Food uses of whole corn and dry-milled fractions Book in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • © 2019 AACCI. Published by Elsevier Inc. in cooperation with AACC International. All rights reserved.Maize or corn is the leading cereal crop in terms of worldwide production and used for production of an array of human food, animal feeds (see Chapter 23), biofuels (see Chapter 22), and other industrial items. According to the FAO, the direct food use of corn worldwide exceeds 150 million tons/year. Corn originated in Mesoamerica and the prehispanic cultures were responsible for developing different ancestral races that have been used by plant breeders for the generation of improved varieties and hybrids. The main types planted today are yellow, white, sweet, popcorn, blue, waxy, and quality protein. In terms of human food, it is mainly consumed in Africa and the Americas on the cob or from traditional and industrialized food derived from dry-milled fractions (see Chapter 15), starch (see Chapters 19 and 20, 19 and 20), or nixtamalized fresh masa or dry flour (see Chapter 17). Most corn used nowadays for direct human consumption is in developing countries in the form of porridges and gruels that are produced from traditionally milled corn. Industrial dry-millers currently produce whole grain flours and an array of refined dry-milled fractions which are further transformed into traditional or extruded breakfast cereals, snacks, gruels/porridges, yeast and chemically leavened bakery items, beer, and distilled spirits. The nutritional qualities of these food greatly impact the status of many civilizations throughout the world.

publication date

  • January 1, 2018