Cereal Chem 72:652-657  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Mechanical Behavior of Corn Kernels: Development of a Laboratory Friability Test that can Predict Milling Behavior.

C. Mestres, F. Matencio, and A. Louis-Alexandre. Copyright 1995 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

A friability test for maize grains has been developed. It is a particle size index test that has been optimized to enhance discrimination between samples. It has been tested on kernel samples from 18 maize cultivars. From these results, a classification table with four classes has been proposed. Highly significant correlation coefficients have been found between kernel friability and yields of milling products, which were determined by using semi-wet and dry milling pilot devices. Other physical attributes of maize kernels, such as kernel size, shape and vitreousness, are not clearly related to friability and grain milling performances..