Wheat flour is a staple ingredient used globally in the food industry. 

Wheat flour suppliers obtain wheat from a diverse network of farmers, cooperatives, and specialists in wheat cultivation. This wheat is then processed in their milling facilities, where it is ground into flour. Currently, to ensure low microbial load, several measures are implemented, such as proper cleaning of the wheat, controlled storage conditions, and regular monitoring for contaminants. Conditional chemicals are also added during wheat tempering to achieve a 1 to 2 log reduction in microbial load. Despite these efforts, microbial contamination from animals, air, water, dust, and equipment can still occur along the flour production chain. These sources of contamination can occur at the preharvest, harvest, storage, and transportation steps introducing a significant microbial load. 

Maintaining the microbiological quality of wheat flour is crucial for ensuring product quality and safety, especially in products like rising crust pizzas, pot pies or frozen dough where microbial activity can pose serious risks. 

Recognizing the importance of this issue, a global consumer packaged goods (CPG) company and a milling company have partnered to launch this request for proposals. They are looking for innovative solutions that address the microbial quality of wheat flour, aiming to exceed current quality standards and ensure an extra level of caution in their processes.