Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #139074
Title: ANALYSIS OF HEADSPACE VOLATILES OF CORN GLUTEN MEAL

Author
item Wu, Ying Victor
item Payne Wahl, Kathleen
item Vaughn, Steven

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/29/2003
Publication Date: 9/10/2003
Citation: WU, Y., PAYNE WAHL, K.L., VAUGHN, S.F. 2003. ANALYSIS OF HEADSPACE VOLATILES OF CORN GLUTEN MEAL. CEREAL CHEMISTRY. Vol 80(5)567-569.

Interpretive Summary: Corn gluten meal is a coproduct from wet milling of corn and fuel alcohol production. Increased demand for fuel alcohol resulted in production of a large amount of corn gluten meal, which needs additional markets. One of the main obstacles for food use of corn gluten meal is its off flavor. A simple method was used to analyze the volatile compounds above a water slurry of corn gluten meal. About half of the volatile components analyzed had known flavors. This study contributed to a better understanding of the off flavor problem of corn gluten meal and may lead to increased food use. The corn farmers and alcohol processors will benefit from a better market for corn gluten meal. The consumer will benefit from an additional source of plant protein, which is more healthy to consume and has lower cost compared to animal protein.

Technical Abstract: Corn gluten meal is the high-protein fraction from wet milling of corn. Although protein, minerals, and fat compositions have been reported, minor components that cause unpleasant flavor and taste are not known. The objective of this study was to determine the compounds present in headspace of corn gluten meal and wet cake (dryer feed). A solid phase microextraction device with a polyacrylate coating was used to collect volatiles for 1 hr at 25 and 100 deg C above a stirred water slurry of corn gluten meal or wet cake. The absorbed compounds were desorbed onto the inlet injector of a gas chromatograph equipped with a mass selective detector. Compound identification was done using a Wiley library and confirmed by retention time of pure compounds in the gas chromatograph. Twenty-nine compounds were identified. Knowledge concerning volatiles of corn gluten meal may lead to improvement of flavor and taste, and increased utilization of this material, produced over one million metric tons per year in the United States.