Corn, also known as maize, is a common starchy food that comes in the form of kernels on cobs wrapped in husks. On a cob, the type of corn develops ears of solid white, yellow, red, blue, or black kernels. Corn ears are surrounded by many layers of leaves known as husks. The root system of a plant is made up of a big primary root (the taproot) and several smaller lateral roots for support. In many places of the world, corn is an essential source of nutrition. It is an excellent energy source due to its high carbohydrate content in the form of starch.
Corn grains are often classified based on their surface characteristics and internal structure. The following are some of the most common varieties of maize and their applications. We shall also discuss the advantages of eating maize later on.
10 Common Types of Corn
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Dent Corn
The name “dent corn” refers to the dent that occurs on the crown of each kernel as the grain dries and matures. Many parts of the world grow it as a staple crop. The hybridization of Gourdseed corn produced the majority of current dent corn. This corn is available in white corn and yellow corn.
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Flint Corn
Flint corn (also known as Indian corn or calico corn) has a sturdy and smooth kernel with a variety of colors. It is frequently produced in dry areas where sweet varieties cannot survive.
It has a hard, shiny shell that protects the delicate inside endosperm. Flint maize is so named because it is as hard as flint. Flint corn is lower in starch than dent corn. It is grown in a variety of nations, including the United States and Mexico. Many people use flint corn as a decorative plant.
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Pod Corn
Pod corn differs from other types in appearance because the glume (leaflike portions) covers each kernel. It is the only type of maize that has leaves surrounding each kernel.
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Flour Corn
The pericarp of flour corn is thin, and the endosperm is soft and starchy. The Aztecs and the Incas ate it, and flour and corn kernels were discovered in their graves. Flour corn is typically found in South America, the United States, and South Africa.
Flour Corn Applications Flour corn, as the name implies, is produced to make flour. When the kernels are dry, grind them to make flour.
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Sweet corn
If you like sweet corn, you should know that the kernel is harvested while the ears are still in the milk stage. When the ears are at the milk stage, they are not dry or developed. The sweetness in maize is caused by a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes that control the conversion of sugar to starch in the endosperm of the corn kernel.
Sweet corn should be harvested when it is in the milk stage (as opposed to field corn, which should be harvested when it is in the dent stage). In the milk stage, corn resembles a vegetable rather than a grain. Sweet corn maturation involves the conversion of sugar to starch.
Because sweet corn does not keep well, it is best eaten fresh before the kernels get hard and starchy. Because sweet corn is sweet, it is rarely employed in industrial products, livestock feeds, or flour. Sweet corn has a high fiber content and thus aids digestion. Sweet corn hybridization has resulted in the development of even sweeter variants.
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Shoepeg Corn
Shoepeg corn (country gentleman corn) is named from the wooden pegs used by shoemakers to secure soles to the upper section of a shoe. It is popular in the southern United States and is more commonly found as canned corn than fresh corn.
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Blue Corn
Blue corn, also known as purple maize or Hopi maize, is a form of corn that has been farmed for hundreds of years in the southern areas of America by the Hopi people (Pueblo Indians).
Blue corn, which is linked to flint corn, is the primary type of maize used to manufacture tlacoyo. Its vibrant color is due to a high concentration of anthocyanins (natural plant dye).
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Peruvian Corn
Peruvian maize, also known as Choclo, is a type of corn native to Central and South America. It has a sweet flavor that is not overpowering. Peruvians cook this maize and eat it with fresh cheese.
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White Corn
The exterior of white corn is white to cream-colored, with a white inside. It has a moderate, sweet, and nutty flavor.
White corn kernels are soft with a juicy, crisp quality if plucked before drying out. The sugar component of the kernels converts to starch when they dry. White corn can be found on practically every continent.
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Popping Corn (Popcorn)
Popping corn (Popcorn) is a type of corn used to make a popular snack. Popcorn is made from little corn kernels that pop open and puff up when heated. It is made up of four fundamental parts: the hull, the endosperm, the germ, and the tip cap.
The hull is the kernel’s hard protective shell. As the moisture inside the kernel heats up, steam accumulates and pressure rises until the shell ruptures, allowing the endosperm to “pop” and expand beyond its original size.
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska, and Missouri are among the states that grow popcorn. Each spring, after the soil has warmed up, popcorn seeds are sown to give the seeds a better chance of germinating and growing successfully.
Conclusion
Corn is a multipurpose crop that is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as a strong source of energy.
The calories in corn provide us with energy. Corn’s carbs are relatively easy to digest and give the body quick energy. Corn is also high in fiber, which aids digestion, regulates cholesterol levels, and lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
It can be used to season soups and side dishes. Corn flour, corn syrup, and cornstarch can all be used in sweets. Corn is even consumed by animals in the form of animal feed by yellow corn for animal feed suppliers.
Frozen Method
Handling frozen food is also the best way which allowing longer usage even out of the season. Therefore, many people are understanding this change and allow different methods to handle it. Furthermore, the basic finding of the things plays an important role in food safety and usage.
High Output
Maximum production of the food allows perfection in the handling of things. Otherwise need to bear too much in terms of the shortage and the bad quality of the food. On another hand, the wastage and the loss of food are also big matters. Therefore, people are doing their best to handle things in a smooth and perfect way. In other words, perfection and smart handling is the main thing in all places.
Demand Effect
The demand for different food items mostly remains in changing position. However, sometimes some food becomes in peak demand, and some lose their value. Therefore, the need for things is changing with the time like the yellow corn exporters in China