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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Healthy Processed Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309793
Title: Physicochemical and pasting properties of maize as affected by storage temperature

Author
item PARAGINSKI, RICARDO - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item LEVIEN-VANIER, NATHAN - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item Berrios, Jose
item DE OLIVEIRA, MAURICIO - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item ELIAS, MOACIR - Universidade Federal De Pelotas

Submitted to: Journal of Stored Products Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2014
Publication Date: 3/17/2014
Citation: Paraginski, R.T., Levien-Vanier, N., Berrios, J.D., De Oliveira, M., Elias, M.C. 2014. Physicochemical and pasting properties of maize as affected by storage temperature. Journal of Stored Products Research. doi: 10.1016/j.jspr.2014.02.010.

Interpretive Summary: Maize grains are used as raw material in various food products. In countries where the production is seasonal, the grains must be stored during all the year in order to provide maize supply for food industries and consumers. During storage, the temperature is known as one of the most critical variables that affects grain quality. This work aims to evaluate effects of storage temperature (5, 15, 25 and 35 °C) on the nutrient composition, acidity, percentage of grains infected by molds, grain color, protein solubility and pasting properties of maize stored for 12 months. There was a strongest decrease in grain yellowness, acidity, protein solubility and breakdown viscosity for the grains stored at 35 °C during 12 months. The acidity and the percentage of grains infected by visible molds seem to be very dependent of moisture content. The protein solubility and the pasting properties results suggest a high extent of disulfide bonds within protein structure in maize stored at the highest temperature and also a high association between starch and proteins.

Technical Abstract: Maize grains are used as raw material in various food products. In countries where the production is seasonal, the grains must be stored during all the year in order to provide maize supply for food industries and consumers. During storage, the temperature is known as one of the most critical variables that affects grain quality. This work aims to evaluate effects of storage temperature (5, 15, 25 and 35 °C) on the proximate composition, pH, fat acidity, percentage of grains infected by molds, grain color, protein solubility and pasting properties of maize stored for 12 months. There was a strongest decrease in grain yellowness, pH, protein solubility and breakdown viscosity for the grains stored at 35 °C during 12 months. The fat acidity and the percentage of grains infected by visible molds seem to be very dependent of moisture content. The protein solubility and the pasting properties results suggest a high extent of disulfide bonds within protein structure in maize stored at the highest temperature and also a high association between starch and proteins.