Studies show the efficacy of the use of diatomaceous earth for insect control, however, lack studies on the effects of physical and chemical properties of wheat flour added diatomaceous earth. The aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical characteristics of wheat grains treated with increasingly higher dosages of diatomaceous earth and conventionally stored for a 180-day period. Samples containing 10 kg of wheat grains were treated with 0.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g kg-1 of diatomaceous earth and then conventionally stored. Analyses of grain hectoliter mass and ash content, as well as flour gluten content, flour color, alveography and farinography were performed at 0, 60, 120 and 180 days of storage. The experiment was carried out in a totally randomized design. The grain ash content and intensity of color component L* of wheat flour increase proportionally to the application of increasing doses of diatomaceous earth and longer storage periods. The grain hectoliter mass and values of +b* chromaticity coordinate, wet gluten content and gluten content in wheat flour diminish with the application of increasing doses of diatomaceous earth and longer storage periods. The gluten strength and dough stability of flour obtained from wheat grains without addition of diatomaceous earth increase with the storage period; this behavior was not observed in treatments with the application of 2.0 and 4.0 g kg-1 diatomaceous earth. The application of increasing doses of diatomaceous earth changes the physical and chemical characteristics of wheat grains stored, with consequent reduction of the flour technological quality.
Triticum aestivum; storage; industrial quality; alveography; gluten
