Psyllium fumigated with methyl bromide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9980475-B2
Application number	US-201615290351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2012
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

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 husk comprising:
a. first separating psyllium husk from psyllium seed;
b. filling a shipping container with the psyllium husk such that the shipping container comprises from about 40 kg to about 100 kg psyllium husk per m 3 of the shipping container;
c. fumigating the psyllium husk with about 30 g/m 3 to about 70 g/m 3 of methyl bromide for about 12 hours to about 36 hours;
d. degassing the shipping container for at least 4 hours to form fumigated psyllium husk;

wherein the fumigated psyllium husk comprises less than about 50 ppm inorganic bromide residue and wherein the psyllium husk is stored in one or more bags.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping container comprises from about 30% to about 65% bags of psyllium husk by volume.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping container comprises from about 35% to about 50% bags of psyllium husk by volume.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping container comprises from about 45% to about 77% empty space by volume.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each bag of psyllium husk weighs from about 25 kg to about 80 kg.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bags of psyllium husk comprise natural fibers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the bags of psyllium husk comprise jute.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping container comprises a top side and wherein the top side is painted white.

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

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the fumigation is performed at a temperature that is less than or equal to about 35° C.

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

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping container is degassed for at least about 6 hours to form fumigated psyllium husk.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A01N29/00 Primary

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

• 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

• A61L2/07

  Steam · CPC title

• A61L2/20

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title