Cereal Chem 58:53 - 56.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Effects of Microwave Radiation and Storage on Hard Red Spring Wheat Flour.

L. A. MacArthur and B. L. D'Appolonia. Copyright 1981 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

A pilot-milled hard red spring wheat flour was subjected to microwave radiation (625 W) for up to 480 sec and stored at room temperature for a total of six months. Physical dough properties and baking characteristics were examined immediately and at definite time intervals after radiation treatment. Analysis of the flour and bread indicated that important qualities were adversely affected after 240 sec of microwave exposure. Exposing the flour to high levels of microwave radiation produced an abnormal farinograph curve exhibiting two peaks, whereas low levels produced bread with loaf volumes and overall bread characteristics equal to or better than those of the control flour. In general, storage improved all samples. The influence of radiation on certain biochemical components was also investigated. When starch pasting characteristics were examined, radiation appeared to have had no adverse effect on paste stability; however, the rate of retrogradation decreased as radiation treatment increased. Decreasing starch intrinsic viscosity and total sugar values were observed with increased radiation levels after storage of the flour for six months.