Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Wet-milling

PRACTICAL WALKTHROUGH · PARAMETERS · COMMON MISTAKES

What You Need to Know

Wet-milling is a process in which feed material is steeped in water, with or without sulfur dioxide, to soften the seed kernel in order to help separate the kernel's various components. For example, wet-milling plants can separate a 56-pound bushel of corn into more than 31 pounds of cornstarch, 15 pounds of corn gluten meal for use in animal feed, and nearly 2 pounds of corn oil.

Steps

  1. 1.

    Nixtamalization (Mesoamerican): Alkaline wet-milling process that transforms corn into masa

  2. 2.

    Rice flour production (Asian): Water-assisted milling creates fine-textured flour for noodles and desserts

  3. 3.

    Tempeh production (Indonesian): Wet-milling soybeans before fermentation creates proper substrate texture

Common Mistakes

Over-steeping

Cause: Excessive soaking time in water

Fix: Reduce steeping time and monitor texture regularly

Microbial contamination

Cause: Inadequate water temperature or sanitation

Fix: Maintain proper water temperature and use food-grade sanitizers

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