What happens to all that corn grown by Iowa farmers? Much of the corn grown by Iowa farmers becomes livestock feed and ethanol fuel, or is exported as value-added products.
But that’s not all. Corn is in everything!
The kernel is made up of four major components – starch, fiber, protein and oil – that can be processed in different ways to be used in all kinds of products. In fact, a typical grocery store contains 4,000 items that list corn ingredients on the label.
Many other products depend on corn as well, from paper goods and cardboard packaging, to all the meat, milk, eggs, poultry and other protein products that come from corn-fed animals.
Corn takes many forms and gets used in remarkable ways most folks would never imagine. Thousands of products are made from corn ingredients, like ethanol! What’s even better, Dry Distillers Grain Solubles (DDGS) remains from the production of ethanol serve as a premium source of protein for livestock. Corn-based ethanol can be made through either a dry or wet milling process. In either case, about one-third of the grain ends up as livestock feed.
Click here to learn more about Ethanol.
Click here to learn more about DDGS.
Click here to see a graphic highlighting the many uses of corn.
Dry milling for grits, corn meal and corn flour leads to all sorts of products. Here are some examples of dry milled corn uses:
Grit Uses | Corn Meal Uses | Corn Cones/Flour Uses |
---|---|---|
Brewing beer | Bakery mixes | Baby foods |
Corn flakes | Cereals | Bakery mixes |
Other breakfast cereals | Corn bread | Breading, coatings and batters |
Snack Foods | Corn meal mixes | Cereals |
Corn muffins | Dusting for pizzas | |
Hush puppies | English muffins | |
Pancake mixes | Fermentation processes | |
Snacks | Meat products | |
Spoon bread | Pancakes, muffins, doughnuts |
One bushel of wet milled corn produces:
Here are some examples of wet milled corn uses:
Industrial Starch Uses | Industrial Sweetener Uses | Industrial Fermentation Products |
---|---|---|
Paper, recycled paper | Acetic acid | Acetic and amino acids |
Cardboard | Charcoal briquettes | Blankets and bedding |
Textiles | Dyes and inks | Carpet tile |
Glues and adhesives | Enzymes | Cosmetics |
Batteries | Insecticides | Electroplating and galvanizing |
Bookbinding | Laminated building materials | Food packaging |
Cleaners, detergents | Matches | Disposable cold drink cups, plates and cutlery |
Coatings on paper, wood and metal | Metal plating | Industrial chemicals |
Color carrier for printing | Organic solvents | Leather tanning |
Crayons and Chalk | Paper | Mannitol |
Dyes | Plasticizing agents | Organic solvents |
Fireworks | Rayon | Paper |
Industrial filters and water recovery | Shampoo | Plastics |
Lubricants | Shoe polish | Plasticizers |
Ore and oil refining | Textiles | Soaps and cleaners |
Paints | Theatrical makeup | Sports and active wear |
Plastics | Textiles | |
Rubber tires | ||
Surgical dressings | ||
Wallboard and wallpaper |
Food and Drug Uses | Food and Drug Sweetener Uses | Food and Drug Fermentation Products |
---|---|---|
Aspirin | Alcoholic beverages and brewing | Antibiotics |
Baby food | Baby foods | Baker products |
Baked goods | Bacon | Citric acid |
Baking powder | Baked goods | Drugs |
Cake, cookie, dessert mixes | Caramel color | Enzymes |
Candies | Carbonated and fruit beverages | Food acids |
Cereals | Canned fruits, fruit fillings | Pharmaceuticals |
Coffee whitener | Cereals | Wine |
Dried soups | Cheese spreads | |
Drugs | Chewing gum | |
Gravy mixes | Condiments | |
Instant breakfast foods | Confections, chocolate | |
Instant pudding mixes | Drugs | |
Instant tea | Food coloring | |
Salad dressings | Frosting and icing | |
Spray cooking oil | Frozen and dried eggs | |
Powdered mixes | Hams | |
Powdered sugar | Hot dogs, bologna | |
Precooked frozen foods | Ice cream, sherbets and frozen puddings | |
Salt | Jams, jellies, preserves | |
Seasoning mixes | Marshmallows | |
Yeast | Peanut butter | |
Pet food | ||
Pickles and relishes | ||
Sausage | ||
Soups | ||
Spices | ||
Tomato sauces | ||
Vegetables | ||
Vinegar | ||
Worcestershire sauce | ||
Yeast |