| Abstract: | Throughout history, wheat‐based foods have been considered among the safest of all foods produced for human consumption. In part, this claim reflects both the low risk profile of low‐moisture foods and the thermal processes used to produce the finished product. Nevertheless, raw flour contains a number of potential hazards, which, if not properly managed, may have the potential to result in serious public health consequences. These hazards are mostly microbiological in origin and arise mainly during production and distribution through the wheat supply chain. The physical processes carried out during milling have minimal impact on the level of contamination present on grain; therefore, the initial microbiological quality of wheat grain has a strong influence on the ultimate quality and safety of milling end products. Although most flour‐based foods are processed and consumed in forms that are less likely to be contaminated with pathogens, refrigerated dough products have the potential to be a safety hazard to consumer health because they could be consumed raw or undercooked. The risk for exposure to pathogenic microorganisms present in raw flour by eating uncooked baking mixture has been demonstrated by several outbreaks. Such food safety incidents have led to heightened manufacturer and consumer awareness about safety related to flour‐containing foods. |
