Quality and Safety Aspects of Cereal Grains

Abstract

Cereal grains play an important role in human nutrition and are also one of the most important staple foods worldwide. Cereal grains provide a significant amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and different phenolic compounds. Due to human diet and livestock feed, the safety and quality of cereal grain are vital concerns. Furthermore, grain quality is affected by physicochemical factors like moisture content, bulk density, kernel size, kernel hardness, vitreousness, kernel density, and damaged kernels, as well as safety parameters like fungal infection (mycotoxins, aflatoxins) insects and mites, foreign material (heavy metals), odor, and dust, as well as compositional factors like milling yield, oil content, protein content, and starch content. Moreover, different techniques are used to improve the quality and safety aspects of cereal grains. In this regard, several spectral imaging techniques measuring chemical composition, digestibility, and other quantitative attributes for cereal quality and safety testing have recently been developed. Additionally, public awareness of food safety issues has increased globally, and food safety regulations like hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCPs) and good manufacturing practices (GMPs) are being designed and implemented. This chapter provides an overview of quality and safety aspects of cereal grains and different methods that can be efficient for reducing mycotoxins with minimum adverse effects on the quality and nutritional properties of cereal grains.