MYOINOSITOL PHOSPHATES IN CORN STEEP WATER

Wet corn milling results in large volumes of steep water, the contents of which include myo-inositol in the form of phosphate esters. The principal myo-inositol derivative is the hexakisphosphate, IP6, which is accompanied by several isomers of IP3, IP4, and IP5. Analysis of the steep water at the early, middle, and later stages gave evidence that the lower phosphates are the result of enzymatic hydrolysis and autohydrolysis of the IP6, all species increasing as the steeping progresses. Calcium precipitation of the myo-inositol phosphates from the steep water results in the isolation of IP5 and IP6.