Possibility of Alternaria toxins reduction by extrusion processing of whole wheat flour

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd This study represents the first report about possibility of reduction of Alternaria toxins in wheat using the extrusion process. Effects of extrusion processing parameters – moisture content (w = 16, 20, 24 g/100 g), feeding rate (q = 15, 20, 25 kg/h), and screw speed (v = 300, 390, 480 rpm), on reduction rate of tenuazonic acid (TeA), alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), in whole wheat flour were investigated. Temperature ranged between 111.1 and 160.8 °C, while the absolute pressure was from 0.17 to 0.23 MPa. The simultaneous influence of w and v was the most important for TeA reduction (p < 0.05), while v and q were the most influential for AOH reduction (p < 0.01). Level of AME reduction was mostly influenced by w and v (p < 0.10). Optimal parameters for reduction of all three Alternaria toxins were as follows: w = 24 g/100 g, q = 25 kg/h, v = 390 rpm, with a reduction of 65.6% for TeA, 87.9% for AOH and 94.5% for AME.