MOISTURE DIFFUSION AND DRY-MATTER LOSS OF CORN DURING ALKALINE-STEEPING

Citation
G. Moreira et al., MOISTURE DIFFUSION AND DRY-MATTER LOSS OF CORN DURING ALKALINE-STEEPING, Revista espanola de ciencia y tecnologia de alimentos, 34(1), 1994, pp. 65-76
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science & Tenology",Agriculture,"Chemistry Applied
ISSN journal
1131799X
Volume
34
Issue
1
Year of publication
1994
Pages
65 - 76
Database
ISI
SICI code
1131-799X(1994)34:1<65:MDADLO>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
Water absorption and dry matter loss data of alkaline-cooked corn duri ng alkaline-steeping were collected for different cooking times. The e ffect of quenching on water absorption was analyzed by cooking the cor n for 42 min and quenching prior to steeping. Fick's diffusion model w as used to describe the water absorption rates. Non-linear curve fitti ng was used to determine the diffusion coefficient. Moisture absorptio n rate was not a function of cooking time. Over-cooked corn kernels ab sorbed excess of water, and under-cooked kernels did not have sufficie nt moisture for grinding. The absorption rate for the quenched corn wa s slightly faster after 6 h of stepping. Dry matter loss of corn kerne ls during alkaline-steeping was described by a first-order rate equati on. The dry matter loss for corn increased with cooking time and reach ed equilibrium after 4 h of stepping. Alkaline-steeping optimum-cooked corn, for at least 4 h, is needed to produce mass with the desired me chanical properties.