# Patent

## Title
High TDF starch made by high temperature steeping of grain

## Abstract

The application relates to a starch comprising greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber as determined by the AOAC 991.43 test method and wherein the starch has not been chemically modified.

## Background
INTRODUCTION
Fiber is an important nutritional component of the human diet. Currently, nutritionists generally recommend the consumption of at least 25 grams per day of fiber. Such levels of fiber may contribute to gut health, heart health, cancer prevention, and avoidance of other health problems. However, it is estimated that in the average diet in the industrialized world, only about 10 grams per day of fiber is consumed. Therefore, providing high-fiber foods which are appealing to consumers is desired. Dietary fiber consists of the remnants of plant cells, polysaccharides, lignin, and associated substances resistant to hydrolysis (digestion) by the alimentary enzymes of humans.
In recent years, there has been increased awareness of the role of total dietary fiber (TDF) in human diet. Ingredion Incorporated has technologies to increase TDF in starch products such as NOVELOSE® 330 starch (a RS3-type resistant, nongranular, retrograded starch) and HI-MAIZE® 260 starch (a resistant starch derived from high amylose cornstarch), with 30% and 60% TDF contents, respectively. Haralampu et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,090 provided a method of heating aqueous slurry of a granular native starch to a temperature sufficient to swell the native starch granules without disrupting the starch granules. The swelled granular native starch is then treated with a debranching enzyme to give a starch with a TDF content from about 20% to about 50% by weight.
FIBERSYM® RW starch (a food-grade resistant wheat starch) contains a minimum TDF of 85% (dry basis (db)) as determined by AOAC Method 991.43. The production process for FIBERSYM® starch RW involves treatment of wheat starch with sodium trimetaphosphate (a cross-linking agent) and sodium tripolyphosphate (a substituting agent) yielding a highly cross-linked wheat starch containing small levels of substituents. ACTISTAR® RT starch (a resistant modified food starch derived from tapioca) contains about 80 percent TDF. The production process for ACTISTAR® RT starch involves enzymatic de-branching of a tapioca maltodextrin and subsequent retrogradation. Konjac flour comprises a glucomannan and is derived from the tubers of Amorphophallus konjac. Konjac flour contains 85% to 95% TDF. The konjac glucomannan is a high molecular polysaccharide with mannose and glucose residues, which are linked together by β-1,4 linkages in a molar ratio of 1.6:1.0. Acetyl groups along the konjac glucomannan backbone occur on average every 9 to 19 sugar units.
Thompson et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,355 disclosed a method of subjecting a starch to acid hydrolysis, followed by heat-moisture treatment to give a product which is over 60% TDF. Nehmer et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,126 described a process of extruding a starch at a temperature in the range of about 60° C. to 220° C. followed by heat-moisture treatment to give starches with as high as 61% TDF. Unlike these techniques, the current application does not require secondary processing such as additional heating, and/or acid treatment, and/or enzyme treatments/hydrothermal treatments, which adds a significant cost to the final product. So, there is a need of a simple, low-cost method for producing starch with increased TDF content.
The method of wet milling is very well documented in the literature. In conventional wet milling, corn is steeped, i.e. soaked in 0.1% to 0.4% aqueous sulfur dioxide solution, at 40° C. to 55° C. for 28 hours to 72 hours. In water, the sodium dioxide forms sulfurous acid, which controls fermentation and softens the corn kernel. Steeping of corn aids in the separation the various components of corn such as starch and nutrients. The softened corn is then separated by various mechanical wet milling operations into starch, protein, germ, and fiber.
A number of publications and patents have claimed improvements in the wet milling process with the goal of extracting starch products with improved physical/chemical properties of starch/other components of corn. Singh et al., “Effect of Soak Time, Soak Temperature, and Lactic Acid on Germ Recovery Parameters”, Cereal Chem. 73(6):716-720, 1996, reported steeping yellow dent corn at 75° C. in an experimental wet-milling process and stated, “effects of starch gelatinization could be observed”. During the nixtamalization process to make masa, kernels of dried corn are cooked in an alkaline limewater solution at or near the mixture's boiling point. After cooking, the corn is steeped in the cooking liquid for a period. As Bressani et al. “Changes in Selected Nutrient Contents and in Protein Quality of Common and Quality-Protein Maize During Rural Tortilla Preparation”, Cereal Chem. 67(6):515-518, 1990 showed, the TDF decreases from about 13% to about 10% on a dry weight basis in the masa during the process.
de Sollimo et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,339 claimed a method, “comprising: steeping whole corn in water of generally neutral pH in the temperature range of 68° C. to 82° C. for two hours to one-half hour”. This makes corn meal with improved shelf life toward rancidity because, “[t]he natural enzymes of the grains are debilitated in the steeping step.” Fan et al., “Comparison of the Rates of Absorption of Water by Corn Kernels with and Without Dissolved Sulfur Dioxide”, Cereal Chem. 42:385-396, 1965 measured the effects of time, temperature, and SO2 concentration on water absorption rates during corn steeping using sweet, pop, and dent corn including temperatures of 71° C.
Shi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,503 taught heat-moisture treatment of HYLON® VII starch (an unmodified high amylose corn starch which contains approximately 70% amylose), at a moisture level of 37.4% and with an initial TDF content of 12.0%, gave a starch containing 41.9% TDF. Similar heat-moisture treatment of VJR starch, which has a high molecular weight amylose content of 78.3% and a low molecular weight amylose content of 18.7%, gave a starch containing 42.3% TDF. Shi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,389 taught treatment of HYLON® VII starch mixed with sufficient water to obtain a water content of 38% and heated to about 99° C. for two hours while maintaining the moisture content of the starch gave a sample with 62% TDF. The Hunter L color of this starch was not given.
Shi et al. in US Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0197373 A1 taught that heating the grain used to make HYLON® VII starch with 41.4% moisture content, at 110° C., for 17 hours increased the TDF content of the grain (not the starch) from 63.4% to 81.1%.
Seib et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,946 taught that reaction of a mung bean starch slurry with a mixture of sodium trimetaphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate in the presence of sodium sulfate at pH 11.5 warmed to 45° C., and held at 45° C. for 3 hours gave a starch which is 97.5% resistant to bacterial α-amylase activity as measured by AOAC method 992.16. The TDF level of this starch was not given. Corn, potato, wheat, rice, tapioca, and oat starch gave lesser amounts of resistant starch as did other chemical modifications.
SUMMARY
In one aspect the application provides a starch comprising greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber as determined by the AOAC 991.43 test method and wherein the starch has not been chemically modified.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts the thermal properties of the starch product obtained by the high temperature steeping process of the present application.
FIG. 2 depicts the comparison of the TDF content of the final starch made by the one step process to the amylose content of the starting corn.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION


    In one aspect the application provides a starch comprising greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber as determined by the AOAC 991.43 test method and wherein the starch has not been chemically modified.
    In one embodiment the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 70% to about 80% by weight.
    In another embodiment the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 72% to about 78% by weight.
    In another embodiment the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 74% to about 76% by weight.
    In another embodiment the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 72% to about 74% by weight.
    In another embodiment the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 76% to about 78% by weight.
    In one embodiment the starch is a grain starch.
    In another embodiment the grain starch is a corn starch.
    In another embodiment the starch is prepared by a process comprising:
    
        a) steeping high amylose corn kernels at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 93° C. for a time from about 24 hours to about 72 hours;
        b) subjecting the high-temperature steep corn kernels to conventional wet milling;
        c) subjecting the recovered intermediate starch to heat-moisture treatment; and
        d) wherein the final starch comprises greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber.
    
    
    In one embodiment the steeping process is done in two stages.
    In another embodiment the two stage steeping process is done first at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 76° C. for a time from about 14 hours to about 26 hours and done secondly at a temperature from about 76° C. to about 88° C. for a time from about 14 hours to about 26 hours.
    In another embodiment the two stage steeping process is done first at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 73° C. for a time from about 17 hours to about 23 hours and done secondly at a temperature from about 79° C. to about 85° C. for a time from about 17 hours to about 23 hours.
    In another embodiment the two stage steeping process is done first at a temperature of about 71° C. for a time of about 20 hours and done secondly at a temperature of about 82° C. for a time of about 20 hours.
    In one embodiment the steeping process is done in one stage.
    In another embodiment the one stage steeping process is done at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 76° C. for a time from about 24 hours to about 36 hours.
    In another embodiment the one stage steeping process is done at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 73° C. for a time from about 27 hours to about 33 hours.
    In another embodiment the one stage steeping process is done at a temperature of about 71° C. for a time of about 30 hours.


The present application proposes high temperature steeping of corn kernels, especially high amylose varieties, at temperatures ranging from 71° C. to 93° C. for 24 hours to 72 hours. The high temperature steeped starch kernels are subjected to conventional wet milling process to recover starch. The extracted starch shows increased TDF content, ranging from 33% to 45% as compared to conventional wet milling process, which showed a TDF of 20% to 25% in starch (Table 1). The process has no negative impact on the recovery and quality of extracted starch. The current application describes a simple and economical way to make a starch product with high TDF values that are highly desirable for nutritional applications.







TABLE 1







TDF summary of the steeping experiments











TDF


corn
Steeping Description
(%, db)





A7
One step steeping at 49 C. for
20.4



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A7
One step steeping at 57 C. for
22.4



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A7
One step steeping at 71 C. for
31.1



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A7
One step steeping at 71 C. for
29.6



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A7
One step steeping at 77 C. for
38.5



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A7
Two step steeping at 71 C. for 20 h and 
35.4



82 C. for 20 h → wet milling → dried




starch



A7
Four step steeping w/o quenching 
45.2



60 C.→71 C. → 82 C. for 64 h → 93 C.




20 h at 93 C.→ wet milling → dried




starch



A8
One step steeping at 60 C. for
29.1



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A8
One step steeping at 71 C. for
36.4



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A8
One step steeping at 82 C. for
43.9



30 h → wet milling → dried starch



A8
Two step steeping at 71 C. for 20 h and 
43.4



82 C. for 20 h → wet milling → dried




starch



A8
Four step steeping w/o quenching
45.2



60 C.→71 C. → 82 C. for 64 h → 93 C.




20 h at 93 C. → wet milling → dried




starch









The starch product obtained by after the high temperature steeping process the present application also showed improved thermal properties in the starch as evident by the delayed onset and peak melting shown in FIG. 1.
Furthermore, the starch product when cooked at 95° C. in excess water showed less viscosity development as compared to control (Table 2). Both delayed melting and lower viscosity development are highly desirable properties of starch as valued in many food and industrial applications.







TABLE 2







Viscosity and color measurement of starch


prepared from high temperature steeped corn












Color
Viscosity


corn
Steeping Description
(Hunter L)
(mPas)





A7
One step steeping at 57 C. for 30
94.3
73



h → wet milling → dried starch




A7
One step steeping at 71 C. for 30
94.2
55



h → wet milling → dried starch









A comparison of the TDF content of the final starch made by the one step process shows a correlation to the amylose content of the starting corn (Table 3).







TABLE 3







Effect of amylose content of corn and comparison


of heat-moisture treatment with high temperature


steeping on TDF and color of final starch













Water
TDF
Hunter




uptake
(%,
color


Corn
Steeping Description
(%)
db)
(L value)














Dent1
One step steeping at 71 C. for 40
55
2
89



h → wet milling → dried starch





A52
One step steeping at 71 C. for 40
76
13
89



h → wet milling → dried starch





A73
One step steeping at 71 C. for 40
75
36
87



h → wet milling → dried starch





A84
One step steeping at 71 C. for 40
85
47
88



h → wet milling → dried starch





A7
One step steeping at 49 C. for 30
ND
20
ND



h → wet milling → dried starch





A7
One step steeping at 57 C. for 30
ND
22
ND



h → wet milling → dried starch





A7
Adjust moisture of grain to 45% and
44
36
83



heat-moisture treatment at 80 C.






for 16 hr





A7
Two step steeping at 71 C. for
83
46
87



20 h and 82 C. for 20 h → wet






milling → dried starch





125% amylose


250% amylose


370% amylose


480% amylose






As can bee seen in FIG. 2, this relationship is non-linear, i.e. unpredictable, and is best fitted as a power law relationship. A comparison of the increase in TDF and the Hunter color, i.e. the whiteness, of starch made from the same starting corn by the conventional wet milling process, by the present two step high temperature steeping process, and by heat-moisture treatment shows an unexpected greater increase in TDF for the present two step process. Also unexpected is the better color of the two step process compared with the heat-moisture treatment process.

The intermediate starch, made by either the one step or the two step high temperature steeping process, is heat-moisture treated using methods known in the art such as those described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,503. The amount of heat and moisture may be varied to get the desired properties and total dietary fiber content. In preparing the starch of this application, it is necessary that the starch be processed for a specified time at a specified total water content and defined temperature combination so as to avoid partially or fully gelatinizing the starch so that it retains its granular structure. The heat-moisture treatment is conventionally conducted by hydrating the starch to attain a moisture content of between from about 10% to about 80%, and then heat treating at temperatures from about 65° C. to about 160° C. The particular moisture content and treatment conditions are dependent upon the type and processing of the starch used as well as the amount of total dietary fiber desired. In one embodiment, the heat-moisture treatment is conducted using dynamic heating, such that the starch is mixed during heating. Dynamic heating may be accomplished using methods known in the art, including using conventional mixing or in an apparatus which provides mixing such as fluid bed reactor or mixer, horizontal mechanical mixer, or a heated mixer.
The total moisture or water content of the intermediate starch to be heat-moisture-treated will typically be in a range of from about 10% to about 80% by weight, in one embodiment from about 15% to about 55%, and in another embodiment from about 20% to about 45% by weight, and in yet another embodiment from about 20% to about 35%, based on the weight of the dry starch. In one embodiment, this relative level of moisture is maintained during a substantial portion of the heating step and is accomplished by methods known in art, for instance, by heating in a sealed container. In another embodiment, no water is added to the starch during heating (i.e., no water is present during the heating step other than the moisture content of the starch). In yet another embodiment, the moisture content is not controlled (kept substantially constant) during the hydrothermal treatment such that the treated starch has a lower moisture content once processed. The starch with specified moisture content is typically heated at a temperature from about 65° C. to about 160° C., in one embodiment from about 90° C. to about 130° C., in another embodiment from about 90° C. to about 120° C. The most desirable temperature may vary depending on the botanical source of the starch, degree of processing and the moisture content. Also, the time over which the starch is heated varies according to the starch source, its degree of processing, moisture content, heating temperature as well as the level of total dietary fiber content desired.
Typically, the heating time will be from about 0.25 hour to about 24 hours and in one embodiment from about 1 hour to about 4 hours. However, shorter times may be used dependent upon the equipment in which the treatment is conducted. In one embodiment, the heat-moisture treatment is performed at a very short time from about 30 seconds to about 15 minutes in a continuous heat exchanger such as a preconditioner typically used for extrusion cooking.
The above time, temperature and moisture conditions may be varied so long as the granular structure of the starch is not destroyed and the granules remain birefringent such that the Maltese cross is not destroyed when viewed under polarized light. Under some conditions, such as at high moisture and high temperature, the starch granule may appear partially swollen but the crystallinity is not destroyed.
The results of heat-moisture treatment of the intermediate starch obtained by high temperature steeping are shown in Table 4. The level of TDF in the heat-moisture treated starches made by the two high temperature steeping methods is unparalleled. It is unexpected larger than the 41.9% TDF taught by Shi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,503 in a high amylose corn starch.







TABLE 4







Effect of heat-moisture treatment on starches


made by the different processes












TDF (%, db)
TDF (%, db)




before heat-
after heat-




moisture
moisture


Samples
corn
treatment
treatment





One step steeping of kernels
A7
20.4
66.7


at 49° C. to 57° C.





One step steeping of kernels
A7
31.3
72.6


at 71° C.





Two step steeping of kernels
A7
39.9
ND


at 71° C. and 82° C.





One step steeping of kernels
A8
40.1
76.2


at 71° C.









DEFINITIONS
The following definitions are used in connection with the compounds of the present application unless the context indicates otherwise. The phrase “chemically modified starch”, as used herein, is intended to mean chemically modified via a reagent. Chemical modifications include acid-conversion, phosphorylation, etherification, esterification, chemical crosslinking, enzyme modification, partial hydrolysis, or the like. Procedures for modifying starches are described in “Starch and Its Modification” by M. W. Rutenberg, pages 22-26 to 22-47, “Handbook of Water Soluble Gums and Resins”, edited by R. L. Davidson, 1980, and “Starch: Chemistry and Technology, Third Edition”, edited by James BeMiller and Roy Whistler, Chapter 17, 2009.
The phrase “heat-moisture treatment”, as used herein, means a process in which a subject is heated by using, as a heating medium, saturated steam, or hot water in a high-humidity atmosphere, for example, an atmosphere of at least 60% humidity. The subject to be heated may be brought into direct contact with the heating medium or the subject may be brought into indirect contact with the heating medium like an indirect heating system, for example, in an atmosphere of at least 60% humidity may be performed. The heat-moisture treatment of native starch causes an irreversible modification of the semi-crystalline structure, which changes from an ordered state to a disordered state, resulting in gelatinization. The gel thus formed is not stable and after a few days the starch restructures itself into a more ordered structure, this phenomenon being known as retrogradation. The physical characteristics of starches are modified by heat-moisture treatment without change in their granular appearance. These changed characteristics include change in equilibrium moisture content, change in X-ray diffraction pattern, change in the swelling power of starch granules, and increase in the gelatinization temperature.
The phrase “high amylose”, as used herein, means containing at least 27% amylose for wheat or rice and at least 50% amylose for other sources and, for sources other than wheat or rice, in one embodiment contains at least 70%, in another embodiment particularly at least 80%, and in yet another embodiment at least 90% amylose by weight based on the starch within the whole grain. The percent amylose is determined by using the potentiometric test described, infra.
The term “total dietary fiber” content (“TDF”), as used herein, may include the polysaccharides and remnants of plant materials that are resistant to hydrolysis (digestion) by human alimentary enzymes, including nonstarch polysaccharides, resistant starch, lignin, and minor components such as waxes, cutin, and suberin. The acronym “TDF”, as used herein, is defined as measured by the weight of undigested material separated by filtration as described by the test described as AOAC method 991.43.
The word “starch”, as used herein, means a complex carbohydrate consisting essentially of two types of polysaccharide molecules. The first polysaccharide is amylose, a mostly linear and flexible polymer of D-anhydroglucose units that are linked by α-1,4-D-glucosidic bonds. The second polysaccharide is amylopectin, a branched polymer of linear D-anhydroglucose units linked by α-1,4-D-glucosidose that, in turn, are linked by α-1,6-D-glucosidic bonds.
Certain specific aspects and embodiments of the present application will be explained in greater detail with reference to the following examples, which are provided only for purposes of illustration and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the application in any manner. Reasonable variations of the described procedures are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. While particular aspects of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
EXAMPLES
The Following Test Procedures were Used Throughout the Examples. Total Dietary Fiber Determination (“TDF”) Using AOAC 991.43 Method.
Total dietary fiber (TDF) was determined using the Megazyme-K-TDFR diagnostic kit recommended for AOAC Official Method 991.43. Duplicate samples (1.0 g dry basis) were dispersed in 0.05M MES/TRIS buffer solution (40 mL, pH 8.2) in 400 mL tall-form beaker and a heat stable alpha-amylase solution (50 μ·L) was added. The mixture was incubated in the shaking water bath at 98 C for 35 minutes. After cooling to 60° C., the mixture was treated with protease enzyme (100 μL) and incubated for 30 minutes. The digest was adjusted to pH 4.5 with HCL. Then glucoamylase (200 μL) was added and the mixture was digested for another 30 minutes at 60° C. An insoluble residue was precipitated by adding 4 volumes of 95% ethanol. The residue was collected on packed filter, dried overnight at 105° C., weighed, and calculated as total dietary fiber (minus the protein and ash contents in residue). All TDF data reported on dry basis.
Amylose Content.
Amylose content could be determined by potentiometric titration. Approximately 0.5 g of a starch sample is heated in 10 mL of concentrated calcium chloride (about 30% by weight) to 95° C. for 30 minutes. The sample is cooled to room temperature, diluted with 5 mL of a 2.5% uranyl acetate solution, mixed well, and centrifuged for 5 minutes at 2000 rpm. The sample is then filtered to give a clear solution. The starch concentration is determined polarimetrically using a 1 cm polarimetric cell. An aliquot of the sample (normally 5 mL) is then directly titrated with a standardized 0.01 N iodine solution while recording the potential using a platinum electrode with a KCl reference electrode. The amount of iodine needed to reach the inflection point was measured directly as bound iodine. The amount of amylose was calculated by assuming 1.0 gram of amylose will bind with 200 mg of iodine.
Hunter L Color.
The Hunter Colorimeter can be used to measure a multitude of color scales and optical properties of a dry powder sample of starch. A Hunter Color QUEST spectrocolorimeter sphere model (commercially available from Hunter Associates Laboratory, Inc., Reston, Va.) equipped with an NW compression cell with quartz window (commercially available from Bran-Luebbe, Inc., Buffalo Grove, Ill.) is used to measure color according to the manufacture's instructions using the following parameters: Scale=b (yellow), Observer angle=10, Illuminant=D65, Reflectance setting=RSIN, Viewing area Size=LAV and Ultraviolet Filter=out.
Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art as known to those skilled therein as of the date of the application described and claimed herein.
While particular embodiments of the present application have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this application.

## Claims

1. A starch comprising greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber as determined by the AOAC 991.43 test method and wherein the starch has not been chemically modified and is granular.

2. The starch of claim 1, wherein the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 70% to about 80% by weight.

3. The starch of claim 2, wherein the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 72% to about 78% by weight.

4. The starch of claim 3, wherein the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 74% to about 76% by weight.

5. The starch of claim 4, wherein the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 72% to about 74% by weight.

6. The starch of claim 5, wherein the amount of total dietary fiber is between about 76% to about 78% by weight.

7. The starch of claim 1, wherein the starch is a grain starch.

8. The starch of claim 7, wherein the grain starch is a corn starch.

9. A process comprising:
a) steeping high amylose corn kernels at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 93° C. for a time from about 24 hours to about 72 hours;
b) subjecting the high-temperature steep corn kernels to conventional wet milling;
c) subjecting the recovered intermediate starch to heat-moisture treatment; and
d) wherein the final starch comprises greater than 70% by weight of total dietary fiber as determined by the AOAC 991.43 test method and wherein the starch has not been chemically modified and is granular.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the steeping process is done in two stages.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein two stage steeping process is done first at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 76° C. for a time from about 14 hours to about 26 hours and done secondly at a temperature from about 76° C. to about 88° C. for a time from about 14 hours to about 26 hours.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the steeping process is done in one stage.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the one stage steeping process is done at a temperature from about 71° C. to about 76° C. for a time from about 24 hours to about 36 hours.