Comparison of the Effects of Ozone, UV and Combined Ozone/UV Treatment on the Color and Microbial Counts of Wheat Flour

Abstract:

The effects of direct ozone treatment, UV treatment and combined ozone/UV treatment on the color and microbiological count of milled wheat flour were compared. The changes in color and microbiological properties during a 19-week storage period were also examined. Each of the treatments significantly reduced the microbial count of the flour and resulted in whiter flour. The results showed that only the combined treatment furnished flour suitable for consumption. The effect of the combined treatment was similar to, but more pronounced than that of ozone treatment. Changes in the quality of the dough were observable, similar by as in response to other oxidizing agents.

Keywords: Ozone; UV; Combined Ozone/UV; Wheat Flour; Whiteness Index; Microbial Count

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/01919510802474607

Affiliations: 1: Department of Technical and Process Engineering, University of Szeged, Faculty of Engineering, Szeged, Hungary 2: Department of Food Engineering, University of Szeged, Faculty of Engineering, Szeged, Hungary