Drum drying performance of condensed distillers solubles and comparison to that of physically modified condensed distillers solubles

Abstract

Condensed distillers solubles (CDS) is a viscous, syrupy co-product of ethanol production from corn or other starchy grains; CDS exhibits strong recalcitrance to drying due to its chemical composition, which includes a substantial amount of glycerol. The objectives of this study were to determine the drum drying performance of CDS and to compare it to that of a physically modified CDS (MCDS) having a reduced glycerol level. Material type (CDS vs. MCDS), dwell time, drum internal steam temperature, and gap width were evaluated for their effects on the final moisture content, water activity, and color of the dried product. While both CDS and MCDS could be dried to a range of endpoint moisture contents, dried CDS exhibited a narrow range of water activity compared to that of MCDS. Gap width was found to be the predominant factor affecting dried product color. This work demonstrates that drum drying can effectively reduce the moisture content of CDS, even though the water activity of the dried product cannot be reduced beyond ∼0.45. In contrast, MCDS can be readily drum-dried into a shelf-stable, flaked product with a pleasing appearance.