ARS Science for Kids Story on Corn Fiber Oil
How corny was that?
Pretty corny.
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Did you know several kinds of
corn are used for making agricultural and food products?
For instance, popcorn is made with
a type of corn containing more water so that it pops when heated. Corn on the
cob comes from sweet corn varieties. Dent corn is used to feed animals and to
make ethanol fuel, cornstarch, and sweeteners.
Many different products are made
from corn. How many things can you think of? Most of these products come from
stuff inside the corn kernel, such as fiber and starch.
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ARS scientists are looking for
ways to use fiber and starch to make even more products. They have made two new
discoveries that could increase the uses for corn.
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Discovery #1 is a new corn
fiber oil removed from the hull of a corn kernel. The hull is the seed coat
around the entire kernel, except for the pointy tip. The new oil,
calledAmaizingOil, may lower cholesterol levels when
added to foods.
In early studies, the corn fiber oil lowered total
cholesterol
levels in hamsters. (The hamsters weren't harmed in the study.) For people,
lower cholesterol could mean lower chances for heart disease and possibly
longer lives. ARS scientists are working with research partners at the
University of Massachusetts to further develop AmaizingOil.
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The corn processing industry
produces about 4 million tons of corn fiber each year, which could yield about
80,000 tons of corn fiber oil.
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Corn fiber isn't worth a lot
of money. We wanted to find a way to turn this cheap fiber into valuable
new products, says ARS chemist Kevin B. Hicks, pictured here.
Hicks heads the ARS Plant Science and
Technology Unit located at the Eastern Regional
Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. His group develops
new products from foods like fruits and vegetables and grains, so that nothing
is wasted.
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Discovery #2 is corn fiber
gum--not the kind of gum you chew and blow bubbles with. This gum is used in
products like salad dressings and beverages. It's usually brown or tan.
Corn processors and industrial users want corn
fiber gum with very little color. So ARS researchers have invented a way to
make white corn fiber gum, calledZeagen. (The scientific
name for corn is Zea mays.)
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For about 50 years, researchers
have been trying to produce a good-quality gum from corn. Thats a long
time! This new gum could be used as a thickener. Thickeners are used in foods
like soups and spreads--to make them thick, of course. Thickeners also are used
to make glues for things like paper and cardboard, and for water-based paint.
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--By Tara Weaver-Missick, formerly Agricultural Research Service Information Staff
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