INFLUENCE OF VACUUM-HYDROTHERMAL TREATMENT ON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MAIZE GRAIN

Abstract

The paper determined the effect of applied hydrothermal treatment of corn kernels and subsequent vacuum pressure on the change in seed moisture content (dry basis), breaking force, energy of destruction of one kernel and change in the horizontal projection area of one kernel. The corn kernels used as experimental material were hydrothermally treated (boiling for 20 and 30 min at 100°C) and then treated in vacuum (20 kPa) for 1, 3, and 5 min. Over the entire range of vacuum treatment durations, higher values of breaking force and energy were observed for cores hydrothermally treated for 20 min compared to cores treated for 30 min.