376 Relating corn hybrids to enhanced starch processing efficiency.

K. D. RAUSCH, M. Goodwin, A. E. Haken, and S. R. Eckhoff. Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.

The corn processing industry faces many challenges in a competitive, global market. Processing fluctuations are caused by two general factors: plant operation and raw material variability. To handle variability during processing, the processor must over-design the facility or slow down processing rate, both of which come at a cost to the processor. At a commercial scale, it is difficult to determine the cost due to variability of incoming corn, but at a lab scale, variability can be controlled. Previous work has shown variability in hybrids significantly affects starch yield and efficiency in wet milling. The objectives of the study were to observe the magnitude of variability in starch modification processes caused by corn hybrid and to determine the value of reducing variability. Two groups of regular dent and waxy corn hybrids were used, the aim being to provide a representative sampling of commercial hybrids. Each starch sample was obtained from laboratory wet milling and was modified by acid-thinning (regular dent) and acetylation (waxy) procedures. Both modification processes were selected for their wide use in the industry. Reaction rates, total reaction times, and reaction efficiencies were determined for each hybrid. Modified starches were characterized using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) viscometer. The variability due to hybrid was quantified in terms of reaction rates, times, efficiencies and variability in final product properties.