Vol. 11, Issue 10 (2022)

The purpose of the current study was to determine how bulk storage of the wheat variety GW 496 affected its starch content as a result of exposure to gaseous ozone. Gaseous ozone treatment is used to control insects and pests during the bulk storage of wheat grain in metal silos. Because it leaves no residue and is environmentally friendly, ozone gas is the preferred and most practical method for treating grains while they are being stored. In this study, the application of ozone gas to wheat grain during bulk storage and evaluation of impact of various ozone exposure time and ozone cycle on wheat starch content. A pilot-scale ozone disinfestation system for wheat grains was developed. The two-factorial experimental design on the influence of the parameters of the technological process of ozone treatment on the physicochemical qualities of wheat seeds was carried out. Wheat grains were treated by gaseous ozone with various time durations (0 min, 30 min, 60 min, 90 min and 120 min) and at various frequency cycles (7 days, 14 days, 21 days). The starch content of wheat during storage was significantly different after every 30 day interval up to 120 days of storage. A decrease from (68.50% to 68.34%) in starch content was observed for the control sample for the storage period up to 120 days, whereas a decrease from (68.29 to 66.66%) in starch content was observed in ozone-treated sample for the storage period of 30 days to 120 days. On the other hand, excess ozone can also cause some negative effects on starch content. This study provided new insights into how stored wheat grain responds to ozone treatment and highlighted the role of ozone exposure time and frequency of cycle for the starch content of stored wheat.