Influence of drying and hydrothermal treatment of corn on the denaturation of salt-soluble proteins and color parameters

Abstract The effect of heat treatments (drying and hydrothermal treatment) on the extractability of salt-soluble protein (SSP) was assessed using Promatest methodology for corn kernels heated between 60 °C and 120 °C. During drying, the evolution of the grain moisture content is fitted using the analytical solution of Fick equation developed by Crank (1979) for spherical material. The decrease of extractible salt-soluble protein during heating is forecasted using a first and a second order ordinary differential equation. It was found that temperature; moisture content and time of processing greatly influence the kinetic denaturation of SSP of corn kernels. The evolution of extractible SSP content of corn kernels during drying at high temperature is more correctly described with second order kinetic than with the first order kinetic reaction. The Hunterlab color parameters of corn also vary during drying. Lightness and color intensity decrease while yellowness, redness, chroma and hue angle increase through drying time. Most of these Hunterlab color parameters are highly correlated with the salt-soluble proteins content and therefore could be used as indicators of excessive heat treatment and denaturation of salt-soluble proteins in corn kernels.