Front‐end corn germ separation: Process variations and effects on downstream products recovery and quality
2021
Mohammadi Shad, Zeinab | Venkitasamy, Chandrasekar | Lamsal, Buddhi
BACKGROUND: The popularity of grain‐based ethanol production, especially via dry‐grind bioethanol from corn and subsequent accumulation of low‐value coproducts, especially dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS), has emphasized the need to add value to the process by recovering different corn components for potential food, feed, and industrial applications prior to ethanol fermentation. FINDINGS: Modification in corn processing, including the fractionation process, has manifested in variation in product yield such as ethanol. However, the value‐added products thus obtained boost their quality, potentially increasing the profitability of dry‐grind corn ethanol process. Corn oil, being the most valuable corn component, presents itself as an attractive candidate for front‐end and tail‐end separation of germs. Although the corn oil does not take part in starch fermentation into ethanol, the implication of the front‐end degermination in dry‐grind corn process on downstream product recovery is an essential consideration in bioethanol yield. Process improvement has taken a further step to increase the ethanol yield and rate by processing alpha‐amylase corn, providing critical nutrients and superior yeast. CONCLUSIONS: Corn ethanol production, quality of coproducts, germ separation, and oil recovery have been enhanced with component recovery either before or after fermentation. However, the economic aspects of the corn bioprocessing advancements need to be further evaluated for commercial implications. SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY: This review summarizes the current knowledge about the significant corn processing methods. It critically reviews germ fractionation, its role in the processing parameters, and the potential for increased value‐added products such as corn oil.
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