Wheat germ stabilization by infrared radiation

RIBOTTA, PABLO DANIEL; PALAVECINO, PABLO MARTÍN; MARTINEZ, MARCELA L; GILI, RENATO DANIEL; MARTINEZ, MARCELA L; GILI, RENATO DANIEL; PENCI, MARÍA CECILIA; PENCI, MARÍA CECILIA; RIBOTTA, PABLO DANIEL; PALAVECINO, PABLO MARTÍN

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-MYSORE

ASSOC FOOD SCIENT TECHN INDIA

Año: 2017 vol. 54 p. 71 - 81

0022-1155

Abstract Wheat germ has an important enzymatic activity, being lipases the enzymes which cause the highest impact in the reduction of shelf life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of infrared radiation on wheat germ stabilization in an attempt to extend the shelf life. The effects of treatment time, gap (sample distance to IR emitters) and infrared radiation intensity on wheat germ were analyzed through response surface methodology.Final moisture content, final temperature, color of germ and germ oil quality parameters: free fatty acid content changes and total tocopherol content were the responses evaluated using a Box-Behnken design. A combination of an infrared radiation intensity of 4800 W/m2, a 3 min treatment and 0.2 m emitter-sample distance were the best processing condition to stabilize the wheat germ withoutsignificantly reduction of the tocopherol content. A confirmatory experiment was conducted with these optimal conditions, and the heat-treated and raw germ samples were stored for 90 days at room temperature in three layer packages to protect them against light and oxygen. The oil quality parameters indicated that the raw germ had a shelflife of about 15 days, with the heat-treated wheat germmaintaining its quality for at least 90 days under these stored conditions.