Physical and Nutritional Properties of Corn Masa by-Product Streams

Production of corn masa-based products is flourishing in the United States, as is the generation of masaprocessing waste. Masa by-products have potential for value-added utilization, an option which could produce lesspollution in the environment and economic benefits for masa processors. Physical and nutritional properties of these by-productsare needed for the proper design of processing operations and by-product applications, but informationconcerning masa byproducts is not currently available. Thus the objective of this study was to fully characterize typicalmasa by-product streams. The masa by-products studied had moisture contents between 88.15% and 89.29% (w.b.), wateractivity values between 0.999 and 1.000, densities between 1030.85 and 1047.32 kg/m 3 , yield stress values between1440.04 and 1618.08 N/m 2 , pH values between 6.17 and 6.30, Hunter L values between 35.15 and 49.13, a valuesbetween 0.27 and 0.98, and b values between 6.85 and 9.38. Drying curves were developed to predict drying behavior.The dried by-products had protein contents between 4.76% and 4.90% (d.b.), crude fat contents from 0.74% to 5.76%(d.b.), ash contents between 17.41% and 19.09% (d.b.), and carbohydrate contents from 71.93% to 75.41% (d.b.), whichwas due primarily to fiber, with hemicellulose levels of 20.82% to 24.06% (d.b.) and cellulose between 30.55% and31.83% (d.b.). Dry masa by-products also consisted of 4.68% (d.b.) calcium. Therefore, dehydrated masa by-productsseem very suitable for use as livestock feed additives.