Evaluation of Ozone as an Antimycotoxin and Microbiocidal Treatment for Wheat and Barley

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Mycotoxin contamination in grains and food products derived from grains is a persistent food safety concern. For this project, we propose to evaluate a novel chemical control approach using ozone for the duel purpose of mycotoxin destruction and antimicrobial activity in durum wheat and malting barley. Our long-term goals are to develop intervention strategies to reduce or eliminate mycotoxins and undesirable microflora from grain and/or grain products produced in the Northern Plains.

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APPROACH: Mycotoxin contamination in grains and food products derived from grains is a persistent food safety concern for which the only available effective control is testing and diversion or dilution. Other groups have demonstrated the effectiveness of ozone as an insecticidal fumigant in stored grain (Kells et al., 2001; Mendez et al., 2003). We will evaluate the effectiveness of ozone as an antimycotoxin and antimicrobial treatment for barley and wheat under storage and processing conditions. We will evaluate microbial loads by using standard culture techniques, mycotoxin content by GC/EC and/or LC/MS and effects on end-use quality of milled fractions, durum based pasta, barley malt, and beer. We will also evaluate the economic feasibility (using stochastic dominance)of using ozone as a treatment on wheat and barley. Results will be used to educate constituent groups including producers and processors.

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PROGRESS: 2006/01 TO 2009/01<BR>
OUTPUTS: We evaluated the effectiveness of ozone as an antimycotoxin and antimicrobial treatment for barley and wheat under storage and processing conditions. We evaluated microbial loads, mycotoxin content and effects on end-use quality. We will also evaluated the economic feasibility of using ozone as a treatment on barley using stochastic dominance tools. Results are being used in extension publications and outreach efforts to educate constituent groups including producers and processors. The results of the project have been presented at regional, national and international meetings including: American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) International Annual Meeting, Western Extension and Research Activities Committee on Agribusiness (WERA-72), National Fusarium Head Blight (NFHB) Forum, Regional Research Project Meeting for NC-1025, and ND EPSCoR State Conference. We have received many inquiries from the grain industry regarding the technology. Katherine Tweed, adjunct in Mass Communications at Minnesota State University Moorhead, was hired to assist in writing a publication summarizing the results of the "Evaluation of Ozone as an Antimycotoxin and Microbial Treatment for Wheat and Barley" USDA-CSREES Project. The publication will be completed in Fall 2009 and will be disseminated through outreach efforts. <BR>PARTICIPANTS: PI - Charlene Wolf-Hall Co-PIs Kenneth Hellevang, Frank Manthey, William Nganje (since moved to Arizona State University), Paul Schwarz, Dennis Wiesenborn Post Docs Dennis Tobias, Anuradha Boddeda Graduate Students Bhavnita Dhillon, James Dodd, Harkanwal Preet, Singh Sandhu, Ashwini Vashisht, Staff for extension publication Kathleen Tweeten

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IMPACT: 2006/01 TO 2009/01<BR>
It would appear that ozone exposure through water, as in barley steeping or wheat washing, has a larger impact on microbial loads in grain compared to gaseous ozone treatment of dry grain. The application of ozone for microbial and mycotoxin control in grain would be more economically feasible than other treatments such as hydrogen peroxide or irradiation. The grain industry is very interested in the application of ozone due to its approval for management of insects and microorganisms in organic commdities. Ozone treatments would need to be targeted and controlled and would not dramatically impact microbial loads, but may lower amounts sufficiently to gain an economic advantage.