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How does corn decompose into oil, protein, starch and fiber? Explore the efficient separation techniques of corn wet grinding!
Corn wet milling is the process of breaking down the corn kernel into its component parts, which include corn oil, protein, starch, and fiber. The process uses water and a series of steps to separate the different parts in order to produce a variety of products. It is worth noting that the corn wet milling industry has existed in the history of U.S. manufacturing for more than 150 years and has supported the production of a variety of value-added products.
The corn wet milling process is not only precise, but also highly efficient in extracting each component, allowing the value of each part to be fully utilized.
History
Wet milling of corn has been an important part of American manufacturing since the late 1800s. As corn refiners established the process of breaking the corn kernel into its components, they were able to produce a variety of value-added products. In 1913, as the industry grew, the Corn Products Manufacturers Association was formed. These troublesome steps have far-reaching impacts on today's food processing and other industries.
Process Introduction
Wet milling of corn differs in the extraction of the corn components. The process focuses on mechanical separation rather than chemical treatment. Water plays a vital role in the entire process, aiding separation and washing. Furthermore, the only chemical used in corn wet milling is aqueous sulfuric acid, which is mainly used in the soaking step.
Clean up
In the first step of the process, the corn kernels must be cleaned to remove any undesirable debris. Using the appropriate screen, a dockage test is performed to measure the percentage of foreign matter in the corn. After cleaning, the composition of the corn is analyzed on a NIR spectrometer.
Soak
This step aims to make it easier to separate the malt by soaking the corn with chemicals such as lactic acid and sulfur dioxide, softening its husk and reducing its density. After about 40 hours of soaking, the corn will become softer, making it easier to grind.
Soaking can reduce the growth of microorganisms and release some soluble solids, which is very important for improving the efficiency of subsequent separation.
Germ Recovery
The germ is separated from the rest of the corn by grinding and water separation. This step requires special care to avoid mixing oil into the final product. The germ separated from here is not only rich in oil, but can also be refined to provide raw materials for making salad oil and cooking oil.
Fiber Recycling
In this step, the mixture of fiber, protein and starch emerging from the hydrocyclones is finely ground and screened. The final product is corn bran, an important ingredient in animal feed and can be further processed for human consumption.
Protein RecoveryBy centrifuging a slurry containing only protein and starch, various products can be obtained efficiently. This product contains 60% protein, and the corn bran produced can be used as raw material for animal feed or other health products.
Starch processingThe starch undergoes multiple washing steps and is finally separated with a purity of over 95%. This step is critical in making high fructose corn syrup or other chemically or enzymatically modified starch products.
Manufacturing by-products, such as corn oil, corn bran and corn steep liquor, are an integral part of the modern food industry.
Main products and by-products
The five main products of the wet milling process are: soaking water solids, germ, fiber, starch and gluten. Every product here plays an important role in creating food, feed, biofuel and other fields.
Research and Innovation
Although corn wet milling technology has been in operation for many years, researchers are still looking for more efficient ways, such as shortening the soaking time and increasing the yield. By adding enzymes and other methods, they are constantly optimizing the process in order to continue to support the industry in the future.
Can such technological innovations make a positive contribution to sustainable development, ultimately improving our ability to make the most of our agricultural products?
