Corn Grits Research Articles

Assessing the feasibility of adjusting the dry matter content utilizing corn grits and cottonseed meal and inoculating with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the production of fermented feed from kitchen waste

The feasibility of converting kitchen waste into fermented feed was investigated by adjusting the dry matter (DM) content through addition of corn grits or cottonseed meal, in conjunction with inoculation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The LAB-inoculated (LP) group exhibited acidic aroma and excellent sensory quality, producing significantly lower ammoniacal nitrogen throughout the fermentation process (p < 0.05). On day 3, pH value of the LP group dropped below 4.2 and the lactic acid concentration reached 50 g/kg DM. On day 9, Lactobacillus was the dominant genus in the fermented feed of the LP group, reducing the risk of undesirable fermentation. On day 60, the absolute abundance of bacteria in the LP group was low, and the feed hygiene indices met the national standard. LAB inoculation to produce fermented feed achieved stability on day 3, and remained stable for at least 60 days without spoilage.

Advancing Sustainable Nutrition: Enhancing Physical and Nutritional Qualities of Cookies with Apple Pomace Extrudates

Apple pomace is a by-product of the apple processing industry and can be used for various uses such as animal feed, for composting, or to extract valuable compounds such as pectin or antioxidants. In recent years, it has also gained attention as a potential food ingredient due to its fibre content and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of three parameters: the percentage of wheat flour replaced by extrudate (5%, 10%, and 15%), the percentage of apple pomace in the extrudate (15%, 30%, and 45% based on the mass of corn grits), and the particle size of the extrudate (&lt;250 µm; 250–1000 µm; 1000–2000 µm) on the properties of cookies, using the Box–Behnken experimental design. The addition of extrudates enriched with apple pomace significantly increased the total fibre and ash content of the cookies. The hydroxymethylfurfural content also increased, but not above the permitted limits (25 mg/kg). The sensory quality was strongly influenced by the particle size, especially the hardness, graininess, and appearance of the cookies. The addition of extrudate led to a darker colour of the cookies and a significant increase in the proportion of red tones, but generally had no negative influence on the acceptability of the cookies and their microbiological stability during the 6-month storage period.

Development and quality cum nutritional assessment based on physical properties for corn extruded snacks enriched with protein and carbohydrates: A remedy to malnutrition for society

Malnutrition is one of the century's most pressing challenges. If malnutrition is not addressed early, people may suffer from non-communicable diseases. A proper, nutritious diet is necessary to overcome diseases like malnutrition. The technology like extrusion can develop rich fortified food products by retaining high nutrition content. In this study, extrusion technology was used to develop protein and carbohydrate snacks with proper nutrition based on the physical properties of commodities by combining different ratios of corn grits, apple pomace, and mung beans. The objectives of the study focused on the development of a food product based on engineering aspects and the quality cum nutritional evaluation of the finished product that can be used as a diet to combat malnutrition. Physical properties like color, rehydration ratio, porosity, bulk density, water solubility index, texture, sensory evaluation, hardness, and crispiness were studied in detail. The energy content of protein and carbohydrates was measured for nutritional assessment using Food Data Central as a standard, provided by the United States of America Department of Agriculture. Results reveal significant variations among treatments, with the addition of apple pomace impacting bulk density, water solubility index, and color attributes. Mung bean supplementation demonstrates a direct correlation with increased hardness and influences porosity. The rehydration ratio is positively affected by apple pomace. Sensory evaluation underscores the substantial impact on color, texture, crispiness, taste, and overall acceptability, providing valuable insights for snack formulation.

The Empowerment of The Joho Village Farmers Groups Through Corn Grit Production

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Most of the Joho Village people depend on rice as a staple, which triggers limited economic growth in the agricultural sector. The area has abundant corn yields and is potentially processed as corn grits (rice alternative). Corn processing has solely in dry-shelled corn form, a drop in corn-shelled prices, the stagnant of the Farmers Groups Association (FGA) activity, and the lack of knowledge (food products processing, entrepreneurship, and digital marketing) underlie these community service activities. The service activities aim to optimize the program for implementing science, technology, and FGA empowerment in Joho Village to discover corn grit production potential and ensure the sustainability of FGA community activities. Therefore, the service team agreed with Joho Village FGA to organize programs: (1) Corn grit and production methods socialization (Zoom meetings and direct discussion); (2) Production equipment introduction (direct discussion); (3) Corn grits production training (hands-on practice method); (4) Entrepreneurship and digital marketing socialization (direct discussion). The questionnaire was selected as a socialization evaluation method. Joho Village FGA has high enthusiasm for activity participation (90% of attendance). The service activities succeeded in increasing corn grit production expertise (86% of yield) and improved the knowledge of corn grits (80% of increased knowledge), entrepreneurship (81.25% of increased knowledge), and digital marketing (70% of increased knowledge) of Joho Village FGA. These achievements indicated corn grit production potential as the forecast of their business opportunities in the future and embarked on the beginning of Joho Village FGA’s empowerment sustainability.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Storability and Brewing Quality of Corn Grits: Impacts of Storage Temperature, Particle Size and Key Compositional Factors

Across international brewing operations corn grits from different suppliers vary substantially in terms of their physical properties and chemical composition. Present research aimed to highlight the key factors determining the brewing quality of stored corn grits. Six grits samples were sourced with different particle sizes (that ranged from 0% to 74% of particles ≤0.355 mm) and stored at 10 °C, 20 °C, or 30 °C for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 months. Samples were analysed for moisture, extract, lipid, trihydroxy fatty acids (THFA) and pro-oxidant metal ion contents. Particle size range was measured using sieve analysis. Increasing levels of THFA occurred on storage due to lipid oxidation and are negative indicators of brewing quality. PLS-R modelling of THFA levels (R 2 = 0.83) revealed particle size (hence surface area for oxidation) was the most important factor (∼60% of the total R 2) followed by storage time (∼25%) and temperature (∼7%). Metal ion content and lipid content of grits were minor contributors. Results showed that coarser milling of grits offers protection against lipid oxidation even after 8 months at 30 °C. These insights into key factors determining the rate of lipid oxidation in stored corn grits will help to develop better supply chain management and storage practices with which to assure their brewing quality.

Production of Escovopsis conidia and the potential use of this parasitic fungus as a biological control agent of leaf-cutting ant fungus gardens.

This study was carried out to investigate the use of different substrates for the production of Escovopsis conidia and verify the virulence of four different isolates cultured on four types of substrates using a novel bioassay. Escovopsis isolates were molecularly identified, based on Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) nucleotide sequences. To evaluate conidial production, suspensions (1 × 106 conidia mL-1) of each Escovopsis isolate were inoculated onto four substrates (parboiled rice, white rice, rolled oats, and corn grits). After 14days, conidial yields were assessed. The virulence of each isolate cultured on the four substrates was tested against Leucoagaricus fungus garden fragments, by directly applying 500µL of each conidial suspension (1 × 107 conidia mL-1), and the development of the parasite was monitored daily until it completely colonized the fungus garden. It was observed that rolled oats were the best substrate for conidial production, with a yield of1.7 × 107 to 2.0 × 108 conidia mL-1. Furthermore, isolate AT-01 produced the highest number of conidia when compared with the other isolates. Regardless of the substrate used to produce AT-01 conidia, this isolate completely colonized the fungus garden 6days post inoculation (dpi), followed by AT-02, AC-01, and AC-2. High levels of both conidial production and virulence against the leaf-cutting ant fungus garden were observed here.

Nutritionally Valuable Components and Heat-Induced Contaminants in Extruded Snack Products Enriched with Defatted Press Cakes.

This research studies the influence of the addition of defatted press cakes (from the production of hazelnut, camelina, pumpkin, and hemp seed oil) on nutritionally important components: fibre, resistant starch, polyphenols, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and acrylamide in directly and indirectly expanded snacks. The amounts of press cakes added to corn grits were 3, 6, and 9%. Extrusion was carried out in a laboratory single-screw extruder. For indirectly expanded products (SCFX), supercritical CO2 was injected during extrusion, and secondary expansion was completed in the microwave oven. The type and content of press cake, as well as the type of product, significantly influenced total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Press cakes increased the contents of both soluble and insoluble fibre (from 1.94% d. m. and 1.28% d. m. for extrudates without press cakes up to 3.17% d. m. and 6.94% d. m. for SCFX extrudates with press cakes, respectively), and resistant starch was not markedly influenced by their addition. The influence of the content of press cake on HMF was not significant, whereas the type of cake and the type of extrusion influenced HMF significantly. In a raw mixture of corn grits with 3% of pumpkin press cake, HMF was below the limit of detection, and the highest content was found in the classically extruded sample with the addition of 9% of camelina press cake (580 ppb). In all samples, the acrylamide content was below the limit of detection, indicating that safe products were obtained. This research shows potential for the implementation of supercritical CO2 extrusion in the production of safe, nutritionally improved snack products. Future research might bring about the design of cost-effective processes applicable in the industry.

Physical characteristics of extrudate from mixed corn grit – red bean flour with treatment of moisture content and extruder barrel temperature

Extruded snacks, typically derived from low-protein corn, can significantly benefit from the incorporation of red beans to boost their protein content and enhance overall nutritional value. In this study, the influence of feed moisture content and extruder barrel temperature on various physical attributes of the extruded products, including moisture content, particle density, bulk density, expansion ratio, and hardness, were examined. The snacks were produced using a SYSLG-IV twin-screw extruder with a throughput capacity of 10-15 kg/h. The ingredient composition remained consistent, consisting of a 20% red bean flour and 80% corn grit blend. Three moisture content levels (14%-18%) and three different extruder barrel temperature settings (120°C-140°C) were used as variables. The results demonstrated that both variables significantly impacted the physical properties of the extruded snacks. Specifically, an increase in feed moisture content or a decrease in barrel temperature led to higher moisture content (1.01%-1.82%), greater particle density (0.17 g/cm3-0.39 g/cm3), increased bulk density (0.12 g/cm3-0.32 g/cm3), greater hardness (8.34 N-32.18 N), and reduced expansion ratio (2.17-3.0).

Physical characteristics of extrudate with treatment composition ratio of mixed corn grit-soybean flour and extruder barrel temperature

Yellow corn is one of the key component in the production of popular RTE snacks. However, corn’s nutritional quality is relatively low, necessitating the incorporation of additional ingredients such as soybean to enrich the protein content. This study primarily aims to explore the influence of soybean flour composition and temperature of barrel on the physical characteristics of extrudates to produce nutrition-rich snacks. The materials utilized in the experiment consisted of corn grit (mesh 24) and soybean flour (mesh 80). Extrudates were produced using SYSLG twin-screw extruder machine with a 10-15 kg/h production capacity. The study’s experimental design employed two factors: the composition factor of soybean flour (at 10%, 20%, and 30%) and the final temperature of the barrel (at 120°C, 130°C, and 140°C). The physical attributes of the extrudates were assessed based on the parameters such as expansion ratio, extrudate texture (hardness), moisture content, WAI, and WSI. The study findings revealed that increased soybean flour composition reduced the expansion properties and a more rigid material texture. On top of that, all extrudates exhibited moisture content of less than 4% (wb). The water absorption index decreased with higher soybean flour composition and barrel temperature, whereas the water solubility index showed an increasing trend. Among the tested conditions, the treatment with temperature of the barrel of 140°C and a soybean ratio of 20% demonstrated the best quality results.

Influence of the Forming Die Design on Processing and Physical Properties of Gluten-Free Crisps

Abstract The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of the forming die openings shape on processing parameters of the extrusion-cooking process and on the selected properties of gluten-free crisps. The experiment used blends of corn grits, unroasted buckwheat, rice, and dried blackberries. The extrusion process of gluten-free crisps was carried out via a prototype EXP-45-32 single-screw extruder with L/D=16. During the tests, 5 different forming dies were assessed: 2 openings with a diameter of 2 mm each, 1 round opening with a diameter of 3 mm, 1 cross-shaped opening, a star and a heart. During the tests, the processing efficiency and energy consumption of the extrusion process were tested, and the expansion index, bulk density and hardness of the crisps were investigated. The research demonstrated that the forming die shape affects the efficiency and energy consumption of the extrusion-cooking process of crisps. The lowest efficiency was found if a heart-shaped die was used, and the highest efficiency was determined in the case of a star-shape die. Moreover, the highest specific energy consumption was noted when using a star-shaped die during crisps extrusion. Crisps obtained using dies with larger diameters were characterized by a lower expansion index. The complicated shape of the die opening resulted in less expansion of the obtained crisps. The highest bulk density and hardness were found in the case of crisps obtained on a star-shaped forming die.

Characterization of Second-Generation Snacks Manufactured from Andean Tubers and Tuberous Root Flours.

Andean roots, such as zanahoria blanca, achira, papa China, camote, oca, and mashua, contain high amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and fructo-oligosaccharides. This study aimed to demonstrate the possibility of obtaining healthy second-generation (2G) snacks (products obtained from the immediate expansion of the mixture at the exit of the extruder die) using these roots as raw materials. Corn grits were mixed with Andean root flour in a proportion of 80:20, and a Brabender laboratory extruder was used to obtain the 2G snacks. The addition of root flour increased the water content, water activity, sectional expansion index, hygroscopicity, bulk density, and water absorption index but decreased the porosity. However, all 2G snacks manufactured with Andean root flour showed better characteristics than did the control (made with corn grits) in texture (softer in the first bite and pleasant crispness) and optical properties (more intense and saturated colors). The developed snacks could be considered functional foods due to the high amount of carotenoids and phenolic compounds they exhibit after the addition of Andean root flours. The composition of raw roots, specifically the starch, fiber, and protein content, had the most impact on snack properties due to their gelatinization or denaturalization.

Unlocking the potential of pasting properties to predict extrudate characteristics of corn grits blends with high amylose corn starch, potato starch, or rice flour.

The development of new production lines of extruded ready-to-eat (RTE) snacks often results in high losses of edible food due to the trial-and-error approach in industry. Being able to predict extrudate characteristics of new formulations before having to run trials on industrial scale would be beneficial for reducing waste and having a more efficient development process. With this study, the correlation between pasting properties of seven blends of flours/starches and extrudate characteristics was investigated (100% corn grits, 25% and 50% replacement of corn grits with high amylose starch, potato starch, and rice flour). The predictive power of pasting characteristics on extrudate's moisture content, water absorption and solubility index, sectional expansion index (SEI) and hardness was studied. Results indicated the potential of predicting SEI, water solubility index (WSI), and water absorption index (WAI) of RTE-snacks. WSI and WAI were, respectively, negatively correlated with peak temperature (R2 =0.897), and positively with peak temperature and positively with trough viscosity (R2 =0.855). One can conclude that the rheometer can be a useful tool to gain insight into the characteristics of the extrudate, although further research with enlargement of the dataset is necessary to make the rheometer effectively deployable for potentially other extrudate characteristics.

Moisture Sorption Behavior of Deproteinized Sunflower Meal and Patterned Food Extrudate

This research was undertaken to evaluate the influence of the extrusion process on the sorption behavior of deproteinized sunflower meal (DSM). A patterned food extrudate (PFE), prepared from a mixture of DSM and corn grits (1:1), was obtained, and the equilibrium isotherms of both products (DSM and PFE) were determined at three temperatures (20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C) by the static gravimetric method. The comparison of the sorption behavior of the products showed that extrusion decreased the equilibrium moisture content and the monolayer moisture, while the hysteresis effect was significantly raised in size and span. The experimental sorption isotherms were fitted by five modified models including the temperature effect: Chung–Pfost, Halsey, Oswin, Henderson, and GAB. The modified models of Oswin were established to be suitable to describe the equilibrium sorption isotherms in the temperature range from 20 °C to 40 °C. The net isosteric heat of sorption of DSM and PFE decreases consistently with the increase in moisture content. Extrusion reduces the bond energy between the solid matrix and the water molecules. The ranges of moisture content and relative humidities in the temperature interval studied, appropriate for long-term storage of DSM and PFE, were predicted.

Radio frequency roasting promotes the degradation of aflatoxin B1 and achieves better quality of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Peanuts contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) possess serious health risks. Radio frequency (RF) roasting was used for decontamination of AFB1 in peanuts. The effects of RF roasting on AFB1 degradation and peanuts quality were investigated under varied electrode gaps (90, 100, 110, and 120 mm), target temperatures (120, 130, 140, and 150 °C) and initial moisture contents (10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%). The results showed that corn grit as the assistant material was superior for improving the heating uniformity of peanuts. With increasing target temperature and moisture content, the degradation rate of AFB1 increased significantly from 20.05% to 75.33% and 35.52%–66.09%, respectively, while electrode gap had no significant effect on the degradation of AFB1. Compared with hot air roasting (140 °C), RF roasting increased the degradation rate of AFB1 by 18%, with lower acid value and less tissue damage. Fourier transform infrared spectrum and scanning electron micrographs revealed the development of lipid hydrolysis, Maillard reaction and protein denaturation in roasted peanuts. RF roasting under 110–120 mm electrode gap, 140 °C target temperature, and 15%–20% initial moisture content was optimal considering both AFB1 degradation and products quality. Overall, RF roasting provides a new insight for the degradation of AFB1 in foods and crops.

Thermoplastic extrusion technology as a tool for adding value to brewer's by-products

Brewer's by-products show high nutritious potential to be reintegrated into the food chain. Nevertheless, their high moisture, microbiological instability, and heterogeneity pose enormous challenges. This study investigated thermoplastic extrusion to repurpose large amounts of the two main brewery by-products: brewer's spent grains (BSG) and brewer's spent yeast (BSY). A mixture design was used to compose ten blends with different proportions of dried-BSG, BSY, and corn grits, maximizing the use of BSG up to 70 g/100 g. Extruder parameters were fixed. PLS regression was applied to evaluate the effects of blend composition on the characteristics of the extruded products. Thermoplastic extrusion shows feasibility in transforming large volumes of by-products into value-added products. Blends with high insoluble fiber, protein, and moisture contents resulted in extrudates with high protein concentration, low expansion, and high density. The results of this exploratory work can be used for product optimization by choosing nutritional, technological, and commercial targets to create innovative, healthy, and sustainable food products that meet consumer demands.

Determining the effect of raw materials moisture and lipid content on the technological properties of the extruded protein-fat system

The way to solve the problem of correcting technological indicators, in particular porosity and moisture content, in extruded protein-fat systems based on soybean, rapeseed, hemp meal, and corn grits is considered. The peculiarity of the work is the substantiation of the rational ratio of the content of moisture and lipids in the raw components of the extrudate, which is an important aspect of rationalizing the composition and improving the texture of innovative extruded products based on the specified raw materials. The object of the research is technological indicators, in particular the porosity and moisture content of the extruded protein-fat system, depending on the moisture and lipid content in the raw components. A rational ratio of moisture content (10.5...12.5 %) and lipids (3.5...5.0 %) in the raw material for the extruded protein-fat system was determined. The use of refined palm olein as an oil product resistant to oxidative deterioration, which should be added to raw components in order to correct the technological properties of the finished product, is substantiated. The developed protein-fat system of reasonable composition has an advantage over a commercial similar product in terms of crude protein content (29.0 % vs. 8.2 %), porosity (130.0 % vs. 105.0 %) and cost ($ 916/t vs. $ 2,798/t). The obtained data are explained by the fact that a complex of components was used, some of which are production waste, with reasonable moisture and lipid content, which improved the technological characteristics of the extrudate. An applied aspect of using this scientific result is the possibility of rationalizing the extrusion process of oilseed meal to achieve the desired texture, porosity and stability of the lipid component of the product

Effects of citrus pomace on mechanical, sensory, phenolic, antioxidant, and gastrointestinal index properties of corn extrudates

Ready-to-eat snacks are popular among consumers, but these largely carbohydrate-based snacks have high glycemic indexes that pose various health issues, such as increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. This work aimed to increase the healthfulness (fiber, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity) of corn based extrudates through the addition of citrus pomace as a sustainable dietary fiber source. Extrudates were prepared using twin screw extrusion with citrus pomace concentrations in the range of 0%–15%, incorporated into corn grits. Results show that inclusion of 15% citrus pomace increased fiber content by 58.33% and dietary fiber contents increased 2.12 times compared to corn extrudates used as control samples. Antioxidant activity (DPPH) and mineral (calcium) contents of 5% pomace-containing extrudates significantly increased between 9.36 and 14.32 times respectively compared to the control sample without any supplementation. However, the expansion ratio, porosity, oil binding, and absorption capacities decreased due to the fiber addition. The sensory attributes of extrudates up to 5% pomace addition were acceptable in sensory evaluation. In the range of 0%–5% citrus pomace addition, extrudates may be successfully used for sustainable consumption, food waste management, and nutritional security.

Feed composition and particle size affect the physicochemical properties of jackfruit-corn extrudates

The effect of dried jackfruit powder on the extrusion of cornmeal was investigated for the creation of a naturally flavored and nutritious expanded snack. Both ripe and unripe jackfruit powder of varying particle size (100–1000 μm) were mixed with corn grits (200–1000 μm) to elucidate the effect of macronutrient composition (ripe vs unripe jackfruit), feed composition and particle size on extrusion parameters. Minimum residence time, specific mechanical energy (SME) and product parameters including expansion ratio and hardness were evaluated using a twin-screw corotating extruder. Hindrance to the expansion ratio of the extrudate was observed when ripe or unripe jackfruit was added, due to increased sugar and fibre content, respectively. Ripe jackfruit was found to have increased moisture sorption at higher relative humidity, which is correlated with a higher extrudate water solubility index (WSI). Furthermore, the exact starch-sugar-fibre composition was found to have a larger consequence on expansion than feed particle size. From this study, it was found that both ripe and unripe jackfruit can be used to provide optimal structure, flavour and nutritional content of expanded extrudates.

Effect of rice flour to corn grits ratio and rice bran oil addition on starch digestibility profiles and properties of extruded multigrain puffed snacks

SummaryIngredients play an important role in multigrain puffed snack (PS) quality. Different rice flour (RF) to corn grits (CG) ratios with 3% and 5% rice bran oil (RBO) were assessed for starch digestibility, chemical, and physicochemical properties, and sensory acceptance of PS processed using a twin‐screw extruder. Fat and fibre content significantly increased. PS added with 5% RBO was harder with higher bulk density than 3% RBO. As the CG level increased, the expansion ratio of PS decreased, impacting the physical and sensory properties. The extruded PS exhibited a V‐type crystalline structure originating from the amylose‐lipid complex formation. PS prepared from 50%–60% RF and 10%–20% CG with 5% RBO had the highest content of slow‐digesting starch, resistant starch, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic compounds. The optimal rice flour to corn grits ratio with added RBO of multigrain PS showed potential as a functional snack.

Third-Generation Snacks Manufactured from Andean Tubers and Tuberous Root Flours: Microwave Expansion Kinetics and Characterization.

Andean tubers and tuberous roots have nutritional and medicinal properties transferred through ancestral generations. In this study, we aim to promote cultivation and consumption by developing a snack based on these crops. Corn grits were thoroughly mixed with sweet potato, mashua, and three varieties of oca flour (white, yellow, and red) in an 80:20 ratio, and a single-screw laboratory extruder was utilized to produce third-generation (3G) dried pellets. Microwave expansion was studied, and the dried 3G pellets and expanded snacks were characterized. The microwave expansion curves of the dried 3G pellets were adjusted to the Page, logarithmic, and Midilli-Kucuk models. During the characterization, the influence of the raw material composition was observed in sectional expansion, water content, water activity, water absorption, water solubility, swelling, optical and textural properties, and bioactive compounds. According to global color variation (mixture vs. expanded and dried vs. expanded) and bioactive compound analysis, the mashua suffered little chemical change or nutritional loss during the process. The extrusion process was shown to be an ideal method for manufacturing snacks from Andean tuber flours.