What is Corn?

Corn is a member of the grass family TRIPSACEAE. Its genus and species name is Zea mays L.. It is a tall coarse annual grass. Its seeds are cereal grains. The cob (ear) is actually part of the flower structure.

Types of Corn

DENT corn, the scientific name of which is Zea mays indentata, is also called "field" corn. It is a corn variety with kernels that contain both hard and soft starch and become indented at maturity. It is a major crop used to make food, animal feed, and industrial products.

FLINT corn, known by the scientific name Zea mays indurata, is a variety of corn having hard, horny, rounded or short and flat kernels with the soft and starchy endosperm completely enclosed by a hard outer layer. It is similar to dent and is used for the same purposes. Most of it is grown in South America.

WAXY corn is a corn variety with grains that have a waxy appearance when cut, and that contain only branched-chain starch. It is grown to make special starches for thickening foods.

SWEET or "green" corn is eaten fresh, canned, or frozen. It is a type of corn that is grown in many horticultural varities. It is variously considered a distinct species (Zea saccharata or Zea rugosa), a subspecies (Zea mays rugosa) or a specific mutation of dent corn. It is distinguished by kernels containing a high percentage of sugar in the milk stage when they are suitable for table use.

POPCORN is a variety of corn, Zea mays everta, which has small ears and small pointed or rounded kernels with very hard corneous endosperm that, on exposure to dry heat, are popped or everted by the expulsion of the contained moisture, and form a white starchy mass many times the size of the original kernel.

INDIAN corn has white, red, purple, brown, or multicolored kernels. It was the original corn grown by the Indians, and is known by the scientific name Zea mays. It is many times seen in harvest time and Halloween decorations.

FLOUR corn, also called "soft" corn or "squaw" corn, has kernels shaped like those of flint corn and composed almost entirely of soft starch. It is known by the scientific name Zea mays amylacea. In this country we grow small amounts of blue flour corn to make tortillas, chips, and baked goods. In South America this corn is grown in various colors to make food and beer.

Corn Production

Six nations (USA, China, Brazil, Mexico, France, Argentina) produce 75% of the world's corn supply. The USA alone produces 39% of the total. Six states within the USA (Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio) account for 82% of this production. Iowa leads the group with 22% of total national production (which is 8.5% of total world production, approximately the total production of Mexico, France and Argentina put together). The current yield record is held by Illinois farmer, Herman Warsaw, who in 1985 produced 23.5 t/ha (370 bu/A) on an 8 ha (20 A) field outside of Saybrook under rain fed conditions (607mm or 24 inches). He used high inputs of fertilizer and manure, reduced tillage, deep chisel plowing and the stay-green cultivar FS-854 planted at 92,500 seeds/ha (37,000 seeds/A).

What is in a Kernel of Corn?

Parts of a Corn Kernel

The Endosperm is about 82% of the kernel's dry weight and is the source of energy and protein (starch) for the germinating seed. There are two types of endosperm, soft and hard. In the hard endosperm, starch is packed tightly together; in the soft endosperm, the starch is loose. When corn dries in the field before harvest, the moisture loss causes the soft endosperm to collapse and form a dent in the top of the kernel.

The Pericarp, also called the hull, is the outer covering of the kernel that protects it from deterioration. It is water- and water vapor-resistant and is undesirable to insects and micro-organisms.

The Germ is the only living part of the corn kernel. It contains the essential genetic information, enzymes, vitamins and minerals for the kernel to grow into a corn plant. About 25% of the germ is corn oil. Corn oil is the most valuable part of the corn kernel because of its amount of linoleic acid (polyunsaturated fat) and its bland taste.

The Tip Cap is the only area of the kernel not covered bt the pericarp. It was the attachment point of the kernel to the cob. It is the major entry path into the kernel.

Corn Facts

• Iowa produces more corn than any foreign country except China. In 2000, Iowa farmers grew three times as much corn as Argentina. Iowa grows enough corn to supply all the corn imports for the top five U.S. foreign markets: Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Egypt and Korea.
• To produce Iowa's 2001 corn crop with 1950s farming methods would require three times as much land as farmers use today. In 1950, Iowa growers produced just 48 bushels per acre; by 2000, growers produced 145 bushels per acre.
• The biggest use for corn in Iowa is feeding livestock. One bushel of corn can produce 13 pounds of bacon or 22 hamburgers.
• Americans consume more corn-based snacks than potato chips. They also rely on corn more than sugar cane and beets to sweeten products that range from soft drinks and candy to baked goods, desserts and ice creams. One bushel of corn produces enough sweetener for 324 cans of soda.
• One bushel of corn produces enough corn flakes to make 38 boxes. That means the cost of the corn for consumers is less than a nickel per 12 ounce box of cereal.
• Iowa's corn is important to Americans' health care. Corn-based ingredients like dextrose are used to make cough syrups, antibiotics and intravenous solutions. Corn starch is used in aspirin, surgical dressings and vitamins. Corn steepwater from the refining process helped win World War II because of its value in producing large amounts of penicillin.
• Iowa corn is used to make environmentally friendly products: Blending ethanol with gasoline produces cleaner-burning fuel. Corn starch is a key ingredient in making recycled paper and cardboard. Corn starch can also be refined into a sweetener, which is then transformed into polylactic acid (PLA) to make new biodegradable plastics and compostable fabrics.
• Iowa's new farmer-owned ethanol plants can help communities as much as they help corn farmers. Growers supplying corn to these plants can look forward to price improvements of as much as 20 cents per bushel. And since growers spend so much of their income locally, these corn price improvements are expected to pump several million dollars each into local economies and provide local jobs.

How to Grill Corn on the Cob

1. Peel back the husks from an ear of corn.
2. Remove the silk.
3. Bring the husk back over the cob.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with desired number of ears of corn.
5. Place the corncobs in water.
6. Soak for at least 10 minutes.
7. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.
8. Grill the corn, turning frequently, until husks are dry and kernels are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Serve hot off the grill, with butter or margarine if desired.

Tips:

1. If husks break off while you're peeling them back, tie them in place with kitchen twine.

Corn Recipes