STEEPING
Each stainless steel steep tank holds about 3,000 bushels of
corn for 30 to 40 hours of soaking in 50 degree Celsius water. During
steeping, the kernels absorb water, increasing their moisture levels from
15 percent to 45 percent and more than doubling in size. The
addition of 0.1 percent sulfur dioxide to the water prevents excessive
bacterial growth in the warm environment. As the corn swells and
softens, the mild acidity of the steepwater begins to loosen the
gluten bonds within the corn and release the starch. After
steeping, the corn is coarsely ground to break the germ loose
from other components. Steepwater is condensed to capture nutrients in
the water for use in animal feeds and for a nutrient for later
fermentation processes. The ground corn, in a water slurry, flows
to the germ separators.
 
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