Unlocking the Potential of Corn Flour: A Study on the Multidimensional Effects of Ball Milling

Abstract

Whole grain flours often exhibit suboptimal processing properties and palatability, limiting their usage in food industry. This study investigated the impact of ball milling on the physicochemical properties, thermal properties, crystalline structure and rheological properties of corn flour. Ball milling reduced the particle size of the powder to the micron level and significantly elevated the cell wall breakage ratio. The structural analysis showed that ball milling destroyed the crystalline region of starch, resulting in the decline of short-range ordered structure and gelatinization temperature, and the increase of amylose content. The infrared spectra showed that ball milling resulted in the reduction of hydrogen bond strength but did not produce new functional groups. Structural alterations induced by ball milling weaken the gel strength and reduced both elastic and viscous properties. Ball milling also increased bulk density, tap density, decreased yellowness and hydration performance. Importantly, the process facilitated the effective release of bioactive substances, causing the highest detectable total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. The findings affirm that ball milling serves as an efficacious method for modifying the multifaceted properties of corn flour.