WET MILLING OF MAIZE GRITS

Maize grits obtained from the standard dry milling of whole corn kerne ls were studied as the raw material for wet milling. One size of corn grits (those that pass through a no. 5 and over a no. 10 screen), two levels of SO2 concentration (0.1 and 0.2%), and four levels of steepin g time (4, 6, 8, and 10 hr) were used. The steep time could be reduced to 6 hr, and the SO2 concentration could be reduced to 0.1% in the we t milling of corn grits without any significant reduction in starch yi eld or increase in protein content of starch. Starch recovery of up to 88.9% (db) was achieved from the grits in the study, compared to a 87 .4% (db) recovery from the control samples (48 hr, 0.2% SO2, whole ker nels). The protein content of starch was as low as 0.5% for the 10-hr steep. The highest and lowest values recorded for apparent viscosity o f starch among treatments were 462 and 377 Brabender units, respective ly. Both of these values were significantly lower than that of the app arent viscosity of starch obtained from wet milling of whole kernels, which was 490 Brabender units.