Psyllium fumigated with methyl bromide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9492579-B2
Application number	US-201314059501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2013
Priority date	Oct 22, 2012
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A method for fumigating psyllium husk. The method comprises filling a fumigation chamber with psyllium husk chamber is at least 35% filled with bags of psyllium husk, fumigating the psyllium husk with at least 40 g/m 3 of methyl bromide for at least 24 hours, and degassing the chamber for at least 6 hours to form fumigated psyllium husk. The fumigated psyllium husk comprises less than 50 ppm inorganic bromide residue and the fumigated psyllium husk does not comprise an insect infestation or a khapra beetle infestation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fumigating psyllium comprising:
a. separating psyllium husk from psyllium seed and placing the psyllium husk in bags;
b. filling a fumigation chamber with the bags of psyllium husk such that the chamber is at least 35% filled by volume with the bags of psyllium husk;
c. fumigating the psyllium husk with at least about 40 g/m 3 of methyl bromide for at least 24 hours;
d. degassing the chamber for at least about 6 hours to form fumigated psyllium husk;
wherein the fumigated psyllium husk comprises less than about 50 ppm inorganic bromide residue and wherein the fumigated psyllium husk does not comprise an insect infestation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising steam sanitizing the fumigated psyllium husk.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the fumigated psyllium husk from the fumigation chamber; fumigating a shipping container and putting the fumigated psyllium husk in the shipping container.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation chamber comprises from about 50 to about 70 kg psyllium husk per m 3 of the chamber.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation chamber comprises about 7000 k g to about 12,000 kg psyllium husk.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation chamber comprises about 15,000 kg to about 25,000 kg psyllium husk.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation chamber is a shipping container.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation is performed at a temperature that is less than or equal to about 45° C.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation is performed at a temperature that is less than or equal to about 40° C.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the bags are jute bags.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Kaczanowski Matthew John
• Cammarn Stephen Richard
• Wimalasena Rohan Lalith

Classifications

• A01M1/2094

  killing insects by using temperature, e.g. flames, steam or freezing (A01M1/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01M21/04

  Apparatus for destruction by steam, chemicals, burning, or electricity {(apparatus for burning A01M15/00)} · CPC title

• A01N29/02

  Acyclic compounds or compounds containing halogen attached to an aliphatic side-chain of a cycloaliphatic ring system · CPC title

• A61L2/20 Primary

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title

• A01N29/00 Primary

  Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing halogenated hydrocarbons · CPC title