Influence of tempering with ozonated water on the selected properties of wheat flour Original Research Article

Soft and hard wheat samples were tempered using ozonated water (1.5 and 11.5 mg ozone/l). Milling (rate of extraction), rheological (farinograph and extensograph characteristics), chemical (protein, falling number, sedimentation volume), colour (Hunter Lab values) and microbiological (total bacterial and yeast/moulds) properties of the parent flours were evaluated. Results indicated that tempering with ozonated water did not significantly alter the chemical, physical and rheological properties of the flours. A statistically significant reduction in the total bacterial and yeast/mould counts were obtained after tempering with ozonated water (P⩽0.05). Results suggest that the water ozonated up to 11.5 mg ozone/l can be successfully used in the tempering of soft and hard wheat without deterioration in the flour quality.