Studies on the Insect Damages of Stored Confections (Chocolate Biscuits and Others) in Tokyo

Abstract

During the period of 1967-68, a total of 1, 386 pieces of confections (1, 041 of chocolates and the like, 255 of biscuits and the like, 90 of nut-caramels and others) were purchased from the confectioners, groceries, super-markets and department stores, which were located in six representative areas of Tokyo, and examined both macroscopically and microscopically whether they were containing insects or not. On the other hand, a total of 148 sentinel confections known to have been free from insects were placed at three confectioners and were examined at certain intervals.
Results obtained are summarized as follows:
1) The main insects found in the confections were Plodia interpunctella Hübner andOryzaephilus surinamensis Linné, and the main mite was Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank).
2) Insects were detected from chocolates, biscuits and the like. There were no geographical nor seasonal distinct difierences on the detection rate.
3) There was a slight tendency that the incidence might have been related in some way to the storage period of the confections.