Cereal Chem 44:269 - 280.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Reduction of the Microbial Populations in Flours Incorporated into Refrigerated Foods.

L. Wiseblatt. Copyright 1967 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Flours were inoculated with several microorganisms representing sources of food spoilage and of food poisoning, at levels above those reported elsewhere in flours. The organisms used were Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, and Escherichia coli. Substantial reductions in the numbers of all these organisms were obtained by the use of heat and propylene oxide vapor, and by their sequential use. Effective application of these agencies does not result in loss of functional properties of the treated flours; heat or propylene oxide followed by heat leaves the organoleptic properties undamaged. A simple analytical method for propylene glycol was modified to estimate propylene oxide extracted and distilled from treated flour.