Aplicação de ozônio em trigo pré moagem e em farinha de trigo e avaliação do efeito sobre a qualidade do produto

Abstract

Increasingly, the care related to food safety is being taken into account by consumers and, consequently, by industries. For this reason, sterilization alternative process instead of chlorine and its derivatives are being studied. Wheat is a cereal that has microorganisms from the soil in its microbiota that are not always eliminated in the wheat flour production process, requiring the application of cleaners that eliminate or minimize these microorganisms to acceptable limits. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate, on a laboratory scale, the effect of the ozone application in the pre-milling stage of the wheat and in the wheat flour on the quality products. The tests were carried out in a milling industry in the Serra Gaúcha, in the test of ozone application in the humidification stage, a residual ozone in water equal to 4.6 ppm was used in addition to different contact times with the gas, 15, 30 and 60 minutes. In the application test on ready-made wheat flour, different concentrations of ozone were used for 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes. Microbiological analysis (Bacillus cereus, coliforms at 45 ºC, salmonella and molds and yeasts), mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, rheology (falling number, alveography, flour and gluten), color and ash in wheat flour resulting from the milling wheat and also in wheat flour and, in wheat bran obtained, microbiological analysis (Bacillus cereus, coliforms at 45 ºC, salmonella, molds and yeasts and enterobacteria) and mycotoxin deoxynivalenol were performed. In the test using the gas in the humidification step it was possible to observe a reduction in some microbiological parameters and also in the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, which reached a reduction of more than 30% and the rheological characteristics were not altered, with variations within 10% in practically all parameters evaluated, showing that ozone is an alternative sanitizer to be used for this purpose. In tests using ozone directly in wheat flour, reductions in microbiological parameters and in mycotoxin deoxynivalenol were not noticed in the two types of wheat flour tested, and the rheological characteristics had considerable changes, reaching almost 50% reduction in strength (parameter W) and more than 200% increase in the toughness and elasticity ratio (parameter P/L) in one of the wheat flour tested, in addition to resulting in changes in the color and strong residual odor characteristic of ozone, it was concluded from this way, that this type of application does not bring positive results. Since technologies involving ozone are gaining ground in the most varied markets, the work sought to assist in a new application, enabling future studies to assist in industrial scale application. Added to this, the advantages of using ozone, recognized as safe and also environmentally correct for not generating residues, guaranteeing the safety of the food and, consequently, the consumer, reducing contamination and maintaining the quality of the product. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]