Cereal Chem 47:244 - 246.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Chlorine Tolerance of Microorganisms Found in Wheat and Flour.

C. P. Kurtzman and C. W. Hesseltine. Copyright 1970 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Wheat is frequently washed and tempered in chlorinated water before milling to reduce the microbiological population, but complete destruction of the microorganisms does not occur. Microorganisms commonly found in wheat and flour were tested to determine if they were resistant to the action of chlorine. Molds, yeasts, actinomycetes, and most bacteria were destroyed by low 5- to 25-p.p.m.) levels of chlorine. Only species of Bacillus were able to survive chlorine concentrations of 100 p.p.m. or greater. Consequently, survival of microorganisms during the washing and tempering of wheat with chlorinated water generally does not result from the microorganisms' having a high tolerance to chlorine.