Minimizing mycotoxins content of the cereal products by milling and baking processes

1. Minimizing mycotoxins content of the cereal products by milling and baking processes Banu I.1, Aprodu I.1, Mitelut A.2, Tofana M.3, Pop G.4, Ionescu V. S.5 • Fusarium graminearum is one of the most significant mycotoxin producing fungus affecting wheat in all cropping areas of the world. • The deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) are important toxins produced by Fusarium graminearum, and are often found to co-exist in grains. • Reduction of mycotoxin contamination can be performed during food processing, but it cannot be completely eliminated from the final products. • Recent European studies indicated the existence of some high concentration of mycotoxins in the products with high contents of fibres, compared to the bread products made of white flour. • In Romania, damages by Fusarium in large crops of wheat and maize were constantly registered. The project Reduction of the Mycotoxins Contamination of Cereals in Order to Get Safe Bakery Products with High Fibres Content (contract no. 52-132/01.10.2008), acronimFIBRESIG, is funded by the CNMP that manage the R&D Programme “Partnerships in Priority S&T Areas”. • Started in October 2008; • Focused on obtaining safe and healthy baked wheat products, by using physical and biological methods to minimize the mycotoxins contamination. Task I. The occurrence of DON and ZON in wheat from different crop areas of the country,and in high fiber wheat bread widely consumed by the population of Eastern Romania were monitored. Task II.The effect of industrial cleaning on wheat microbial burden and DON levels was investigated. • Concerning the microbial burden the results indicated the importance of separation, classification and aspiration stages of wheat processing in reducing both the content of moulds and aerobic mesophilic spore forming bacteria. • The DON content of the analysed fractions was significantly reduced through indented separator passage (30-36%) and scouring and aspiration (52 – 54%). • HPLC and ELISA based methods for DON, OTA, ZON determination were developed. • The contamination level in wheat samples was found to be significantly lower compared to the bread. DON was detected in 42.5% of the cases while ZON in 10% of the cases. • The tests proved that bread was contaminated with DON and ZON with a frequency of 85% and 5%, respectively. DON concentrations exceeding the maximum level for cereals could be reduced to acceptable levels, when cleaning is performed in a combi-cleaner associated with an indented separator and a scourer. Task III. The quality of different wheat varieties cropped in the east of Romania was investigated. Task IV. Technological effect of the cleaning equipment from an industrial mill was investigated. • The impurities separated through combi-cleaner and indented separators were 83.42 and 82.83%, respectively. • Through scouring, the reduction of the ash content was 0.0225%, while the grains broken were 0.223%. Databases Wheat quality, http://www.fibresig.ugal.ro Task V. Selecting the optimal mill streams to be used for bakery products taking into account their safety, nutritive and technological properties • The physico-chemical and rheological quality of the wheat flour mill streams obtained through industrial milling were also analysed and we can state the importance of mixing different types of mill streams for getting flour for certain end-use products. • We selected the most advantageous fractions from the point of view of the food safety, nutritive and technological properties that can be used in making bakery products with high fibres content. Task VII. Disemination (selected presentation) Task VI. Bread-making technology for safe bakery products with high fibres content was developed. • Research articles • Cereal Chemistry, 87(2), 2010 • Czech Journal of FoodScience, 29(1), 2011 • Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, 12(2), 2011 • Scientific Study & Research, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Food Industry, 10(2), 2009; 12(3), 2011 • Bulletin of UASVM Cluj-Napoca. Agriculture, 67(2), 2010; 68(2), 2011 • AUDJG – Food Technology, 33(2), 2009; 35(1), 2011 • The technology has been registered at State Office for Inventions and Trademarks of Romania (A201100209/10.03.2011). • Books • Grain Milling, 2010 • Milling Process Control, 2011 • Good Manufacturing Practices for Selecting the Wheat Contractor, 2011 • International Conferences • Colloque Franco – Roumain de Chimie Appliquée,Orléans, France,2010 • International Symposium for Thin-Layer Chromatography, Basel, Switzerland, 2011 • Management and Sustainable Protection of Environment,Alba Iulia, 2009, 2011 1University Dunarea de Jos of Galati 2University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest 3University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj Napoca 4Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava 5S.C. Arcada S.R.L. Galati