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AbstractThe number of food safety issues linked to wheat milled products have increased in the past decade. These incidents were mainly caused by the contamination of wheat-based products by enteric pathogens. This manuscript is the first of a two-part review on the status of the food safety of wheat-based products. This manuscript focused on reviewing the available information on the potential pre-harvest and post-harvest sources of microbial contamination, and potential foodborne pathogens present in wheat-based products. Potential pre-harvest sources of microbial contamination in wheat included animal activity, water, soil, and manure. Improper grain storage practices, pest activity, and improperly cleaned and sanitized equipment are potential sources of post-harvest microbial contamination for wheat-based foods. Raw wheat flour products and flour-based products are potentially contaminated with enteric pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STECs), and Salmonella at low concentrations. Wheat grains and their derived products (i.e., flours) are potential vehicles for foodborne illness in humans due to the presence of enteric pathogens. A more holistic approach is needed for assuring the food safety of wheat-based products in the farm-to-table continuum. Future developments in the wheat supply chain should also be aimed at addressing this emerging food safety threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In the last decade, the incidence of foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls connected with wheat flour and flour‐based goods infected with enteric bacteria such as Salmonella has increased. In this study, the activity of sodium bisulfate (SBS) as an antibacterial agent against four different serovars of Salmonella enterica is investigated. Findings: The dose‐dependent, anti‐Salmonella concentration of SBS revealed a minimum inhibitory activity of 0.32%. At this concentration, SBS induced the production of reactive oxygen species, demonstrating that lysis of bacterial cells has occurred. SBS tempering (1.5% SBS, w/v) reduced wheat Salmonella load by 4.3 log CFU/g after 24 h of tempering. Additionally, tempering at 0% (control) and 1.5% SBS (17% moisture, 24 h) showed similar (p >.05) flour functionality (rheology and composition) and baking characteristics (volume, texture, and crumb structure). Conclusion: These results suggest that SBS is a viable antibacterial tempering agent to reduce Salmonella contamination in wheat before milling. Significance and Novelty: Acidic water tempering, as opposed to the traditional water tempering method, may result in milled products with improved microbiological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proso millet is a nutritious, sustainable, and gluten free food which is currently underutilized. They can be incorporated into the grain industry and provide much needed healthy alternatives. Efficient grinding method should be adopted for easy incorporation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of three different methods of grinding namely, roller milling (RM), pin milling (PM), and hammer milling (HM) on proso millet flour rheology and baking properties for food application. The milling flow sheet was developed toward the production of the quality whole grain flour. The particle size distribution of all the flours showed bi‐modal distribution except for the RM flour. The PM produced the flour with the finest particles with geometric mean diameter of 82 μm. The study also revealed that starch damage in the PM flour (4.64%) was higher than RM (2.46%) and HM flour (2.51%). The nutritional composition was not significantly affected by different grinding methods. Pasting properties of the flour were also affected by the grinding method applied. Rapid Visco Analysis profile showed pin mill flour to have a higher peak viscosity (PV) (2,295 cP) compared to HM (2,065 cP) and RM flour (2,130 cP). Finally, this study demonstrated that the production of bread from proso millet flour with desirable quality and texture is possible. The grinding method did not affect the specific volume of bread loaves and C‐cell characteristics. The specific volume of the breads ranged from 2.40 to 2.52 cm3/g. This study will help in promoting and producing value‐added proso millet food products with enhanced nutritional quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the effects of acidic water (sodium bisulfate, SBS/lactic acid, LA) tempering (alone) and in combination with heat treatment on the Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O121 and O26 load of wheat and its impact on wheat flour quality. The results of the study showed that tempering wheat with acidic water (5 and 10% wt/vol) alone reduced its STEC load by 2.0 and 2.6 log CFU/g, respectively (p ≤.05) after 24 hr of treatment. Heat treatment (55°C) significantly reduced the STEC load below detection limit (<1.6 log CFU/g) after 12 hr of treatment. The hurdle approach (5% acidic water + heat, 55°C) reduced the STEC load below detection limit within 6 hr of treatment. Finally, the wheat flours produced using the hurdle approach had lower pH (5.77–5.97) compared with the control without negatively affecting the baking and milling characteristics. Practical applications: The study demonstrated that the hurdle approach of acidic water tempering coupled with heat treatment significantly reduce the Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli load of wheat without negatively impacting the wheat flour quality. Therefore, the combination of acidic water and heat treatment used in this study can be used as an antimicrobial intervention for improving the quality and safety of wheat‐milled products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]