Insect infestations in grains and stored products represent a critical problem for the agri-food industry, with economic losses that can reach between 10% and 40% of annual production. Current control methods are mainly based on visual inspections, grain sieving or traps, which only detect adult insects and have a low sensitivity. Immature stages, such as eggs or larvae, can remain hidden within the grain and go unnoticed until advanced stages. This limitation prevents early detection, forces widespread preventive treatments and makes it difficult to comply with zero-tolerance policies required by international customers and markets.
INSECTFREE is a technology developed by the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) based on molecular diagnosis using real-time PCR (qPCR) for the detection of DNA from insects and arthropods in grains and derived products. The method allows traces of DNA to be identified even at very low concentrations and at any stage of insect development. The procedure includes sampling and grinding of the product, extraction of total DNA and its amplification by universal primers targeting conserved regions of arthropod DNA. The detection is carried out through the fluorescence threshold (Ct), offering a fast, sensitive and reproducible result applicable to raw materials, flours and processed products.
The technology has been validated within the framework of the INSECTFREE project and tests have been carried out in relevant environments in rice, wheat, maize and flour.
Benefits:
- Higher precision: Detects insect DNA at any developmental stage, overcoming the limitations of visual inspections.
- Reduced treatments: Enables decision-making based on molecular evidence and optimization of pest control schedules.
- Quality control and traceability: ensures that stored or processed products meet purity standards required in both Europe (zero contamination) and the S. (regulated limits).
- Broad applicability: Suitable for grains, flours, and final products, facilitating integration into internal quality control systems or bilateral agreements with distributors and supermarkets.
The development team is looking to establish strategic collaborations that will allow this technology to be brought to market in the near future. The conditions and form of collaboration can be openly discussed if the technology presented is of interest.
Institution: Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA)
TRL: 5-6
Protection Status: Know-how / Methodology
Financing: European Horizon2020 Funds
Contact: Begoña Iborra / biborra@viromii.com