Effect of Elusieve Fractionation on Physical Properties of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS)

The production of corn-based ethanol in the U.S. has been dramatically increasing in recent years, and consequently so has the quantity of coproduct materials generated from this processing sector. These streams are primarily utilized as livestock feed, and can partially offset the need for corn in feed rations. As the industry evolves, new technologies are being developed to improve the value proposition of the coproducts, especially distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). One of these is the Elusieve process, which combines sieving and air classification to accomplish fractionation of the DDGS into component-rich (i.e., protein, lipid, fiber) streams. Previous studies have discussed the efficacy of the nutrient concentrations achievable using this process, but no studies to date have examined the physical properties of these resulting streams. Thus the objective of this research was to examine physical properties of DDGS fractions produced by the Elusieve process. Using standard laboratory methods physical properties, including bulk density and angle of repose, were determined. Preliminary results from this study will be presented. The data generated during this study will be useful to both the ethanol and livestock industries, but further study is warranted in order to more fully characterize the differences in other physical properties of these coproduct streams..