Cereals:--

INTRODUCTION:--

• There are many different types of cereal grains, each having

unique properties
• Most cereals are processed to form other foods or ingredients
• Cereals and cereal products are an important source of energy,
carbohydrate, protein and fibre. They also contain a range of
micronutrients such as vitamin E, some of the B vitamins, sodium,
magnesium and zinc.

DEFINATION:--

Cereals are the edible seeds or grains of the grass family. Cereals
have been part of the human diet since prehistoric times. Wheat
and rice are the most important crops world-wide as they account
for over 50% of the world’s cereal production. In the UK, wheat is
the cereal most commonly used for the manufacture of food
products, although many other types of cereals (e.g. maize and
barley) are used. Each cereal has unique properties which make it
suitable for a variety of food products. Cereals require different
conditions to grow. For example, rice is grown in damp tropical
climates, e.g. India and China, and oats in cold temperate climates,
e.g. Scotland.
Cereals are also known as ‘staple foods’ as they often make up the
bulk of the diet since they are relatively cheap to produce.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CEREAL:--
WHEAT: - is usually ground to flour which is used to produce a wide range
of products. The type of flour produced differs according to the rate of
extraction. Cous cous and cracked wheat or bulgur are also made from be
fermented to make beer.

MAIZE:- may be processed to make many different ingredient (e.g. high

fructose ) Corn syrup which can be used as an alternative to sucrose derived
from sugar cane and sugar beet) and food products. It may be milled in a
similar process to wheat. Its germ is rich in oil, and can be refined to
produce corn oil.
BARLEY:- is also sold as pearl barley, which is a whole grain with its husk
removed. It is also used in bread (as flour) & ground as porriedge in some
countries.
RICE:- brown rice has its outer husk removed & white rice is milled &
polished further to remove the bran & germ. There are many different types
of rice categorized by size shape & the region where they are grown. Rice
can be grouned to make flour & is used to make Japanese rice wine.

RYE: - contains little gluten, so produces breads with low volume and a
dense texture, although in Russia, Poland, Germany and Scandinavian
countries it is the major bread grain. Rye is also used to produce crisp bread
and alcohol.

OATS:- are rolled rather than crushed during processing. Coarse, medium
and fine grades of oatmeal are available and are used for porridge and
oatcakes, while rolled oats are used for porridge, and oat flour is used for
baby foods and for ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals.

MILLET:- is the name used for a number of different small-grained cereal

grasses, e.g. pearl, finger (or ragi), proso and foxtail millet. These crops are
important in parts of Africa and Asia.

SORGHUM:- (also known as great millet, guinea corn, kafir corn, jowar
and kaoling in different parts of the world) is a staple food in many parts of
Africa, Asia and parts of the Middle East. It is also used as animal feed in
many other countries.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CEREALS AND
CEREAL PRODUCTS:-
The major cereal crops are rice, wheat, maize or corn, jowar, ragi and
bajra. The eighty percent of the dry matter in grains is carbohydrate,
mainly the starch therefore, they are considered as the main energy
providing crops. The four major groups of foods are prepared from
the cereal grains like:

• Baked products – breads, cakes and pastries

• Milled grain products – white rice, wheat flour, semolina and
breakfast cereals
• Beverages – hard drinks like beer and whisky
• Whole grain products – brown rice, popcorn.

Cereals provide 350 kcal of energy per 100

grams to the body. Cereals contain six to
twelve per cent of protein so it’s also a
significant source of protein and provides
more than fifty per cent of the daily protein
requirement. The whole grain form of cereal
is more nutritious than milled one as it
contains greater levels of B-complex
vitamins, dietary fiber and essential fatty
acids. Cereals like millets also supplies
minerals like iron and calcium. They
generally lack vitamin A and vitamin C except
yellow maize that contains traces of beta carotene.

Due to its low fat content it has become the choice of many health
conscious people. The milled cereals with less nutritional value may
lead to obesity if eaten in excess. Various cereal bran’s add bulk to
the diet as it contains high levels of dietary fiber and helps in reducing
the risk of heart diseases by lowering the levels of cholesterol. Fiber
also helps to prevent constipation and may reduce the risk of
developing various bowel disorders including bowel colon.
Nutritive value of cereals per 100 grams

Cereals Protein Fat CHO Minerals Calcium Fiber Energy

(gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (mg) (gm) (K Cal)
Wheat
whole 11.8 1.5 71.2 1.5 41 1.2 346
Wheat
flour 12.1 1.7 69.4 2.7 48 1.9 341
Rice bran
13.5 16.2 48.4 6.6 67 4.3 393
Rice (raw)
6.8 0.5 78.2 0.6 10 0.2 345
Rice
(parboiled 8.5 0.6 77.4 0.9 10 0.2 349
)
Maida
11 0.9 73.9 0.6 23 0.3 348
Bajra
11.6 5 67.5 2.3 42 1.2 361
Jowar
10.4 1.9 72.6 1.6 25 1.6 349
Ragi
7.3 1.3 72 2.7 344 3.6 328
TECHNICAL ASPECTS:-

Gelatinization (Thickening): When flour (wheat, corn, rye or rice) is

added to a liquid, the starch granules begin to swell on heating. This causes
the granule to rupture and
Starch is released into the liquid. The starch granules absorb liquid, causing
the sauce to thicken. Rice flour can be used in acidic sauces as it is resistant
to the effects of low pH. Pearl barley may also be used to thicken a soup or
casserole. However, the swollen barley grains will remain, contributing to
the texture of the casserole.

Processing: Cereals undergo a range of processes, the most common

being milling, which affect their technological and nutritional properties.
Generally, the final nutrient content of a cereal will depend on the extent to
which the outer layers are removed during processing, as this is where the
fiber, vitamins and minerals tend to be concentrated.

Products: Cereals are processed and used to produce a range of

products e.g. breakfast cereals, bread and pasta. Some nutrients are lost
during this processing but are added at a later stage known as ‘restoration’.

Protein: The amount of protein in each cereal differs (from 6-15%

protein) and this affects the final product. Bread, with its characteristic open
texture and appearance, relies on high protein flour, e.g. strong wheat flour.
In products such as cakes, biscuits and pastry, lower wheat flours are used to
produce crumbly and light textures.
Storage: Cereals should be kept in a cool dry place. They are prone to
infestation by insects if kept for long periods of time.

MICROBIOLOGICAL SPOILEDGE OF
CEREAL PRODUCTS:--
All flours contain a microbial population consisting of fungi and
bacteria. This population varies greatly in numbers, but the flora is
rather constant in the types of microorganisms present.
A wide range of cereal products including bakery items refrigerated dough
fresh pasta products dried cereal products snack foods & bakery mixes are
manufactured for food consumption. These products are subjected to
physical chemical & microbiological spoilage that affect the taste aroma
leavening appearance & overall quality of the end consumer product.
Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature & have the potential of causing
food spoilage & food borne diseases. However, compared to other categories
of food products bakery product rarely cause food poisoning. The heat that is
applied during baking or frying usually eliminates pathogenic & spoilage
microorganisms & low moisture content contributes to the product stability.
Nevertheless, microbiological spoilage of these products occurs resulting in
substantial economic losses.
MOLDS PRESENT ON CEREALS:--
1. CORN: - Penicillium islandicum, Pink yeast. Aspergillus jlavus
Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus Niger, Rhizopus arrhizus, Penicillium sp.
Aspergillusjlavus, Aspergillus Niger

2. RAW RICE: - Absidia corymbifera; Rhizopus arrhizus

Rhizopus arrhizus; Rhizopus sp.
Rhizopus arrhizus; Rhizopus sp.Aspergillus candidus, Penicillium
islandicum, Drechslera cyanodontis,
Aspergillus !umigatus, Aspergillus jlavus
Penicillium islandicum, Rhizopus arrhizus, Absidia corymbifera
Penicillium islandicum, Aspergillus versicolor; Aspergillus flavus
Penicillium islandicwll, Aspergillus sydowi
Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus sydowi; Jlucorales.

3. PARBOILED RICE: - Penicillium sp.. Absidia corymbi(era;

Aspergillus.flavus, Fusarium sp .•
Alternaria sp.
White yeast. Penicillium chrysogenum series close to P. meleagrinum
Penicillium islandicwn, Aspergillusjlavus
Aspergillusjlavus, Rhizopus sp.. Aspergillus sydowi

4. Wheat:-
Penicillium chrysogenum series close to P. meleagrinum, Aspergillus
Candidus, Alternia sp.
5. RAGI: - Phoma sp.. Aspergillus sydowi, Drechslera cyanodontis,
Penicillium sp. •
Fusarium sp.

Preservation of Cereals: - Cereals and cereal products which

include grains, flours, bread and other bakery products contain organisms
from the soil, insects and other sources. Bacteria found on freshly harvested
grains include species of Pseudomonas,Micrococcus, Lactobacillus, Bacillus
etc., and the total number of bacteria per gram of grain could vary from a
few to several millions. Most of these are, however, removed with the outer
portions of the grain during milling.

Bacteria in wheat flour include mostly species of Bacillus, coliforms,

Micrococcus, Sarcina, Serratia etc., while mold spores of Aspergillus and
Penicillium are also very common.
The surface of freshly baked bread is generally free of viable
microorganisms but may get contaminated during cooling and
wrapping. Sometimes spores of ropy bacteria may survive within the
bread loaves and cause ropiness.

Most cereals and cereal products have a low moisture content and
therefore there is little difficulty in preventing microbial growth in
these foods. However, when moisture increases (>20%), molds and
bacteria grow and cause spoilage. Molds can also cause problems even
at low moisture levels.

Major factors involved in spoilage of food grains by molds inc1ude

moisture level (above 12-13 per cent) physical damage, and
temperature. Moldy growth may also lead to mycotoxin production, a
factor that is becoming increasingly important in recent years