Cereal Chem 39:256 - 261.  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Grain Storage Studies. XXXII. Quantitative Changes Occurring in the Sugars of Wheat Deteriorating in the Presence and Absence of Molds.

B. T. Lynch, R. L. Glass, and W. F. Geddes. Copyright 1962 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Sound wheat (germination 98%) was stored in atmospheres of air, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide for 8 weeks at 30 C. and 20% moisture. By most of the criteria used, these samples stored in anaerobic conditions, and hence without mold growth, deteriorated almost as rapidly and equally in degree as did a sample stored in aerobic conditions. All samples exhibited zero germination, had undergone extensive changes in sugar content, and gave flour of extremely poor baking quality after 8 weeks. The exception was fat acidity, which remained constant under anaerobic conditions while increasing tenfold under aerobic conditions. In air, the sucrose content of wheat decreased markedly, whereas little change occurred in glucose, fructose, galactose, or maltose content. In carbon dioxide and nitrogen, the sucrose content decreased and rather large increases in glucose, fructose, and galactose occurred.