title: Application of ozone for reduction of mycological infection in wheat grain.
abstract: In 2004-2005 means were sought to clean grain from microbiological contamination during transportation and storage. For this purpose, grains with a moisture content of 23.2 % of the "Tauras" variety were selected and ventilated daily for 8 hours until grain wetness was reduced to 14.0 %. The effect of ventilation duration and ozone impact was evaluated according to the changes in grain contamination with micromycetes propagules (cfu x g (-1)), and alternation of micromycetes species on the grain surface. At drying grains by active ventilation with an ozone--air mixture, at O (3) concentration of 700 ppb, the drying period was reduced by about 20 %, and mycological contamination depends on initial grain moisture content (w): when w=15.2 %, contamination was reduced by up to 2.2 times, and when w=22.0 %--up to 3 times. At the same time, the composition of micromycetes species on the grain surface changed significantly: in non-ventilated grain there were detected micromycetes of 26 species, and in ventilated grain--of 11 species. Efficient ozone impact was established only when the mound of wet (w>18.0 %) grains was exposed to ozone.
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Heat and Biotechnological Engineering, Studentu 15A, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania. algirdas.raila@lzuu.lt
authors.forename: Algirdas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raila
authors.forename: Albinas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lugauskas
authors.forename: Dainius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steponavicius
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Railiene
authors.forename: Ausra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steponaviciene
authors.forename: Egidijus
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zvicevicius
mesh_terms: D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000382:microbiology; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000382:microbiology; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone