Changes in Particle Size Distribution of Bran and Flour Obtained from Vacuum Impregnated and Infra-red Heated Wheat Grain

Abstract

This study aims to provide comprehensive information on the process of vacuum impregnation of wheat grains. Vacuum impregnation, saturating materials with additional liquid components, is a well-known process originally developed to ensure leak tightness or reduce the porosity of various materials. We describe its potential uses in the food processing industry relating to the impregnation of grains and leguminous plant seeds. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of impregnation and infrared heating of wheat grains on flour efficiency, moisture content and particle size distribution in the resulting flour and bran. The experimental material comprised three varieties of wheat. The results showed that the method of preparing the wheat grains for milling combined with impregnation had a significant impact on the particle size distribution of bran but not on the particle size distribution of flour. A more complete view of the process characteristics requires further investigation of factors related to the structural and textural properties of the impregnated material, factors which are highly varied in the case of food materials and food products.