Analysis of Corn | KPM Analytics

Moisture and Compositional Analysis

Food grade corn varieties used in food production or to feed livestock receive their grades from the USDA and other entities based on certain measurable quality parameters, with moisture content and testing weight being two of the more important factors. These parameters also dictate the price of corn that is sold to food producers, so having verifiable data on corn moisture and test weight can save companies from paying too much for a lesser-quality corn delivery.

Parameters Measured

Type of Corn	Role in Food Production	Parameters Measured
Field Corn (yellow dent corn)	Generally used in livestock feeds, but also processed for other corn products, including corn syrup.	Moisture, Oil, Protein, Ash, Fiber, Test Weight, Starch
Sweet Corn	This type of corn is most consumed by people. It is often harvested in earlier stages when its taste is at its sweetest.	Moisture, Oil, Protein, Ash, Fiber, Test Weight, Starch
White Corn	Another type of corn consumed by people. White corn is commonly processed into other food products, like snack foods, tortillas, flours, and others.	Moisture, Oil, Protein, Ash, Fiber, Test Weight, Starch
Popping Corn	This corn variety inherently has lower moisture content to others, which lends itself best to produce seeds for popcorn.	Moisture, Oil, Protein, Ash, Fiber, Test Weight, Starch
High-Starch (waxy) Corn	High-starch corn is a white corn that is often used for fuel ethanol production and as a distiller’s grain (DDGS), but also fed to livestock.	Moisture, Oil, Protein, Ash, Fiber, Test Weight, Starch

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KPM Products

NIR Solutions from KPM

AgriCheck Whole Grain Analyzer Series

SpectraStar™ XT-3 Moisture, Oil/Fat, & Protein NIR Analyzer

SpectraStar™ XT-R NIR Food, Feed, & Forage Analyzer

MCT566 Online NIR Moisture & Oil/Fat Sensor for Snack Food

QuikCheck Rapid NIR Moisture & Oil Analyzer

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Additional Reading

Product Resources

AgriCheck Whole Grain Analyzers Data Sheet

Product Resources

Moisture Control in Tortilla & Corn Chip Production

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Functional & Rheological Analysis

Corn flour is a popular gluten-free option that is used in a variety of baked goods such as bread, muffins, as well as for tortilla and other corn-based snack foods.


Product	Parameters Measured	When It's Measured
Corn Flour	Starch damage Pentosans Water absorption	Incoming ingredients Lab
Dough	Quality of damaged starch Viscosity Pentosans Elasticity Extensibility Consistency	At-Line Lab


Product	Parameters Measured	When It's Measured
Biscuits & Crackers	Water absorption of flours Quantity & quality of proteins Damaged starch & dough stickiness Dough consistency, extensibility, and elasticity Cracks & blisters	Mixing Rolling Cutting Lab
Tortillas	Water absorption of flours Quantity and quality of proteins Consistency and viscosity of the dough Damage and gelatinization of the starch Structure and texture Color	Mixing Rolling Cutting Lab
Corn & Tortilla Chips	Water absorption of flours Quantity and quality of proteins Dough viscosity Damaged starch Structure and texture Starch gelatinization	Mixing Rolling Cutting Lab

KPM Products

Functional & Rheological Solutions

Mixolab 2 Universal Dough Characterizer

SDmatic 2 Automated Damaged Starch Analyzer

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Additional Reading

Product Resources

Mixolab 2 Data Sheet

Product Resources

Bibliography - Maize

Product Types

Measurement Capability

Defects Detection Capability

KPM Products

Vision Products

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Knowledge Center

Additional Reading

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Analysis of Agricultural Soil Extracts

Corn is a robust crop that is grown in many climates and in many soil types around the world. However, with rising fertilizer costs, corn growers can save themselves from unnecessarily applying soil nutrients by routinely checking soil conditions. Taking unforeseen weather or man-made events that can impact a growing season out of the equation, there are certain controllable soil parameters corn growers to ensure a successful harvest.

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Parameter	Why It's Analyzed
Nitrogen-Based Nutrients (Ammonia, Urea, TKN, Nitrate, Nitrite)	Nitrogen, while important to corn crop growth, may need to be controlled to limit ground water contamination issues. This is most common with dry, sandy soils. Urea and TKN content also have a role in animal feed quality.
Phosphorus-Based Nutrients (TP, o-Phosphate, Phosphate)	Phosphorus may need to be added via fertilizer at different stages of the growing season.
Potassium	Potassium may need to be added via fertilizer at different stages of the growing season.
Other Compounds in Crop Production	Boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and other minerals all have a role in corn crop production.