Effects of the storage temperature and time of corn from the center and extremities of corncob on quality parameters

The objective was to evaluate the effects of storage temperature and storage time of corn from the center and extremities of corncob on quality parameters. Even though 60 °C is considered an indicated temperature for corn drying air when the mass presents uneven dimensions, the grains from the center are still more affected. In this case, the latent damage caused to the grains from the center of the corncob was pronounced during storage, worsening with increasing temperature and storage time. The higher acidity (1.29 mg NaOH 100g-1), lipase activity (10.51%), fermented grains (3.32%), rotten grains (0.58%), moldy grains (1.06%), and pasting temperature (91.08 °C), and by the lower soluble protein (14.56%) and non-defectives grains (94.35%) were observed in the grains from the center, separated after storage for 6 months at 25 °C. These results suggest that: a) the separation of grains from the center and extremities of the corncob during the post-harvest stages can increase the amount of non-defectives grains by more than 2% after 6 months of storage at 25 °C, and b) genetic improvement studies should be carried out to search for new genotypes with higher grain uniformity along the corncob. [Display omitted] •Storage of corn from the center and extremities of corncob.•Corn quality parameters were evaluated during storage.•Acidity and lipase activity increased in grains from the center.•Separation can increase the amount of not defective grains by 2%.