Cereal Chem 40:187 - 190.  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Vacuum-Tempering Corn for Dry-Milling.

L. A. Weinecke, O. L. Brekke, and E. L. Griffin, Jr.. Copyright 1963 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Insufficient tempering capacity in commercial plants frequently hinders dry-milling of corn. The possibility of improved tempering by use of a vacuum was investigated. Laboratory studies showed that 14%,-moisture corn immersed in water and subjected first to 5- to 25-in. Hg vacuum and then to atmospheric pressure for 1 to 5 minutes, increased to 20% moisture-compared to 16% for the control sample. Three pilot-plant runs using a Beall degerminator on 13%,-moisture corn, vacuum-tempered to 21% (3% of which was surface moisture) (1 minute at 5-in. vacuum and 9 minutes at atmospheric pressure under water, then 10 minutes' drainage and rest time) were compared with one on corn given a conventional temper for 1 hour. With the 20-minute vacuum-tempered corn, throughput, hull, and oil recovery were reduced, -4+6 grits of lower fat content and fewer attached hulls were obtained in increased yield along with fewer -6+8 grits.