Proximate, Chemical and Functional Properties of Wheat, Soy and Moringa Leaf Composite Flours

The study presents the effect of utilizing wheat, soy and moringa leaf flour and quality analysis of the flour. The composite flour was prepared using refined wheat flour, soy flour and moringa leaf flour. Four composite flour, compositions were formulated such as 100% wheat flour (control) designated as sample A. Sample B consisted of 75% wheat, 20% soybean and 5% moringa leaf. Sample C consisted of 70% wheat, 20% soybean and 10% moringa leaf. Sample D was 65% wheat, 20% soybean and 15% moringa leaf. Sample E was 60% wheat, 20% soybean and 20% moringa leaf, respectively. Proximate, chemical, and functional properties of wheat, soy and moringa leaf flours were studied in composite flour variation and preparations. The present study highlighted the nutrients enrichment of flour on incorporation of soy and moringa leaf. Relevant statistical tests were done to analyse the significance of means for all tested parameters. Composite flour composition with 20% soybean was identified to produce optimal nutrient, mineral quality and yield. The addition of soybean and moringa flour in baked products has been shown in this study to improve the nutrition and health benefits of the body. It also serves as a good cut on the cost of wheat importation in communities with supply challenges.

Composite Flours-Characteristics of Wheat/Hemp and Wheat/Teff Models

Wheat/hemp and wheat/teff model composites were prepared as 90:10 and 80:20 w/w blends, using two different Czech commercial wheat flour samples (standards M, M1) and bright/dark forms of these non-traditional crops flour. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of alternative flour samples on the blend compositional profiles including dietary fibre content, on the technological quality described by modern Solvent Retention Capacity method and on laboratory baking test results. According to seeds composition, nutritional flour enrichment reached higher levels of protein (from approx. 13.0% about 30% vs. 6%) and fibre contents (from approx. 3.3% about 50% vs. 30%) in the case of hemp and teff samples. In terms of the SRC profile, the qualitatively better sample M was weakened by hemp flour additions, while somewhat worse sample M1 was improved by teff flour additions. Results from the baking test showed that the hemp composites were partly dependent on hemp flour form. Volumes of bread with bright hemp were diminished from 257 mL/100g up to 196 mL/100g, the products containing dark hemp increased up to 328 mL/100g. Teff-fortified bun volumes were evaluated in close range of 325 - 369 mL/100g against 381 mL/100g for standard M1. Sensorial score of wheat/hemp breads were worse owing to spicy taste and fatty aftertaste, while hay-like by-taste in wheat/teff bread could be tolerable of 10% in recipe.

RVA and Farinograph Properties Study on Blends of Resistant Starch and Wheat Flour

Resistant starch （RS） is the undigested starch that passes through the small intestine to the large intestine. As a functional low calorie additive, it has special applications in the food industry. Rapid visco analysis （RVA） and the Brabender farinograph were used to study the pasting properties and the viscoelasticity of blends of RS （RS3 and RS2） and three wheat flours. The wheat flours represented strong gluten wheat （SGW）, intermediate gluten wheat （IGW）, and weak gluten wheat （WGW） flours, at different levels of RS substitution （0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%）. The influence of RS3 on the control wheat flours and RS-wheat flour blends were consistent with those of RS2. The peak, trough, and final viscosities of RS3-wheat flour blends were higher than those of the corresponding RS2-wheat flour blends. The peak, trough, breakdown, final, and setback viscosities ofwheat-RS blends decreased with an increase in resistant starch contents from 0 to 20% in the blends. The 0-20% RS-wheat flour blends were all able to form doughs. The dough development times, dough stabilities, dough breakdown times, and farinograph quality numbers for the RS-wheat flour blends decreased as the RS proportion in the blends increased. The values for RS-SGW flour blends were the highest, followed by RS-IGW and then RS-WGW flour blends. The water absorption values for RS-wheat flour blends and the mixing tolerance index for RS-WGW flour blends were found to increase significantly with an increasing proportion of RS from 0 to 20%, but the mixing tolerance index for RS-SGW and RS-IGW flour blends showed no significant differences amongst the different ratios. Correlation analysis showed that the Farinograph quality number was highly positively correlated with dough breakdown time, dough stability, and dough development time （r= 1.000, 0.958, 0.894）, and highly negatively correlated with the mixing tolerance index （r =-0.890）. Data from this study can be used for the development of dough-based products. It also provides a basis for RS-wheat flour blends and quality evaluation in the food industry.

Efficacy of Different Iron Fortificants in Wheat Flour in Controlling Iron Deficiency

Objective To observe the different impacts of electrolytic iron, FeSO4, and NaFeEDTA on body iron store of anemic school students. Methods Four hundreds anemic students at the age of 11-18 years were divided into four groups. Of which, three consumed different iron fortificants from wheat flour as food vehicle for six months and one consumed non-fortified flour （control）. The fortification level of electrolytic iron, FeSO4, and NaFeEDTA was 60 mg Fe/kg, 30 mg Fe/kg, and 20 mg Fe/kg, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months and hemoglobin （Hb）, serum ferritin （SF）, and transferrin receptor （TfR） were measured. Results The hemoglobin levels in three intervention groups increased, the increments of Hb in the NaFeEDTA group were significantly higher than that in the other groups. SF and TfR levels increased in the tested groups and body iron store in the NaFeEDTA group was higher than that in the other groups. These parameters did not show any significant changes in the control group. Conclusion NaFeEDTA and FeSO4 tortified wheat flour has positive impacts on iron status in anemic students and NaFeEDTA is more effective than FeSO4, while electrolytic iron is less effective in improving iron store in anemic students.

Improvement of whole wheat dough and bread properties by emulsifiers

Whole wheat bread is widely available worldwide,but it is always associated with less desirable dough processibility,small loaf volume,firm and gritty texture,and other distinctive attributes compared to white bread.Emulsifiers are commonly used to improve dough handling and baking quality during bread production.In present study,five emulsifiers(diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono-and diglycerides(DATEM),polysorbate 80,sodium stearoyl lactylate(SSL),soy lecithin,and sucrose esters)were added during dough preparation of the whole wheat flour at 0.2%,0.5%,and 1.0%(flour weight basis).Dough rheological behavior and bread quality attributes,such as specific loaf volume and hardness,were measured.The results showed that DATEM,sucrose esters,and SSL increased the resistance to extension of the dough,whereas soy lecithin and polysorbate 80 increased the extensibility.Soy lecithin and polysorbate 80 were the only emulsifiers that significantly increased loaf volume compared to the control.Adding higher levels(1.0%)of sucrose esters,polysorbate 80,and SSL increased the formation of amylose-lipid complex and mitigate the crumb staling during storage.The results suggested that the emulsifiers could be applied to contribute to optimum functional quality of whole wheat bread.

Antifungal Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria, Isolated from Bulgarian Wheat and Rye Flour

The economic losses and the health hazards of the mycotoxins produced by spoilage fungi are the main concerns of the food industry. The spoilage of bakery products by fungi is more common in countries with a high humidity and temperature. About 5-10% of food production is spoiled by the growth of yeast and fungi in food materials. Similarly, in Western Europe, the growth of the spoilage fungi of bread is estimated to reach more than 200 million Euros per year. The history conditions of the food can be a major factor in determining any fungal spoilage--for example, stored and processed foods are more sensitive to spoilage when compared with fresh and prepared foods. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from Bulgarian wheat and rye flour were used in the present study to check their antifungal properties against pathogenic yeast and fungi imperfecta using standard disc diffusion method in vitro. A broad spectrum of antifungal activity of the six newly identified as L. plantarum strains e Tsl, Ts2, Ts3,Ts4 and Ts5, and L. helveticus Ts6 was estimated. Our in vitro studies were performed with wheat and rye sourdough, in order to simulate a real product and to assess the bio-protective potential of the tested lactobacilli. The used test-cultures are representatives of carcinogenic, toxigenic, deteriorative and allergenic fungi from the genera .4spergillus and Penicillium. The all tested strains completely suppress the growth of against C. glabrata 72. Strains L. plantarum Tsl and Ts3 completely suppress the growth against S. cerevisae. While, in the sample with L. plantarum strains e Tsl, Ts2, Ts3,Ts4 and Ts5, and L. helveticus Ts6, a retarded and weak growth of A. niger and P. claviforme was observed. However, the spore germination and the colony growth started only on the fifth day of the mould lactobacilli co-cultivation, which also should be considered as a good result. In this study six isolates Tsl,Ts2, Ts3, Ts4, Ts5 and Ts6, from the traditional Bulgarian wheat and rye flour have been identified as L. plantarum and L. helveticus and characterized as cultures with promising antifungal activity. Obtained results from the combined molecular identification （16S rRNA gene sequencing） approach contribute to give new data on the microbial biodiversity of this not well-studied niche. The antifungal activity of our new isolates, identified as L. plantarum and L. helveticus, seems to be a promising advantage of these six strains, suggesting their potential applications in different food technologies. However, more experiments have to be conducted to clarify the nature and the mechanisms of the reported antifungal activity and they are still in progress. The combination of dairy origin and strong inhibitory activity of the lactobacillus strains is a prerequisite for their possible application as starters and/or bioprotective antifungal adjuncts.

Optimization of Bread Preparation from Wheat Flour and Malted Rice Flour

The feasibility of partially replacing wheat flour with malted rice flour in bread making was evaluated in several formulations, aiming to find a formulation for the production of malted rice-wheat bread with better nutritional quality and consumer acceptance. The whole grains of a local rice variety （Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica var. Mottaikaruppan） were steeped in distilled water （12 h, 30°C） and germinated for 3 days to obtain high content of soluble materials and amylase activity in bread making. The quality of bread was evaluated by considering the physical and sensorial parameters. When the wheat flour was substituted with malted rice flour, 35% substitution level and the malted rice flour from 3 days of germination was the best according to the physical and sensory qualities of bread. The quality of bread was improved by the addition of 20 g of margarine, 20 g of baking powder and 20 g of yeast in 1 kg of flour. Among different ratios of yeast and baking powder, 2：1 was the best. Bread improver containing amylases and oxidizing agents at the concentration of 40 g/kg was selected as the best concentration. When comparing the final formulation made in the bakery with wheat bread, malted rice-wheat bread contains more soluble dietary fiber （0.62%）, insoluble dietary fiber （3.95%）, total dietary fiber （4.57%） and free amino acid content （0.64 g/kg） than those in wheat bread （0.5%, 2.73%, 3.23% and 0.36 g/kg, respectively）.

Study of Commercial Wheat Flour Milling Process:Relation of Flour Yield,Ash and Protein Contents of Flour Mill and Characteristics of Wheat Blend

The profit margin in the flour milling industry is quite narrow,so high-quality raw materials and efficiency of milling operations are crucial for every company. Many flour mills,especially those which import wheat from other countries and have limited storage space for the different varieties or classes of wheat,can not afford to buy low quality wheat. Consequently,a mathematical model which can test the impact and interactions of raw materials,in technical point of view,would be a useful decision-making tool for the milling industry. A flour miller tests wheat for physical and chemical characteristics,cleanness and soundness. The miller also performs experimental milling,if available,to have some idea how the given wheat will behave during commercial milling. Based on these test results,the miller can only guess the commercial milling results such as flour yields and flour ash and protein contents. Thus,the objective of this study was to develop empirical equations to estimate commercial milling results,using the physical,chemical and experimental milling data of the given wheat blend and also,additionally,flour ash and protein specifications of the end-user. This was done by using the actual commercial milling procedures and their wheat physical,chemical,experimental milling data,and other vital data. Data were collected from a commercial mill located in East Asia that had four production lines and used wheat blend combinations from five different wheat classes,i.e. Hard Red Winter (HRW),Dark Northern Spring (DNS),Soft White (SW),Australian Soft (AS),and Australian Standard White (ASW) wheat to produce over 40 different products. The wheat physical and chemical characteristics included test weight,thousand kernel weight,ash and protein contents. The experimental milling data were straight-grade and patent flour yields,along with patent flour ash and protein contents from a Buhler experimental mill. The commercial milling results included the flour yields of patent,first clear,and second clear flours,as well as the ash and protein contents of commercial patent flours. Using multiple linear regression procedures,we have developed empirical equations to be able to estimate the commercial patent flour yields with R2 values above 0.90 for all four production lines,and commercial first clear flour yields with R2 values ranging 0.76 to 0.98,and the commercial patent flour protein contents with R2 values of 0.89 to 0.92. However,the yields of commercial second clear flours and the commercial patent flour ash contents were not able to be estimated with high coefficients of determination (R2 values). We recommend that the empirical equations for estimating commercial milling parameters should be derived using data from each individual flour milling company,for each production line of a given mill,and furthermore,tailored to specific products at a given ash and/or protein contents desired by end-users.

Effect of Storage Temperature on Sensory and Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Flour Fortified with Elevated Levels of Vitamin A in Combination with Three Types of Iron

Many persons worldwide are deficient in micronutrients, two of the most common being vitamin A and iron. Fortification of staple food is a commonly used and effective method of boosting micronutrient intake. Wheat flour is widely used around the world and makes a good vehicle for fortification, but there is a lack of studies on the storage stability of fortified wheat flour. In this study, we fortified wheat flour with elevated levels of vitamin A and three sources of iron and stored it for up to 16 weeks at refrigerated or room temperature or elevated temperature. The rate of disappearance of vitamin A was monitored by high pressure liquid chromatography, and the rate of disappearance was fotmd to be directly proportional to the duration of storage and storage temperature. Higher temperatures contributed to greater loss of vitamin A. Iron, regardless of source, did not play a major role in contributing to the rate of vitamin A loss. Flour functionality was assessed by baking loaves of bread from the stored flour and assessing physical properties as well as subjecting the loaves to an expert sensory panel. Functionality also changed with time and temperature of storage, but sensory analysis found that these changes were not detrimental to the quality of bread baked from the stored flours. Trained sensory panelists found that breads baked from flours fortified with ferrous sulfate and stored at the three temperatures for times up to eight weeks were markedly different from fortified flours using hydrogen reduced irons.

Effect of Malva Nut Gum on Pasting Characteristics and Freeze-thaw Stability of Commercial Wheat, Rice or Waxy Rice Flour

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of Malva nut gum （MG） replacement on the pasting characteristics and freeze-thaw stability of wheat, rice or waxy rice flours. Pasting properties and freeze-thaw stability of different flours incorporated with 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 5% of MG were investigated. Pasting temperature （60 ℃-87 ℃） of the pastes significantly decreased with increasing of MG content for wheat and rice flours, but had no significant effect for waxy rice flour. Incorporation of MG into all flours significantly elevated the peak viscosity by about 0.9-2.6 folds when compared to non-MG samples. Hot paste viscosity, breakdown and final viscosity for all flour mixtures significantly increased with increasing of MG which ranged from 81-427, 37-559 and 152-463 RVU, respectively. Freeze-thaw stability measurement demonstrated that higher level of MG in wheat and rice gel mixtures could decrease syneresis. However, MG had no effect on syneresis of waxy rice gel. Presence of MG in flours alters the pasting properties and syneresis effect. It is suggested that higher viscosity and lower syneresis of gels could be modified by MG.

The Effect of Infestation by the Confused Flour Beetle （Tribolium Confusum Duv.） on Specifications of Wheat Flour

The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of infestation by the confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum on the specification of flour and its product. The results of this work showed that infestation by the confused flour beetle with 5 pairs of adult stage and its progeny within 3 months period may cause high deterioration and damaged of the flour specification. The people in lraq get their flour from some official and non-official mills which they produce not so good quality of this flour in addition to which it contains some times an infestation with the two species of the flour beetles T. castaneum and T. confusum, when people do not use this quantity as quickly as possible during this period of storage, the beetles will be increased in numbers and make the flour unacceptable for any kind of pastes or bread. The infestation by this beetle causes great pollution to the flour by the ecdysial of larvae and a bad smell that it leaves on the flour and all its products.

Hard Winter Wheat and Flour Properties in Relation to Breadmaking Quality of Straight-dough Bread:Flour Particle Size and Bread Crumb Grain

Samples of 12 hard winter wheats and their flours that produced breads varying in crumb grain scores were studied for 38 quality parameters including: wheat physical and chemical characteristics; flour ash and protein contents,starch damage,swelling power,pasting characteristics,and flour particle size distribution; dough properties determined by a mixograph; and breadmaking properties for pup loaves (100g flour). Only two parameters,the protein content of wheat and the granulation of flour,showed significant correlations with bread crumb grain scores. Protein content of wheat ranging 12.9%～14.5% determined by an NIR method showed a weak inverse relationship (r =-0.61,p<0.05) with bread crumb grain score. Flour particle size distribution measured by both Alpine Air Jet Sieve and NIR methods revealed that the weight wt % of particles less than 38μm in size and representing 9.6%～19.3% of the flour weights was correlated positively (r =0 .78,p<0.01) with crumb grain score,whereas wt % of flour particles larger than 125μm had an inverse relationship (r =-0.60,p<0.05) with crumb grain score.

Analysis on Carotenoids Content and Other Quality Traits of 185 Wheat Varieties

In order to provide the reference of improving the nutritional quality traits in carotenoids and screening its resources of wheat varieties, 185 wheat varieties or lines were selected as materials to test the carotenoids content, lipoxygenase activity, whiteness, yellowness and some other quality traits of whole mill in wheat.The results showed that there were highly significant variations in lipoxygenase activity,carotenoids content, whiteness and yellowness among those sample of wheat varieties; carotenoids content was significantly and positively correlated with yellowness.Cluster analysis was performed based on carotenoids content clustered all the varieties or lines into three major groups. Additionally, carotenoids were discussed in the application of nutritional quality improvement in wheat.

Effect of Different Treatments on Nutritional Value of Lima Bean (<i>Phaseolus lunatus</i>) and Its Utilization in Biscuit Manufacture

Physical properties, chemical composition, minerals content, amino acids profile and anti-nutritional factors i.e. phytic acid, tannins and trypsin inhibitor of lima bean seeds (Phaseolus lunatus) which newly cultivated in Egypt were investigated. Addition to study the effect of common processing methods (soaking, cooking, roasting, and dehulling) on the chemical composition, minerals content and anti-nutritional factors of lima bean seeds in order to be used in biscuit preparation. Results showed that protein content was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased in dehulled Lima bean (27.06%) compared to raw lima bean (26.02%). All processing methods significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased Soluble Dietary Fiber (SDF), however soaked seeds contained the highest significant Total Dietary Fiber (TDF) (30.18%) and Insoluble Dietary Fiber (IDF) (22.15%). Raw lima bean was superior in calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, and zinc compared with all processed samples. Raw lima bean had a higher content of all essential amino acids, except methionine compared to wheat flour of 72% extraction rate. The effect of different processing methods used in this study on lowering phytic acid and tannins, was arranged in the following significant (P ≤ 0.05) order: dehulling > cooking> roasting > soaking. Trypsin inhibitor was completely eliminated by cooking and dehulling treatments. Results showed that no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found in appearance, color, texture and overall acceptability of substituted with 30% raw or processed lima bean and between control biscuit (100% wheat flour). The diameter, spread ratio, chemical composition (protein, ash, crude fiber, SDF, IDF and TDF) and minerals were significantly increased in all substituted biscuits compared to control biscuit. Improvement in the essential amino acid profile of raw Lima biscuit was observed with higher values of essential amino acids, Chemical Score (CS), and Biological Value (BV). This study recommended the use of lima bean in preparing biscuits at 30% replacement to enhance the nutritional composition of biscuits with acceptable sensory properties.

Whole wheat flour coating with antioxidant property accelerates tissue remodeling for enhanced wound healing

As a daily food for billions of people for thousands of years,whole grain is rich in phenolic compounds and may have huge potentials to provide natural antioxidants.Herein,owing to the significant biomedical potential,the effect of whole wheat flour solution as antioxidant wound coating for enhanced wound healing has been studied.The results show that the low concentration of whole wheat flour solutions have good biocompatibility and can scavenge radical and intracellular ROS in vitro,accelerating tissue remodeling in vivo to promote wound healing.This kind of whole wheat flour solution has great potential application for cutaneous wound repair.

Influence of replacement of wheat flour by rice flour on rheo-structural changes, in vitro starch digestibility and consumer acceptability of low-gluten pretzels

This study aimed to access the influence of rice flour incorporation on various quality attributes of low-gluten wheat-based pretzels viz., functional, rheological, starch digestibility, color, textural and sensorial properties. Significant increase in swelling power (18.33 ± 0.51) and bulk density (0.58 ± 0.04) was observed in flour blend upon incorporation of rice flour, whereas, significant decrease in oil absorption capacity (0.62 ± 0.09), solubility index (6.72 ± 0.17), foaming capacity (9.67 ± 0.34), and foaming stability (3.39 ± 0.15) was recorded. Pasting properties of samples were studied using a Rapid Visco Analyser which indicated that all the pasting properties increased with an increase in rice flour incorporation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies revealed no difference in the basic functional groups of flour blend upon the incorporation of rice flour, however, it had a pronounced effect on elastic modulus (G′) of flour blend. In vitro starch digestion characteristics revealed 7.23% surge in slowly digestible starch and 13.36% reduction in rapidly digestible starch of developed low-gluten pretzels upon the incorporation of rice flour. Apparent amylose content (27.3 ± 1.45) and resistant starch content (6.12 ± 0.97) increased and starch digestibility index (69.87 ± 1.72) decreased in developed low-gluten pretzels. In conclusion, the developed low-gluten pretzels had significantly (p < 0.05) higher mineral profile and lightness (L*) and lower breaking strength in addition to having better overall acceptability. This study indicated that substituting wheat flour with rice flour up to a level of 35% affected the quality attributes of developed low-gluten pretzels.

Effects of HMW-GS Dx2 absence on the protein aggregation characteristics and thermal stability of wheat flour during maturation

Background:Wheat flour maturation affects the aggregation and structural stability of proteins.The number of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(HMW-GSs)differs in various wheat varieties.The effects of Dx2 absence on the protein aggregation characteristics and thermal sta-bility of flour were investigated during 120 d of maturation using near-isogenic lines(NILs).Results:The absence of Dx2 delayed and decreased the protein aggregation of flours during maturation,i.e.the maturation-induced increases were later and smaller for glutenin,glutenin macropolymer(GMP),glutenin/gliadin ratio,β-sheets,andβ-sheet/a-helix ratio in HMW-D1a without Dx2 than in HMW-D1p with Dx2;these differences were ascribed to the weaker interactions between the sulfhydryl(-SH)groups,disulfide bonds(-S-S-),and hydrophobicity in the flours without Dx2.Flour maturation caused the dough microstructures to be more compact and denser,thereby increasing the flour thermal stability as observed by a higher denaturation peak temperature(Tp),enthalpy of thermal transition(△H),and degradation temperature(Td),These changes led to better dough properties such as dough development time,dough stability time,and protein weakening,but the optimal stage in HMW-D1a without Dx2was reached later.Conclusion:These findings deepen the understanding of how HMW-GS Dx2 modifies protein structures during flour maturation.

Effect of Chinese steamed bun and bread processing on pesticide residues in wheat flour

The changes of five pesticides including imidacloprid, triadimefon, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos-methyl, and chlorpyrifos in wheat flour during Chinese steamed bun and bread processing were systematically investigated. The pesticide residues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector. Dough mixing step in both Chinese steamed bun and bread processing reduced the concentration of five pesticide residues significantly by 33 to 46%. It was mainly attributed to the increase of moisture content in mixed dough during this step. The reduction of pesticides in fermenting step varied from 2 to 22% in Chinese steamed bun and bread processing. Resting step in both Chinese steamed bun and bread processing has little effect on the pesticide residues with the reduction from 2 to 8%. The five pesticides have different behaviours in steaming step of Chinese steamed bun processing and in baking step of bread processing. During the steaming step, only the concentrations of triadimefon and imidacloprid residues in crust were increased by 52 and 1%, the others in crust and in crumb of Chinese steamed bun were decreased by 4 to 38%. After the baking step, the concentrations of triadimefon and imidacloprid residues in crust, and the triadimefon residue in crumb of bread were increased by 65, 83, and 14%, respectively, the others were all reduced. The processing factors (PFs) for triadimefon and imidacloprid in crust in the steaming and baking steps, for triadimefon in crumb in the baking steps were greater than 1, and the others were all less than 1. Overall, this study provides important references for monitoring pesticide residues in the processing of wheat flour products. The PFs obtained could be helpful for the risk assessment of pesticides in wheat flour products.

Innovative method of culturing bdelloid rotifers for the application of wastewater biological treatment

This study aims to establish a simple and efficient method for the mass culture of bdelloid rotifers,which is the basis for the application of bdelloid rotifers as biological manipulators to improve wastewater biological treatment performance.A common bdelloid rotifer,Habrotrocha sp.,in a wastewater biological treatment system was selected as the culture target.Rotifers fed on flour could reproduce faster than those fed traditional food such as Chlorella vulgaris or mixed bacteria.As a rotifer food,flour has the advantages of simple preparation,effortless preservation,and low cost compared to live Chlorella vulgaris or mixed bacteria,so it is more suitable for the mass culture of rotifers.The optimal rotifer culture conditions using flour as food were also studied.According to the experimental results,the recommended rotifer culture conditions arc a flour particle size of 1 a flour concentration of 6×10^(6) cell/mL,a temperature of 28℃,a pH level of 6.5 and salinity of 100-500 mg/L.In addition,the sludge volume index in the sequencing batch reactor(SBR)with the addition of cultured rotifers was 59.9 mL/g at the end of operation and decreased by 18.2%compared to SBR without rotifer,which indicates that the cultured rotifers still retained the ftinction of helping to improve sludge settling.This function may be related to the rotifer's role in inhibiting bacteria from producing loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances in the SBR.