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CONTAMINATION OF MUSTARD AND CANOLA SEED BY FRASS OF PAINTED LADY CATERPILLARS, VANESSA CARDUI (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

J. R. Byers
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1.
B. T. Roth
Affiliation:
Alberta Agriculture, Agriculture Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4C7
R. D. Thomson
Affiliation:
Farming for the Future, Agricultural Research Council of Alberta, Research Station, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1
A. K. Topinka
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1.

Extract

A substantial amount of the mustard and a small amount of the canola seed produced in the prairie provinces in 1983 was downgraded due to excessive content of insect frass. Because the frass was similar in size to the seed, much of it was not removed by the usual cleaning processes. Most seriously affected was mustard seed which has a contamination limit of 1 frass pellet per 500 g for grade Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Canada and 0.005% by weight for No. 4 Canada (Can. Grain Comm. 1983). Initially the limit for canola was 0.02% by weight based on tolerances established for rodent (vertebrate) excreta. Because insect (non-vertebrate) excreta is less detrimental than rodent excreta, the limits for non-vertebrate excreta in canola marketed within Canada were increased to 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% for grades No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively (per. comm., L. Sequin, Deputy Director, Standards and Technology, Canadian Grain Commission). The previous limit of 0.02% remains in effect for canola entering the export market. Similar consideration was given to revising the limit for insect excreta in mustard seed but no change was made because the quality criteria are quite different; canola is extracted for its oil whereas mustard seed may undergo little processing before being consumed.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1984

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