Ozone for efficient grain treatment
When it comes to grain treatment system there are a lot of chemicals and insecticides. And ozone is the best option to eliminate the use of chemicals and insecticides in grain treatment. Ozone is a natural chemical-free option.
Want to see how ozone can reduce the use of chemical in farming? Learn more below!
Pesticide resistance and the increased demand for organic grains, makes food manufacturers and grain handlers are looking for new ways to control insects, pathogens and pests in stored commodities.
On average, about 10 to 18% of grain stored is lost because of pests, which can be avoided with the ozone application. There are many studies that prove this fact.
Ozone is a powerful oxidant and is used as a disinfectant and antimicrobial agent for many applications.
Actually, it becomes very familiar in the food processing industry as a treatment to disinfect and to eliminate odors, taste and color.
It has been used to treat a range of food products such as fresh products (e.g., fruit and vegetables), dairy products (e.g., fluid milk, powdered milk, and cheese), juices (e.g., apple and orange juices), and also, food grain products (e.g., wheat flour), always ensuring the food safety.
Ozone has been proven to be an effective agent for grain preservation since it provides mycotoxin destruction, insect killing, and microbial inactivation. storage insects such as Tribolium castaneum and Sitophilus zeamais in maize and Tribolium confusum in wheat can be largely eliminated by ozone.
How does it work?
Ozone is a high-oxidizing agent that reacts, when it is in contact with any organic molecule, eliminating microbes, bacteria, and mold.
With its strong sterilizing properties, it can reduce contamination of fungal spores and toxins located in the surface of the grain.
Apart from the microbes, storage pests and mycotoxins in food products can be efficiently eliminated or degraded by ozone treatment. Also, it can effectively eradicate 100% of adult insects present in the grain mass.
Ozone treatment provides several safety advantages and it is more environmentally friendly over traditional pesticides and fungicides.
There are no residues on products, no presence of toxic chemicals, no danger of chemical mixing hazards and no issues about disposal of left over insecticides or containers.
The excessive ozone automatically decomposes in oxygen, leaving no residue in grain. It is important to know that the ozone treated cereal products are safe for consumption.
The treatment can positively influence the milling of wheat grains, to oxidise the chemical components and while eliminating the mycotoxins and fungi in the grains.
Mild or moderate ozone treatment enhances the dough strength, while increasing the viscosity of flour during pasting event.
The ozone treatment is considered an eco-friendly and cost-effective food processing technique. It prolongs shelf life, and to restore damaged grains.
Ozone uses in grain is a cost effective alternative while also an organic chemical free.
Thus, ozone under suitable reaction conditions can be an effective “green” agent to create desired functionalities of grain products while significantly ensuring food safety.
Ozone appeared to be a “greener” alternative to potassium bromate in bread formulation and to chlorine in cake production.
Read the full article here.
Benefits
Eliminates pests, bacteria, microbes;
Destroys mycotoxins (vomitoxin, aflatoxin, etc.);
Stops mold growth;
Acts as a fumigant and insecticide;
Insect control in grain;
Does not damage grain;
Leaves no residue in food or grain;
Does not damage the product;
Enhances the dough strength;
Easy to implement;
Generated on-site – no stored chemicals;
Reduces the required milling energy;
Environmentally friendly.
Scientific Articles
EMMANUEL I. EPELLE, ANDREW MACFARLANE, MICHAEL CUSACK, ANTHONY BURNS, JUDE A. OKOLIE, WILLIAM MACKAY, MOSTAFA RATEB, MOHAMMED YASEEN | February 15th | Ozone application in different industries: A review of recent developments
WENYA XUE, JOSHUA MACLEOD, JAMES BLAXLAND | 2023 | The Use of Ozone Technology to Control Microorganism Growth, Enhance Food Safety and Extend Shelf Life: A Promising Food Decontamination Technology
GOVINDARAJ DEV KUMAR, SDHANA RAVISHANKAR | April | Ozonized water with plant antimicrobials: An effective method to inactivate Salmonella enterica on iceberg lettuce in the produce wash water
MARCUS V. A. SILVA, MÁRCIO A. MARTINS, LEDA R. D’ANTONINO FARONI, JAIME D. B. VANEGAS, ADALBERTO H. DE SOUSA | March | CFD modelling of diffusive-reactive transport of ozone gas in rice grains
ADRIANO C. DE CAMARGO, ANDRÉS R. SCHWEMBER, ROBERTO PARADA, SANDRA GARCIA, MÁRIO R. M. JÚNIOR, MARCELO FRANCHIN, MARISA A. B. REGITANO-D’ARCE, FEREIDOON SHAHIDI | November 6th | Opinion on the Hurdles and Potential Health Benefits in Value-Added Use of Plant Food Processing By-Products as Sources of Phenolic Compounds
FAN ZHU | October 30th | Effect of ozone treatment on the quality of grain products
US FDA (Food & Drug Administration) – Food & Beverages | December 27th | Good Manufacturing Practices for the 21st Century for Food Processing (2004 Study) Appendix A: Annotated Bibliography on Food Safety Problems and Recommended Controls
ROMENIQUE S. FREITAS, LÊDA R. D’ANTONINO FARONI, M. ELIANA L. R. QUEIROZ, FERNANADA F. HELENO, LUCAS H. F. PRATES | December | Degradation kinetics of pirimiphos-methyl residues in maize grains exposed to ozone gas
AGNIESZKA JOANNA BRODOWSKA, AGNIESZKA NOWAK, KRYSZTOF SMIGIELSKI | July 6th | Ozone in the food industry: Principles of ozone treatment, mechanisms of action, and applications: An overview
GEOVANA D. SAVI, KARIM C. PIACENTINI, VILDES M. SCUSSEL | March | Reduction in residues of deltamethrin and fenitrothion on stored wheat grains by ozone gas
BARBARA N. E. GIORDANO, JANAINA NONES, VILDES . SCUSSEL | June 29th | Susceptibility of the In-shell Brazil Nut Mycoflora and Aflatoxin Contamination to Ozone Gas Treatment during Storage
KARIN FOARDE, CARY EATON | December | Ozone Antimicrobial Efficacy
BRIAN C. HAMPSON, STEVEN R. FIORI | 2003 | Application of Ozone in Food Processing Operations
FOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE | October 21st | The USDA National Organic Program Requirements for Food Retailers and Distribution Centers
US FDA (Food and Drug Administration – Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) | April 13th | Guidance for Industry – Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
US FDA (Food and Drug Administration – Department of Health and Human Services) | November 13th | Direct Food Substances Affirmed As Generally Recognized As Safe
FOOD SAFETY MAGAZINE | Recent Ozone Applications in Food Processing and Sanitation
