It may be an American crop by origin by Corn is one of the most popular crops in India as well. Indian origin corn is highly versatile and very widely used all across the country. Corn is basically a form of grass which has been cultivated over the years and grown to the size in which you see it today. It was originally cultivated in Mexico some 7000 years ago and is a staple of many countries at present. Besides its most popular use as pop corn in movie theaters, corn serves many other purposes and has several important by-products as well. The following are the top 5 popular ways in which we can use and utilize the food grain.
- Starch
Starch or corn starch is a by-product of corn processing and is basically made from the endosperm of the corn. It is obtained after the germ portion and the hull part are removed. The endosperm undergoes grinding and the gluten is then removed from starch. Corn starch or corn flour is used as a thickening agent in many sauces, soups and other food items.
- Corn syrup
Corn syrup or liquid glucose is another form in which corn can be used. It is made from corn starch and is used as a sweetener in many foods and beverages. It is obtained when enzymes are added to corn starch to break free the chains into sugars or glucose. There are many forms of liquid glucose and each finds a different kind of use, depending upon the percentage of glucose present.
- Corn oil
Another by-product of corn which is highly useful is corn oil. Corn oil is basically obtained by pressing corn germ, which too is a part of corn. Corn oil has many health benefits and is used widely for several purposes such as for skin care, hair care, as a cooking oil etc.
- Corn meal
Corn meal is obtained when the whole corn is grinded. The coarsest corn meal is termed as grits and is used for making corn flakes, which are a popular breakfast item. There are many other varieties of corn meal such as corn cones, corn flour and others. Different forms of corn meal are obtained when corn undergoes different refining procedures.
- Penicillin
Corn steep liquor is one of the by-products of the process of separating the different components of corn. Corn steep liquor basically consists of yeast, acids, gluten and nitrogen.
Now that you know some of the major ways in which corn is used, you must realize how important this crop is, especially in India. HL Agro is one of the companies that is involved in producing bulk quantities of corn by-products of the highest quality. From Indian origin corn starch to liquid glucose and maize gluten, the company has been known for its wide scale production of these derivatives year after year. Contact HL Agro, the bulk processor of corn & dominant corn starch exporter for ordering your batch today.
