Kelvin Kigen of Favour Machinery and Auto Spares explaining how maize huller machine works during this year’s Nyeri ASK show.
Muthokoi (maize without husks) lovers can enjoy making their favourite dish within the shortest time possible with Maize huller machine which removes the bran (outer maize grain layer) within five minutes.
This is opposed to traditional way of making the food which took more than one person in order to make the work easier and faster and it could also take more than an hour to remove the maize husks.
Maize huller polishes maize by removing the bran through friction as it passes through the chamber between the emery roller and standard size sieve. The operator will thereafter collect maize husks and muthokoi from two different outlets, explains Kelvin Kigen, the huller operator and sales representative of Favour Machinery and Auto Spares, Rift Valley region.
Maize hullers require low maintenance and lower operational costs and does not need any skilled labour force to operate the machinery. Superior quality emery roller polishes maize and removes the bran with ease and it lasts for years.
“These machines are specially designed to give high output with low power consumption,” said Kigen adding that all models are suitable to run by Diesel engine or electric motor.
Originally muthokoi which is a favourite dish among the Kamba community. According to Elimu Asilia Organisation on indigenous knowledge, making muthokoi entailed removing the outer skin of the maize grains by using a pestle ‘muthi’ and a wooden mortar ‘ndii’.
The maize were then put in a mortar for pounding, something which could take two people one hour to complete.
This means, with maize huller, only one person will be needed to do the work and it will take him not more than five minutes to complete saving 55minutes with limited manpower. Maize huller can polish up to three tons of maize in one hour.