The invention relates to methods of extracting DNA from seeds, said method comprising pretreating said seeds by soaking the seeds in a pretreatment solution comprising an alkali in a concentration sufficient to soften said seed; crushing said seeds; extracting said DNA from said crushed seeds. Methods also relate to the use of pretreatment solutions which further comprise an osmoticum. A method of fragmenting plant material such as seed, a method of recovering extraction medium from seed fragmentation and a process of extracting a seed component from crushed seed material are also described.

The invention relates to a horizontal axis pressure washer that allows removing the mucilage from fermented coffee efficiently with a low consumption of water and power. The main characteristic of the pressure washer of the present invention is the rotor located horizontally in a circular basket, where said rotor comprises several rows with three types of fingers specialized in three tasks: cleaning, shaking and injecting water with pressure. Said combination of functionalities allows the complete elimination of mucilage from fermented coffee.

A method includes introducing at least one of a whole product or a milled product (e.g., corn) to an airflow (e.g., using a gravity hopper), directing the airflow into one or more accelerators, separating a first fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product from a second fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product in the one or more accelerators. For example, corn germ, starch, and bran components can be separated from one another.

A method includes introducing at least one of a whole product or a milled product (e.g., corn) to an airflow (e.g., using a gravity hopper), directing the airflow into one or more accelerators, separating a first fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product from a second fraction of the at least one of the whole product or the milled product in the one or more accelerators. For example, corn germ, starch, and bran components can be separated from one another.