Addressing Challenges in Wheat Processing and Storage Through Advanced Approaches

Wheat quality is determined by physicochemical transformations that occur during preprocessing, milling, drying, and storage, and these changes determine flour functionality and end product performance. This review synthesizes recent evidence on how mechanical stress, thermal exposure, moisture redistribution, and biochemical reactions interact across wheat processing and storage systems. Across processing steps, the reviewed studies show that milling and conditioning variables govern ash distribution, starch damage, particle structure, and protein functionality, with direct implications for dough rheology, flour stability, and process efficiency. Across product applications, the evidence indicates that moderate structural modification can improve loaf volume, noodle texture, and dough handling, whereas excessive thermal or mechanical treatment weakens gluten structure and reduces functional quality. In drying and storage, temperature and moisture thresholds emerge as critical control factors. Drying above 60 °C accelerates gluten denaturation and color deterioration, while storage above 30 °C and relative humidity above 65–70% promotes oxidative degradation, microbial succession, and losses in protein and starch stability, highlighting the need for tighter environmental control in postharvest systems. Recent advances in spectroscopy, imaging, and machine learning demonstrate strong potential for rapid and nondestructive quality assessment, contamination screening, and process monitoring. However, wider industrial application remains limited by inconsistent calibration, variable sample conditions, and insufficient validation across cultivars and operating environments. Future progress in wheat processing will depend on standardized analytical protocols, integration of sensing with predictive control, and industrial scale validation of robust monitoring system.