Physical-chemical characterization and wet milling yield of four maize hybrids

Abstract

The influence of physical-chemical characteristics of maize grains and lactic acid concentrations on byproduct yields, generated by conventional wet milling, was studied during steeping, for four maize hybrids and two lactic acid concentrations (0.55 and 1.00%). For physical-chemical characterization, grain dimensions (length, thickness, and width) were determined, as well as mass of 100 grains, percentage of floating grains, volumetric mass, and centesimal composition. Statistical differences were found for percentage of floating grains (2.33 to 24.67%), volumetric mass (0.814 to 0.850 kg.L-1), mass of 100 grains (0.033 to 0.037 kg), water content (11.86 to 12.20%), proteins (8.21 to 9.06%), lipids (3.00 to 4.77%), and ashes (1.07 to 1.26%). There were no relationships of wet milling yields with maize appearance and physical-chemical characteristics. The addition of 1.00% lactic acid did not statistically improve byproduct yields; however, it favored separation of the grain components.

Physical, chemical and wet‐milling properties of commercial white maize hybrids cultivated in México

“…The fat content of white maize from other studies (Singh et al, ; Somavat et al, ; Žilić et al, ) ranged from 4.09%–6.55% (db), and the fat content of the 25 maize hybrids in the present study falls within this range. The ash content of the hybrids varied from 1.23%–1.40% (db) and within the range reported by Mussolini, Lopes Filho, and Duarte () for Brazilian maize hybrids. The starch content varied from 69.30% in hybrid H‐375 W to 73.10% in MD 8384.…”

“…The kernel components (pericarp, 5.03%–8.29%, db; germ, 9.49%–11.51%, db; endosperm, 81.89%–85.28%, db) were also hybrid dependent (Table ) and comparable to the data of Žilić et al (). The dimensions of the samples are also comparable to the data of Mussolini et al () on maize hybrids from Brazil and Blandino et al () on maize hybrids from Italy. The color parameters of the maize flours averaged 90.62 ± 0.99, −0.69 ± 0.11, 12.71 ± 1.02, and 84.15 ± 1.05 respectively for the L , a , b , and whiteness parameters, while the pH ranged from 6.15 to 6.59.The color a value was more affected by the maize genotypic differences.…”

“…However, industrial yields for steepwater solids (5%–10%) can be higher because industrial steep times can be considerably longer (30–48 hr) with more solids leached (Taboada‐Gaytan et al, ). The germ yields ranged from 3.08% to 10.05% (db) and were within the published range for other maize samples (Dowd, ; Fox et al, ; Milašinović et al, ; Mussolini et al, ; Singh et al, ; Taboada‐Gaytan et al, , ). Germ yields connote the ease of the separation of the germ at an industrial level, but do not necessarily represent the amount of this component in the maize kernel (Singh & Eckhoff, ).…”

“…Fox et al () reported a range of 50.9%–60.0% (db) for yellow maize hybrids, Taboada‐Gaytan et al () published a range of 55.1%–63.9% (db) for the Corn Belt lines, and Singh et al () measured a range of 47.8%–61.9% (db) for their samples. The Brazilian maize samples (Mussolini et al, ) ranged from 61.15% to 62.79% (db), the ZP hybrids (Milašinović, Radosavljević, Dokić, & Jakovljević, ) yielded a range of 58.8%–69.0% (db), and a range of 62.60%–70.17% (db) was obtained (Singh et al, ; Vignaux, Fox, & Johnson, ) for five Pioneer yellow maize hybrids. Recently, Uriarte‐Aceves et al (in press) reported a range of 45.0%–69.5% (db) for yellow maize hybrids from the same planting location as the white maize hybrids.…”

“…Starch yields in wet‐milling is affected by several factors, including maize genotype, growing environment and post‐harvest handling and storage conditions (Malumba et al, ; Singh & Eckhoff, ). The genotype and/or environment effect on wet‐milling properties has been studied in yellow maize hybrids (Fox, Johnson, Hurburgh, Dorsey‐Redding, & Bailey, ; Milašinović, Radosavljević, Dokić, & Jakovljević, ; Mussolini, Lopes Filho, & Duarte, ; Uriarte‐Aceves, Sopade, & Rangel‐Peraza, in press), Corn Belt lines (Taboada‐Gaytan, Pollak, Johnson, & Fox, ), experimental maize crosses (Taboada‐Gaytan, Pollak, Johnson, Fox, & Montgomery, ), maize accessions from the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) project (Singh, Johnson, Pollak, & Hurburgh, ; Taboada‐Gaytan et al, ), and purple and blue maize (Somavat, Li, de Mejia, Liu, & Singh, ; Uriarte‐Aceves et al, ). However, comparatively in‐depth studies on white maize are required to build the required knowledge on all the maize variants.…”