Mortality and thermal death kinetics of rusty grain beetle in stored wheat using a pilot-scale 50-Ω radio frequency (RF) heating system

Abstract

This paper discusses the determination of kinetic parameters for the thermal death kinetics of rusty grain beetle in stored wheat using the temperature history of wheat during 50-Ω RF heating. At 353 K, a 100% insect mortality rate was achieved at all three moisture content levels tested. At 343 K, a 100% insect mortality rate was achieved at the 15% and 18% moisture contents. Increases in the target temperature and moisture content of the wheat samples significantly increased the mortality rate of the insect pests. The thermal death kinetics of the rusty grain beetle during 50-Ω RF heating followed a 1st order reaction. The value of Ea was 97.490 J/mol, and the value of k0 was 6.74 × 1013 1/s. There was good agreement between the experimental mortalities and the simulated mortalities based on the thermal kinetic model.