Ethyl formate as a safe general fumigant.

ABSTRACT Ethyl formate has been successfully used for individual package fumigation for many years and in tests reported here it has shown promise as a safe general fumigant for stored foods in large quantities. Studies on the use of ethyl formate for the control of stored grain pests have shown that dosages of 300–400 gm/m3 in an exposure period of 48–72 hours control all stages of insects in stored grain and their products. Large scale disinfestation has been carried out on various agricultural commodities including cereals, pulses, spices, dry fruits, nuts and dried tubers. Fumigation methods have been suggested. The residues of ethyl formate or formic acid are much below the permissible limit of the 250 ppm prescribed. Simple methods of detection of the above have been developed.