Tips for High Quality Corn Flakes Production

Cattle need large amounts of energy and protein to meet their nutritional needs. Since the whole corn kernel is almost completely resistant to microbial digestion in the rumen, "Steam Flake", one of the different grinding methods, can be used to increase performance and efficiency.
 

What is steam flaking?

"Steam Flaking" is the process of adding increased humidity and heat over time to soften the kernel before the grains pass through the rollers. Don't be surprised if you search the Internet for "flake corn" and find out about the home made alcohol industry. The fermentation process needs maximum surface area to break down the starch in the corn kernel. This situation is the same as the process occurring in the rumen.

What happens when the corn is turned into ''Steam Flake''?

"Steam Flaking" increases the surface area of ​​the grain, improves the digestibility of the starch and thus increases the productivity of the corn. With this increase in productivity, better lactation and growth is observed in feedlot cattle. According to some studies, it has been observed that corn treated with the Steam Flake method increased the average daily benefits by 6.3% compared to dry-rolled corn.
 

So what can be done to improve the quality of the "flake"?

1- Surfactants function to reduce the surface tension of water and increase the moisture intake of the grain. When applied to the grain before entering the steam chamber, it allows moisture to infiltrate equally and thoroughly into each kernel.

2- Research shows that the steam chest-chamber must have a temperature higher than 95 °C (203 °F) for starch to gelatinise.

3- Experimental studies have shown that direct exposure to steam for more than 30 minutes under laboratory conditions does not increase either the starch digestibility or the net energy value of flaked corn. However, "Steam" is usually a function of the full roller mill capacity at a given flake density and a given steam chamber size. Therefore, in industrial applications, this time is chosen between 45-60 minutes to ensure homogeneous and appropriate time penetration of the corn in the steam chamber with steam.

4- Flake quality can vary greatly due to changes in the distance between rollers. And also, it is very important to adjust the pressure of the flake rollers prior to processing. To achieve the desired flake density, it is necessary to determine the best ram pressure or friction on the rolls.

"In addition to all these, it is necessary to monitor the steam and moisture balance throughout the day performing machine maintenance in regular intervals in order to produce a quality "Flake". Since the rollers inside wear out very quickly, delays in routine maintenance can cause week-long operation shutdowns."