ABSTRACT
The relative effectiveness of dehulling, potassium hydroxide dipping (alkali concentrations 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 %), and ethyl oleate spraying (aqueous emulsion 1%, v/v) to increase the rate of water absorption by dent and flint corn during steeping was compared with untreated corn samples. These pretreatments increased the water absorption rate of both hybrids when compared with the untreated control samples. To evaluate the observed increase, the diffusion coefficients of pretreated and untreated corn samples were estimated. Corn grains steeped in SO2 aqueous solution and variable lactic acid concentrations (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0%, v/v) were performed. Absorption rates for lactic acid concentrations were ≈0.5% higher than those steeped only in SO2 solution. This effect was more marked for dent than for flint corn. Corn samples pretreated with potassium hydroxide had lower starch yields than the control. However, the presence of lactic acid in steepwater increased the starch yield of dent and flint corn, particularly for the samples treated with alkaline solution. This procedure was particularly beneficial for flint corn. An effective release of the starch granules was achieved within 24 hr of steeping.
