Application of ozone for reduction of mycological infection in wheat grain

Ann Agric Environ Med. 2006;13(2):287-94.

Abstract

In 2004-2005 means were sought to clean grain from microbiological contamination during transportation and storage. For this purpose, grains with a moisture content of 23.2 % of the "Tauras" variety were selected and ventilated daily for 8 hours until grain wetness was reduced to 14.0 %. The effect of ventilation duration and ozone impact was evaluated according to the changes in grain contamination with micromycetes propagules (cfu x g (-1)), and alternation of micromycetes species on the grain surface. At drying grains by active ventilation with an ozone--air mixture, at O (3) concentration of 700 ppb, the drying period was reduced by about 20 %, and mycological contamination depends on initial grain moisture content (w): when w=15.2 %, contamination was reduced by up to 2.2 times, and when w=22.0 %--up to 3 times. At the same time, the composition of micromycetes species on the grain surface changed significantly: in non-ventilated grain there were detected micromycetes of 26 species, and in ventilated grain--of 11 species. Efficient ozone impact was established only when the mound of wet (w>18.0 %) grains was exposed to ozone.

MeSH terms

  • Crops, Agricultural / microbiology
  • Edible Grain / microbiology
  • Food Contamination / prevention & control
  • Food Handling / methods
  • Food Microbiology*
  • Fungi / drug effects*
  • Fungicides, Industrial* / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Mycological Typing Techniques
  • Oxidants, Photochemical*
  • Ozone* / pharmacology
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*
  • Triticum / microbiology*

Substances

  • Fungicides, Industrial
  • Oxidants, Photochemical
  • Ozone