Corn steeping process for products thus obtained and their use in the manufacture of penicillin

Corn-steeping process producing corn-steep and comprising:

• contacting corn grains placed in silos arranged in series with a steep water containing about 0.75 to 3 g sulfur dioxide per liter which water is introduced successively into each of the silos of the series such that the water traverses the silos one after the other, the volume of steep water in m.sup.3 introduced per ton of commercial corn defining a cycling ratio;
• maintaining the temperature of the steep water such that the temperature decreases progressively from silo to silo as the water passes through the silos from one to the next, from at the most about 58.degree. C. in the input silo to about 32.degree. C. at the outlet of the silo from which corn steep liquor is recovered;
• maintaining the cycling ratio between 0.8 and 1.2 m.sup.3 steep water per ton of commercial corn,
• maintaining the soak time, during which the corn grains and steep water are in contact, between about 24 to 44 hours.