Soybean Seeds

Critical factors faced in soybean seed preservation include maintaining their germination potential, protecting against physical injuries, and inhibiting deterioration from peroxidation. The three major obstacles to these goals are moisture content, temperature, and duration of storage.

High moisture content levels increase seed mycoflora and lead to the rapid deterioration of soybean seed quality and viability during storage. Soybean seeds are also highly susceptible to mechanical stress and damage during post-harvest handling, which will negatively impact viability and vigor during storage. Finally, soybean seeds are hygroscopic and will either lose (desorb) or gain (absorb) moisture from the immediate atmosphere; this is correlated with the rapid seed degradation of soybeans along with lipid peroxidation, resulting in loss of seed viability.

To guarantee the quality of soybean seeds during storage VacQPack flexible bulk packaging delivers an organic fumigation solution for the preservation of soybeans seeds using low pressure (vacuum) combined with modified atmosphere (MAP), and storage temperature (>75ºF).

This approach can simply replace the cold chambers used currently for preservation by refrigeration, meaning less expenses on heavy infrastructures and energy bills. For natural hot dry climates such as in the center of Brazil, tests have shown that the VackQPack system liners can perform in the most remote areas, needing only access to a 210v plug, and the Brazilian average high temperature is a bonus in the storage preservation of soybean seeds.

Problems of condensation, excess humidity, and loss of quality in long haul storage are solved because VacQPack liners are composed of a Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) gas barrier layer, with very low oxygen and water vapor transmission rate (OTR, WVTR), which will maintain the programmed inner atmosphere values and keep way any negative effects from outside variations in humidity and temperature.

With regard to insect infestation, high natural environment temperature will hatch any eggs, and the lack of oxygen will kill any remaining insect presence, like: Granary weevil, Khapra beetle, and the Almond moth.

For a better preservation, an air-tight container is commonly recommended, with opaque characteristics, and stored at room temperature.