Food Protection Trends - November/December 2023 - 483

Figure 2. Treatment means ± standard errors for 0% SBS (◆), 0.5% SBS (×), 1% SBS (▲), 1.5% SBS (■),
and negative control with no mold or SBS (NEG, +) on wheat grains inoculated with A. flavus (a), and
F. graminearum (b) at 25°C on PDA plates over 72 h, with a detection limit 1.0 log CFU/g (arrow).
hydrogen peroxide, leading to poor scavenging of hydrogen
peroxide. Also, combinations of a 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)
butanoic acid with organic acids, such as fumaric acids,
benzoic acid, and lactic acids, were effective against A. flavus
in dry dog food kibbles with up to 3.8-log reduction after 4
weeks of storage (8).
When the SBS-treated wheat was evaluated for flour
quality and baking performance and the results were
compared with the nontreated controls, there was not any
significant negative impact on flour quality due to the SBS
treatment. This part of the research was already published by
our lab (30). In brief, significantly higher (P < 0.05) protein
and carbohydrate content was also observed in wheat flours
with added SBS. In terms of flour color, wheat flours from
SBS-tempered wheat generally had lower L* and higher a*
and b* values, indicating lower brightness, higher red, and
yellow tones. No significant differences were observed in
terms of the loaf volume and specific bread volume between
SBS-treated wheat flours and control (0% SBS) wheat flours.
Wheat flours from SBS-tempered wheat yielded bread
with significantly (P < 0.05) higher cell counts and smaller
crumb structure (lower cell diameter and volume) compared
with the control. This will further support our approach to
mitigating molds in wheat and flour using SBS.
To address health concerns, as well as consumer perception
in a positive manner, chemical antimycotics would need to be
replaced with natural agents. SBS is a natural acidulant and
a nonhazardous acid commonly used in human and animal
food (22). The use of SBS as an antimycotic agent in stored
grain may help to reduce the cost of antimycotic treatments
in bulk grains because SBS is more economical than organic
acids or natural plant-based extracts. In addition, the use
of organic acids may cause corrosion of the stainless steel
containers of the tempering bins. Even though SBS is a
stronger acid than organic acids, it is known to cause less
damage to stainless steel. This was demonstrated by 10% SBS
on stainless steel that caused no or negligible corrosion (15).
In conclusion, the addition of SBS in tempering water
during the wheat tempering process was effective in
controlling F. graminearum and partly effective against A.
flavus, implying possible inhibition of mycotoxin production.
The results also suggest that despite some changes in
wheat flour attributes, the use of SBS in wheat tempering
did not negatively affect the flour quality and bread loaf
characteristics. Various chemicals (sodium bisulfite, sodium
hydroxide, and O3
) and enzymes (laccases and peroxidases)
are used to detoxify already produced mycotoxins in food
(21), but further studies regarding the by-products formed
and the effects on food quality need to be conducted. Future
work on the potential use of SBS in mycotoxin detoxication
and sensory perceptions in foods is warranted. Finally, to
achieve effective reduction of A. flavus in wheat, additional
measures, such as use of organic acids, or combination of SBS
with organic acids, need to be tested. Overall, the application
of SBS in tempering water could be a viable alternative
against synthetic chemicals to improve microbial quality by
reducing mold and potential mycotoxin production, while
maintaining flour and bread quality.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We acknowledge the Jones-Hamilton Co. for partial
funding of this research. Research conduct, data analysis, and
interpretation of results were conducted by C. G. Aldrich
and J. Dhakal without sponsor's influence or bias. All authors
declare no conflict of interest for this study.
November/December Food Protection Trends 483

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