Development of the rotating type grain sterilizer using infrared radiation heating

We developed a grain sterilizer equipped with infrared radiation heating (IRH), and examined the disinfecting effect on wheat grain with various initial moisture contents (IMC). The greater microbicidal effect of IRH was obtained when the IMC of sample grain was high. When treatment was carried out a third time, more than 99% of initial microbial counts had been destroyed at higher IMCs. Even when the treatment was repeated twice, no significant increase in the fat acidity of wheat grains was obtained in comparison with the control sample at an IMC of either 14 or 24%(w.b.) (p<0.05). However, the germination rate was markedly decreased as the treatment was repeated, especially at the higher IMC.