Environmentally friendly microbial load reduction in wheat flour

Overview

This innovative solution utilizes environmentally friendly chemicals, specifically hydrogen peroxide and glutaraldehyde, to substantially reduce the microbial load in wheat flour, ensuring it is safe for human consumption. The process has shown effective microbial reduction in herbal extracts and is now being adapted to wheat flour. This method achieves a 6-log (99.9999%) reduction in microbial load, enhancing the safety and shelf-life of the product.

Technical specifications

• Chemical agents: Utilizes hydrogen peroxide and glutaraldehyde, which are effective at reducing microbial load.
• Process: Involves soaking wheat grains in antimicrobial agents for 8 hours, followed by drying and milling into flour.
• Safety: Hydrogen peroxide decomposes at high temperatures, ensuring no harmful residues remain in the final product.
• Effectiveness: Achieves up to a 6-log reduction in microbial load, verified in herbal extract applications.

Technology readiness level

This technology is at TRL 4, indicating it has been validated in a laboratory setting. Further validation is planned using real-world wheat grain samples from multiple manufacturers.