Q. Physical evaluation of food grains?

Food grains are judged for quality by their physical, chemical and microbiological examination. The physical examination includes checking grains for foreign matter, organic matter, damaged grains, weeviled grains, fragments, shrivelled grains and admixture. The various fractions as adulterants can be defined as:

1) Foreign matter means any extraneous matter other than food grains comprising of:

• inorganic matter, consisting of metallic pieces, sand, gravel, dirt, pebbles, stones, lumps of earth, clay and mud, animal filth and in the case of rice, kernels or pieces of kernels, if any, having mud sticking on the surface of the rice, and

• organic matter, consisting of husk, straws, weed seeds and other inedible grains and also paddy in the case of rice.

2) Damaged grains means kernels or pieces of kernels that are sprouted or internally damaged as a result of heat, microbe, moisture or weather, viz., ergot affected grain and kernel burnt grains.

3) Discoloured grains means those grains that are discoloured to such an extent that such discolouration materially affects the quality of the grains.

4) Weevilled grains means kernels that are partially or wholly bored by insects injurious to grains but does not include germ eaten grains and egg spotted grains.

5) Admixture or other edible grains means any edible grains (including oil seeds) other than the one, which is under consideration.

6) Green grains means, which are immature or green.

7) Shrivelled grains are dried and mature grains.