Human food Maize

vegetable maize (sweet corn)



maize being roasted on open flame in india.



cut white sweet corn



dried maize mote, known hominy, used in mexican cuisine

maize , cornmeal (ground dried maize) constitute staple food in many regions of world.

maize central mexican food. virtually every dish in mexican cuisine uses maize. in form of grain or cornmeal, maize main ingredient of tortillas, tamales, pozole, atole , dishes based on them, tacos, quesadillas, chilaquiles, enchiladas, tostadas , many more. in mexico fungus of maize, known huitlacoche considered delicacy.

introduced africa portuguese in 16th century, maize has become africa s important staple food crop. maize meal made thick porridge in many cultures: polenta of italy, angu of brazil, mămăligă of romania, cornmeal mush in (and hominy grits in south) or food called mealie pap in south africa , sadza, nshima , ugali in other parts of africa. maize meal used replacement wheat flour, make cornbread , other baked products. masa (cornmeal treated limewater) main ingredient tortillas, atole , many other dishes of central american food.

popcorn consists of kernels of varieties explode when heated, forming fluffy pieces eaten snack. roasted dried maize ears semihardened kernels, coated seasoning mixture of fried chopped spring onions salt added oil, popular snack food in vietnam. cancha, roasted maize chulpe kernels, popular snack food in peru, , appears in traditional peruvian ceviche. unleavened bread called makki di roti popular bread eaten in punjab region of india , pakistan.

chicha , chicha morada (purple chicha) drinks typically made particular types of maize. first 1 fermented , alcoholic, second soft drink commonly drunk in peru.

corn flakes common breakfast cereal in north america , united kingdom, , found in many other countries on world.

maize can prepared hominy, in kernels soaked lye in process called nixtamalization; or grits, coarsely ground hominy. these commonly eaten in southeastern united states, foods handed down native americans, called dish sagamite.

the brazilian dessert canjica made boiling maize kernels in sweetened milk. maize can harvested , consumed in unripe state, when kernels grown still soft. unripe maize must cooked become palatable; may done boiling or roasting whole ears , eating kernels right off cob. sweet corn, genetic variety high in sugars , low in starch, consumed in unripe state. such corn on cob common dish in united states, canada, united kingdom, cyprus, parts of south america, , balkans, virtually unheard of in european countries. corn on cob hawked on streets of 19th-century new york city poor, barefoot hot corn girls , precursors of hot dog carts, churro wagons, , fruit stands seen on streets of big cities today. cooked, unripe kernels may shaved off cob , served vegetable in side dishes, salads, garnishes, etc. alternatively, raw unripe kernels may grated off cobs , processed variety of cooked dishes, such maize purée, tamales, pamonhas, curau, cakes, ice creams, etc.

maize major source of starch. cornstarch (maize flour) major ingredient in home cooking , in many industrialized food products. maize major source of cooking oil (corn oil) , of maize gluten. maize starch can hydrolyzed , enzymatically treated produce syrups, particularly high fructose corn syrup, sweetener; , fermented , distilled produce grain alcohol. grain alcohol maize traditionally source of bourbon whiskey. maize used starch source beer. within united states, usage of maize human consumption constitutes 1/40th of amount grown in country. in united states , canada, maize grown feed livestock, forage, silage (made fermentation of chopped green cornstalks), or grain. maize meal significant ingredient of commercial animal food products, such dog food.