Abstract
We examined the effectiveness of superheated steam (SHS) for sterilizing buckwheat flour, for preserving raw buckwheat noodles and for processing preservable and savory buckwheat noodles. Commercial buckwheat flour has been found to contain more than 5log CFU/g of viable bacterial cells, which exceeds the number of cells found in wheat flour (2.6log CFU/g). Most bacteria were found on the pericarp and surface of the grains, and some were present inside the grains. Treatment with SHS was found to reduce populations of total bacteria and coliforms on buckwheat grains to less than 2log CFU/g viable cells. Viable cell counts of buckwheat flour milled from grain treated with SHS were also less than 2log CFU/g, and SHS treatment significantly improved the preservation of buckwheat noodles. Furthermore, SHS treatment did not affect the color tone of buckwheat flour or the sensory characteristics of buckwheat noodles. These results suggest that SHS treatment may be useful for processing buckwheat noodles that are superior in savor and preservation.
