25 EFFECT OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON WHEAT QUALITY PARAMETERS - A MINIREVIEW Mariana Valentina PETRE, Mona Elena POPA University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, Bucharest, Romania Corresponding author email: valentinamariana20@yahoo.com Abstract Wheat is one of the most important cereals grown worldwide. After harvesting it must be stored in appropriate conditions in order to retains its nutritional and quality properties. During storage the wheat can be degraded due to improper storage conditions. The analyzes that are assessed to establish the quality of the wheat stored for a longer period are: proteins content, humidity, ash, Falling Number test and aflatoxins incidence. This paper makes an overview of the storage conditions available worldwide, the effects of the storage conditions on the quality of the wheat preserved in silos, warehouses or halls. In order to monitor the wheat storage condition it is necessary to follow the important parameters of storage, temperature and relative humidity. Optimal storage can ensure the good quality and and ventilation. Therefore, it is very important that the storage areas are properly prepared after harvesting. This preparation involves a general cleaning, followed by disinfection, derating and repair of cracks in the walls and floor, which, could become nests conducive to the development of insect larvae. Proper storage of agricultural products but also initial quality parameters of raw material represent very important factors for maintaining their quality and quantity for a long period of time. Key words: wheat, storage,conditions, quality parameters, silo type. INTRODUCTION Wheat is one of the largest food crops consumed globally as a basic raw material. It can be stored for more than one year with a moisture content of 12-13%, however, it requires appropriate storage and environmental conditions restrict to inhibit infestation of insects, rodents and fungi. Storage is the mandatory stage in the wheat supply chain. Losses caused by insect infestation during storage account for a major part (10-30%) of post-production wheat losses (Paliwal et al., 2004), worth around $1 trillion a year (Kumar and Kalita, 2017). Quantitative loss, metabolites produced by insects, such as excreta and by-products of protein metabolism, give off an unpleasant smell. Also, during storage, wheat develops various odors, which with the passing of time is called a storage smell. During storage time, the odors generate are generally composed by aliphatic alcohols, amine compounds, ketones and other carbonyl compounds (Zhang and Wang, 2007). The main smell is produced by Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium castaneum (Laopongsit et al., 2014). As storage time increases, medium polarity odors also increase with a simultaneous reduction of low polarity odors (Olsson et al., 2000). As agriculture developed on an industrial scale, and farmers have learned to grow crops in greater quantities than the quantities needed for their immediate use, the need to store and transport large quantitiesof cereals was evident. Today, cereals consumed in industrialized countries are produced by only a small proportion of the total population through highly mechanized agricultural operations. Cereals are biological materials which interact with their immediate environment. They must be stored, transported using methods which maintain the quality of the seeds, foodstuffs or raw materials. Storage may take place either on the farm or on commercial premises outside the farm. Wheat can be stored for different periods of time, from short-term storage in which only drying takes place, to longer periods leading to its recovery and long-term storage for special stocks. Storage on farm premises is usually smaller than commercial installations. Scientifc Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXIV, No. 2, 2020 ISSN 2285-1364, CD-ROM ISSN 2285-5521, ISSN Online 2285-1372, ISSN-L 2285-1364