Effect of irradiation treatment on microbial, nutritional and technological characteristics of cereals: A comprehensive review

Cereals are generally damaged at different stages before consumption, reducing their quality. Nowadays, non-thermal irradiation treatment (including X-ray, gamma-ray, and electron beam radiation) has been used to prevent the destruction of cereals against microbial contamination (microorganisms, insects, fungi, etc.) as a safe and efficient physical treatment. However, unwanted changes in the nutritional and technological characteristics of cereals are predictable based on the type and dose of irradiation treatment, as well as the cereal type. Depolymerization and hydrolysis of starch, breakdown and/or formation of crosslinks in protein, and facilitated oxidation of lipids are considered as the main ionization-induced changes. Furthermore, these changes may also influence the nutritional and technological characteristics of cereals in terms of pasting viscosity, solubility, digestibility, anti-oxidant activity, etc., and ultimately affect their applicability in different food formulations. Regarding the increasing application of non-thermal irradiation treatments in cereal science and their potential side effects, the current review aimed to investigate the microbial, nutritional, and technological efficiency of irradiation treatment on cereals.