Current and Future Technologies for Microbiological Decontamination of Cereal Grains

Abstract

Cereal grains are the most important staple foods for mankind worldwide. The constantly increasing annual production and yield is matched by demand for cereals, which is expected to increase drastically along with the global population growth. A critical food safety and quality issue is to minimize the microbiological contamination of grains as it affects cereals both quantitatively and qualitatively. Microorganisms present in cereals can affect the safety, quality, and functional properties of grains. Some molds have the potential to produce harmful mycotoxins and pose a serious health risk for consumers. Therefore, it is essential to reduce cereal grain contamination to the minimum to ensure safety both for human and animal consumption. Current production of cereals relies heavily on pesticides input, however, numerous harmful effects on human health and on the environment highlight the need for more sustainable pest management and agricultural methods. This review evaluates microbiological risks, as well as currently used and potential technologies for microbiological decontamination of cereal grains.

Cold Plasma for Effective Fungal and Mycotoxin Control in Foods: Mechanisms, Inactivation Effects, and Applications

“…Owing to their extensive use as human foods and livestock feeds, the microbiology and safety of grains, seeds, nuts and their products deserve high importance. The fungal attack in cereal grains could be due to field fungi (which attack grains at high moistures) or storage fungi (which attack stored grains at relatively low moisture) (Los, Ziuzina, & Bourke, ). Typical examples of field fungi include species of Alternaria , Cladosporium , and Fusarium , whereas storage fungi include Eurotium , Aspergillus , and Penicillium .…”

The Potential Application of Nanoparticles on Grains during Storage: Part 1 – An Overview of Inhibition against Fungi and Mycotoxin Biosynthesis

“…According to [122], drying is the phase of postharvest processing during which grains are dried to achieve low MC, thereby guaranteeing safe storage (<0.70 a w ). The MC of adequately dried grains ranged within 10-14%.…”

“…In Africa, sun drying is efficient and effective since there is almost 13-h of sun during the dry season [127]. Applying excessive temperatures (using artificial means) can lead to grains cracking, loss of viability, as well as economic losses [122,128].…”

Pathogens control on wheat and wheat flour: A review

“…During the last two decades, several studies have been conducted regarding microbial quality on wheat due to the increasing awareness of the potential hazardous pathogens it harbors (Berghofer et al, 2003; Eglezos, 2010; Laca et al, 2006; Manthey et al, 2004; Myoda et al, 2019; Sabillón et al, 2016; Sperber et al., 2007). The sources of wheat microbial contamination can be found along the crop production chain, including the stages of preharvest, harvest, transportation, storage, and processing (Los et al, 2018). The contaminating microbes can be carried by different elements such as animals, air, water, dust, and contaminated equipment (Laca et al., 2006; Los, et al, 2018).…”