There are 150 different species of insect that are commonly found in foodstuffs after they have been harvested. The culprits range from flour beetles and tarantula spiders to moths and mice. But the most common of all is the rice weevil (pictured).

Bacteria-filled bugs and pests are traditionally removed using a chemical fumigation process. Now Dutch company EcO2 has developed an organic, non-toxic method of pest and insect control that is totally safe for humans.

The system works by sealing the foodstuffs in an air-tight room then gradually raising the temperature to stimulate the pest's life cycle.

Once a set temperature is reached and the bugs have respired and are fully active, the atmosphere is modified by reducing the oxygen level. This effectively kills all infestation while leaving the foodstuff unaffected.

Anchor Storage in Suffolk is one of six facilities in Britain to have invested in the ground-breaking technology. Anchor Storage stores a lot of organically-certified dried fruit, nuts, seeds, pulses and rice products.

Contact: Ec02; Tel: 0031 186 651 010