Elimination of hydrocyanic acid

Reduce hydrocyanic acid content

The European Commission has set the maximum level of hydrocyanic acid authorized for flaxseed at 150 mg/kg.

The saturated steam pasteurization system eliminates a significant proportion of the hydrocyanic acid contained in flaxseed. It also reduces the microbial load by 5 log of salmonella. Steripure’s equipment can process quantities ranging from a few kilograms to several dozen tonnes per day.

The benefits are twofold:

  • Reduced microbial load
  • Total elimination of the acid present on linseed.

Pre-treatment results

Pre-treatment analyses revealed a hydrocyanic acid concentration of 164 mg/kg in the flax seeds. This level is a cause for concern, as it exceeds the food safety thresholds established by several public health organizations. Therefore, measures must be taken to ensure consumer safety.

Hydrocyanic acid before treatment:

164 mg/kg

Limit of quantification (LOQ):

5,0 mg/kg

Results after treatment

Saturated steam injection completely eliminated hydrocyanic acid, with levels below 5.0 mg/kg.

 

Hydrocyanic acid after treatment:

<5,0 mg/kg

Limit of quantification (LOQ):

5,0 mg/kg

Benefits for your business

By choosing Steripure for your flax seed treatment, you gain:

  • Safe commercialization: your batches comply with European standards
  • Cost savings: you recover blocked volumes and avoid financial losses
  • Reliability and flexibility: treatment available for small test batches or large quantities