Whole spices should be stored in a dry, cool, clean warehouse, on pallets off the floor and away from walls, with pest control and clear lot labels. Chilli is usually held in cold storage to protect colour.
Most quality problems that appear at destination start in storage at origin. Ask how your supplier stores goods, and see it for yourself if you can.
This matters more for spices than for many crops, because Indian seed spices are harvested once a year and held in stock for months. A lot shipped in the autumn has already been through the monsoon in someone's warehouse.
What a good spice warehouse looks like
- Dry floor and a sound roof, with no leaks during the monsoon.
- Bags stacked on pallets or dunnage, not directly on concrete.
- A gap between stacks and walls so air can move and staff can inspect.
- Ventilation, and ideally temperature and humidity records.
- Separation from fertilisers, fuels, chemicals and strong-smelling goods.
- Pest control by a contractor, with bait station maps and service records.
- Each stack labelled with product, grade, lot number and date.
Cold storage for chilli
Dry chilli is commonly stored in cold storage in producing areas such as Guntur. Cool storage slows colour loss and reduces insect activity.
The risk comes when the chilli leaves. Cold bags brought into hot, humid air attract condensation, which can lead to mould and aflatoxin. Bags should be allowed to warm up before they are opened or repacked. Our guide on how aflatoxin is controlled in dry red chilli explains why this matters.
Fumigation and pests
Stored spices can be fumigated against insects. Phosphine is commonly used on stored products, and residue limits apply in most markets. Ethylene oxide is a different matter: it is not permitted on food in the EU and should be excluded in your spec. See why EU buyers reject ETO treatment.
- Ask which fumigant is used, by whom, and when.
- Ask for the fumigation certificate if your market requires one.
- Make sure enough time passes after fumigation before packing and loading.
From warehouse to container
Storage does not end at the warehouse door. A container crossing the equator can produce condensation inside, known in the trade as container rain, which wets the top bags.
- Check moisture of the lot before loading against your spec.
- Inspect the container: dry, clean, odour-free, no holes or rust.
- Line the walls and roof with kraft paper and use desiccants if your product or route needs them.
- Load quickly and do not leave bags waiting in the open.
How Creston & Co handles this
Our factory audits cover the warehouse, pest control records and cold storage arrangements, and our inspectors check moisture and container condition at loading. To review how your current supplier stores your goods, ask for a free sourcing review.