Effect of Green Food Processing Technology on the Enzyme Activity in Spelt Flour

In this research, a new approach to enzyme inactivation in flour was presented by supercritical technology, considered a sustainable technology with lower energy consumption compared to other technologies that use ultra-high temperature processing. Total protein concentration and the activity of enzymes α-amylase, lipase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and protease were determined in flour pre-treated with scCO₂. During the study, it was observed that the activity of enzymes such as lipase and polyphenol oxidase, was significantly reduced under certain conditions of scCO₂ treatment, while the enzymes α-amylase and protease show better stability. In particular, polyphenol oxidase was effectively inactivated below the 60% of preserved activity at 200 bar and 3 h, whereas α-amylase under the same conditions retained its activity. Additionally, the moisture content of the scCO₂-treated spelt flour was reduced by 5%, and the fat content was reduced by 58%, while the quality of scCO₂-treated flour was maintained. In this regard, the sustainable scCO₂ process could be a valuable tool for controlling the enzymatic activity of spelt flour since the use of scCO₂ technology has a positive effect on the quality of flour, which was verified by the baking performance of spelt flour with the baked spelt bread as an indicator of quality.

ADJUSTING FLOUR QUALITY BY ENZYMES: CURRENT STATE, PROBLEM ANALYSIS, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

The article overviews the issue of wheat flour modification by enzymes. The role of enzymes in the dough formation process is considered. Modern ways of providing the desired dough parameters for flour products in conditions of Ukraine are shown. Recommendations and suggested directions for further research are given. Flour is a complex multicomponent product and have to correspond with a number of requirements for its composition and properties. Different conditions of grain cultivation and storage result in significant deviations of its quality indicators when it comes to flour mills. The modification of flour going through adding several technological additives, in particular by enzyme products. The action of enzymes to a large extent allows to adjust the properties of the dough and of flour end-products. In addition, enzymes further affect the nutritional values of flour, which makes it possible for the flour production to use low-quality grain, while maintaining the planned quality indicators of flour. The functional properties of flour fractions obtained on different technological passages depend on the content of various anatomical parts of the grain from which they derived from. Particle size, starch damage, protein content, fat content, ash content and intensity of enzyme activity vary significantly depending on the type of grinding equipment. All this gives reason for recommending the introduction of enzymes not while manufacturing bakery end-products but still at the stage of flour production. The damage to the grain with a corn bug, grain germination in Ukraine puts grain-processing plants the task of assessing the activity of own grain enzyme systems. Indirectly, this can be estimated using the gluten deformation index and the grain Falling Number. But the estimation of enzyme systems by such methods does not allow precisely to calculate the amount and composition of enzyme products necessary to achieve maximum effect when adjusting flour properties. The issue of removing anti-nutrient factors in flour, which is largely inhibitors of the action of both their own grain enzyme systems and additionally introduced enzyme preparations, is also relevant.