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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #226627
Title: Potential bleaching techniques for corn distillers grains

Author
item SAUNDERS, JESSICA - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Rosentrater, Kurt
item KRISHNAN, P - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Food Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2008
Publication Date: 9/9/2008
Citation: Saunders, J.A., Rosentrater, K.A., Krishnan, P. 2008. Potential bleaching techniques for corn distillers grains. Food Technology. 6(6):242-252.

Interpretive Summary: The ethanol industry is rapidly growing. Extensive research is currently being pursued to develop value-added uses for processing coproducts, such as distillers dried grains (DDG) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Right now, ethanol coproducts are used primarily as livestock feed. But, research has shown that the use of DDG and DDGS in human foods is another possible utilization route. Nutrient composition of ethanol coproducts, such as low starch, high protein, and high fiber would be amenable for use in food products. Refining aspects of DDG and DDGS, such as color, odor, and functionality are important aspects that need to be addressed in order to use distillers grains in foods. The goal of this paper was to examine previous research on bleaching of various food products, and to discuss their potential applicability for distillers grains, as no research has yet investigated the bleaching of distillers grains.

Technical Abstract: The ethanol industry is booming, and extensive research is now being pursued to develop alternative uses for distillers dried grains (DDG) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), coproducts of the ethanol production process. Currently, DDG and DDGS are used exclusively as livestock feed. Previous research has shown promising avenues for the use of DDG and DDGS in human foods. The low starch, high protein and high fiber coproducts appear to be ideally suited for diets treating medical conditions such as diabetes and Celiac’s disease by virtue of their chemical composition. Processing methods need to be investigated to create flours that can be used effectively. Modifying aspects such as color, odor, and baking functionality may eventually hold the key to the use of distillers grains in food products. The objective of this study was to examine previous research on bleaching various food products, and to discuss their potential applicability for distillers grains, because research has not yet been completed on bleaching of distillers grains. Hydrogen peroxide, ethanol/butanol extraction, and lipoxygenases appeared to be the most promising bleaching agents that should be pursued.