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Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2013/2014

Contents

  1. Export Cargo Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. U.S. Corn Export System
  9. U.S. Export Corn Flow
  10. Impact of the Corn Market Channel on Quality
  11. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  12. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  13. Survey Design and Sampling
  14. Statistical Analysis
  15. Testing Analysis Methods
  16. Corn Grading Factors
  17. Moisture
  18. Chemical Composition
  19. Physical Factors
  20. Mycotoxin Testing
  21. U.S. Corn Grades and Conversions
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C. Chemical Composition

1. NIR Proximate Analysis – Corn

Proximates are the major components of the grain. For corn, the Near-infrared (NIR) Proximate Analysis includes oil content, protein content and starch content (or total starch). NIR Proximate Analysis or spectroscopy uses the unique interactions of specific wavelengths of light with the sample, calibrated to traditional chemistry methods, to evaluate the levels of oil, protein and starch in the sample. This procedure is nondestructive to the corn.

Chemical composition tests for protein, oil and starch were conducted using a 400 to 450 gram (g) sample in a whole-kernel Foss Infratec 1229 Near-Infrared Transmittance (NIRT) instrument. The NIRT was calibrated using reference wet chemistry methods, and the standard error of predictions for protein, oil and starch were about 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Results are reported on a dry basis percentage (percent of non-water material).