Vitamin contents of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation

There were substantial losses in thiamine, riboflavin and niacin contents of wheat, maize and sorghum grains at three infestation levels (25, 50 and 75%) caused by releasing two insect species viz., Trogoderma granarium and Rhizopertha dominica separately and mixed population. Losses were to the extent of 65 to 69% (thiamine), 50 to 67% (riboflavin) and 10 to 32% (niacin) due to T. granarium and 23 to 29% (thiamine), 13 to 18% (riboflavin) and 4 to 14% (niacin) due to R. dominica at 75% level of infestation in three cereal grains. Storage of grains (1-4 months) in insect free conditions did not show appreciable changes in the vitamin contents.