technology
Atmospheric Composition and Biochemical Reactions in Storage
Atmospheric composition — the balance of O2, CO2, and N2 — directly controls biochemical reactions in storage, making modified atmosphere …
Storage Technology
Comprehensive Guide to Safe Moisture Content Thresholds
A comprehensive reference table of Safe Moisture Content (SMC) thresholds for 11 major crop types from maize to fish products.
Storage Technology
Moisture Dynamics: Critical Control Points and Safe Moisture Content
Every commodity has a Safe Moisture Content (SMC) threshold — storing below this level prevents mold damage and preserves quality …
Storage Technology
Environmental Dynamics: The Role of Temperature in Spoilage
Temperature directly governs shelf life by controlling biochemical reaction rates — lower temperatures slow physiological breakdown and extend storage life.
Postharvest Management
Quantifying Postharvest Losses: Direct vs. Indirect Dimensions
Postharvest losses are classified into direct losses (physical damage) and indirect losses (systemic costs), both significantly impacting food security.
Postharvest Management
Quality Assessment Methodologies for Perishable Commodities
Standardized quality assessments combining sensory, instrumental, and laboratory evaluations ensure food safety and optimal market value for perishables.
Postharvest Management
Taxonomy of Perishable Commodities
Perishable commodities are classified into three value chains: Roots & Tubers, Fruits & Vegetables, and Livestock & Fisheries.
Postharvest Management
Introduction to Perishable Agricultural Products
Perishable agricultural products face postharvest losses of 30–50% in developing nations due to infrastructure deficits and improper handling practices.
Processing & Value Addition
Processed Durables: Extending the Shelf Life of High-Moisture Crops
High-moisture crops can be transformed into durable products through deliberate dehydration, extending shelf life from days to several months.
Postharvest Management
Taxonomy of Durable Commodities
A systematic classification of durable commodities including cereals, pulses, and oilseeds based on botanical characteristics and nutritional profiles.
Storage Technology
Defining Durable Agricultural Products
Durable agricultural products are low-moisture commodities that can be stored for extended periods under specific environmental conditions.
Postharvest Management
Introduction to Postharvest Management: Scope and Importance
Postharvest management covers all operations from harvest to the final consumer, determining quality, safety, and market value of agricultural products.
General
Welcome Address from the Executive Director
Welcome to the NSPRI Postharvest Information Portal — a dedicated knowledge platform for farmers, researchers, and all stakeholders committed to …