Studies on the effects of treatment with chlorine dioxide on the properties of wheat flour. I.—The chemical composition of protein of treated flours

Abstract

In this first of a series of four papers, an investigation is described into the possible production of abnormal substances by the action of ten times the normal level of chlorine dioxide treatment of flour. Quantitative aspects of the amino‐acid content of the flour protein after treatment have also been studied. Comparison has been made with untreated and normally treated flours and with flour treated with ten times the normal amount of nitrogen trichloride.No abnormal ninhydrin‐reactive substances resulting from the treatment have been found and, of the essential amino‐acids, only tryptophan has been reduced in proportion, to an extent greater than 10% after heavy treatment with nitrogen trichloride. Of the non‐essential amino‐acids, cystine has been reduced to about 75% by heavy treatment with chlorine dioxide or nitrogen trichloride.The remaining three papers of the series will deal with the biological aspects of the investigation.