IMPROVED VITAMIN-E RETENTION BY USING FRESHLY MILLED WHOLE-MEAL WHEAT-FLOUR DURING DRUM-DRYING

The retention of cu-tocopherol and certain lipid oxidation parameters were followed in freshly milled or stored (6 weeks) whole-meal wheat f lour (WMWF) subjected to drum-drying. Drum-drying is a process used in the manufacture of infant products. The two flours were each mixed wi th whey powder in the proportion 9:2.4, followed by scalding and ferme ntation, prior to drum-drying. The lipid oxidation parameters that wer e followed indicated more pronounced lipid oxidation in stored WMWF, o n the basis of a 2-fold higher concentration of free fatty acids and a 10-fold higher O-2 uptake compared with those of freshly milled WMWF. It is concluded that lipid oxidation might have occurred enzymaticall y as well. as nonenzymatically by catalysis with iron and copper. The extensive degradation of vitamin E was related to its function as anti oxidant during the co-oxidation of lipid peroxidation. However, by usi ng freshly milled WMWF and mild drum-drying conditions, it was possibl e to retain 42% of the original alpha-tocopherol from WMWF, which is a marked improvement (4-fold) compared with stored WMWF.