Does fumigating the mill leave residues of methyl bromide on flour or other food?
No. A residue study was conducted in 1993 to meet US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. Despite the earlier comments about methyl bromide not being used to fumigate grain, in this study grain was fumigated with the compound in order to generate worst-case scenario data. Also, the fumigant was applied at an exaggerated rate of 8.0 lb. per 1000 cubic feet. Even with an extremely sensitive level of detection of 0.25 parts per million, there were no residues on the flour. Has the US grain milling industry reduced its dependency on methyl bromide? Yes. US grain millers have cut their total methyl bromide usage by nearly 70% in the last decade. The label approved by the US EPA allows for usage at up to 6.0 lb. per 1000 cubic feet. The common dosage in the milling industry is 1.25 lb. per 1000 cu. ft. We believe that an effective integrated pest management (IPM) program is the best answer for ensuring good sanitation. This includes non-chemical and chemical means so as to min
