Superheated steam processing of cereals and cereal products: A review

Abstract

The concept of superheated steam (SS) was proposed over a century ago and has been widely studied as a drying method. SS processing of cereals and cereal products has been extensively studied in recent years for its advantages of higher drying rates above the inversion temperature, oxygen‐free environment, energy conservation, and environmental protection. This review provides a brief introduction to the history, principles, and classification of SS. The applications of SS processing in the drying, enzymatic inactivation, sterilization, mycotoxin degradation, roasting, and cooking of cereals and cereal products are summarized and discussed. Moreover, the effects of SS processing on the physicochemical properties of cereals and the qualities of cereal foods are reviewed and discussed. The applications of SS for cereal processing and its effects on cereal properties have been extensively studied; however, issues such as the browning of cereal foods, thermal damage of starch, protein denaturation, and nutrition loss have not been comprehensively studied. Therefore, further studies are required to better understand the mechanism of the quality changes caused by SS processing and to expand the fields of application of SS in the cereal processing industry. This review enhances the understanding of SS processing and presents theoretical suggestions for promoting SS processing to improve the safety and quality of cereals and cereal products.

A Comprehensive Study on the Influence of Superheated Steam Treatment on Lipolytic Enzymes, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Volatile Composition of Lightly Milled Rice

“…In contrast, our findings show an approximate 70% reduction in lipase activity for LMR under comparable SS treatment conditions. Similar results were also documented for brown rice [24] and black glutinous rice [25], suggesting the significantly superior heat transfer efficiency of rice grains compared to that of wheat grains [26].…”

Spatial variation of moisture content along the axial distance of corn at different superheated steam drying temperatures and various instantaneous times

“…For instance, increased head rice yield when compared to hot air drying is caused by faster starch gelatinization, which strengthens the intermolecular interactions that bind starch granules together [15]. In the absence of oxygen, native enzymes cannot support the oxidative reaction that results in coloured chemicals and lowers the quality of the final product [16,17]. Drying rates and final moisture content are functions of the drying medium temperature.…”