Cereal Chem. 73 (5):543-546  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Nonwheat Grains and Products

Prediction of Corn Dry-Milling Quality by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (1).

R. L. Wehling (2,3), D. S. Jackson (2), and B. R. Hamaker (4). (1) Published as paper 11275, Journal Series, Agricultural Research Division, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0704. (2) Department of Food Science and Technology, 143 Filley Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0919. (3) Corresponding author. E-mail: <rwehling@foodsci.unl.edu> (4) Food Science Department, 1160 Smith Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1160. Accepted June 12, 1996. Copyright 1996 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

The potential for near-infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy to predict corn dry-milling quality has been investigated. NIR spectra were obtained from samples of whole-kernel yellow dent corn. Dry-milling quality of the samples was evaluated with a Tangential Abrasive Dehulling Device (TADD), and by a short-flow laboratory milling procedure that allowed calculation of a milling evaluation factor (MEF). Calibrations relating TADD index and MEF to NIR measurements were developed and tested with validation sample sets. The results indicate that NIR spectroscopy can predict dry-milling characteristics with a reliability suitable for at least rough screening. For MEF, the best calibration yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.90 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.55%. SEP values for TADD index were somewhat higher. Derivatization of the NIR spectra lowered the SEP values compared to the use of underivatized log 1/R measurements.