GH5 and GH30 in wet milling

A method of treating corn kernels, comprising a wet milling process which comprises:

• (a) soaking the corn kernels in water to produce soaked corn kernels;
• (b) grinding the soaked corn kernels to produce soaked and ground corn kernels;
• (c) separating germs from the soaked and ground corn kernels to produce a corn kernel mass comprising fiber, starch and gluten;
• and
• (d) subjecting the corn kernel mass to a fiber washing procedure to separate the fiber from the starch and gluten, wherein the fiber washing procedure comprises a fiber washing system comprising:
• (i) 2-8 screen units which are fluidly connected in a counter current washing configuration including a first screen unit (S1) and a last screen unit, wherein each screen unit is configured for separating a stream of corn kernel mass and liquid into a first fraction (s) and a second fraction (f), wherein the second fraction (f) contains a higher amount of fiber than the first fraction (s);
• (ii) a space (V) which is located between the first (S1) and the last screen units and is fluidly connected to receive one of the first fractions (s), one of the second fractions (f), or a mixed first and second fraction (s,f);
• and
• wherein subjecting the corn kernel mass to the fiber washing procedure comprises:
• (i) introducing the corn kernel mass to the first screen unit (S1);
• (ii) introducing process water to the last screen unit;
• (iii) introducing an enzyme composition comprising a GH5 xvlanase downstream of the first screen unit (S1) and upstream of the last screen unit and upstream of or in the space (V);
• (iv) contacting at least one of the first fraction (s), at least one of the second fraction (f), or at least one mixed first and second fraction (s,f) of the corn kernel mass with the enzyme composition comprising the GH5 xylanase for a total retention time of from 90 minutes to 5 hours in the fiber washing system, and incubating the at least one of the first fraction (s), the at least one of the second fraction (s,f), or the at least one mixed first and second fraction (s,f) in the space (V) for an incubation time of from 0.5 to 3 hours to produce an incubated fraction;
• and
• (v) outletting the incubated fraction to a downstream screen unit;
• and
• wherein the first fraction (s) outlet from each screen unit is a product stream containing starch and gluten and the second fraction (f) outlet from each screen unit is a washed corn kernel mass containing fiber and a lower amount of starch and gluten than the corn kernel mass entering the screen unit.