maize

Grain of Zea mays, also called Indian corn and (in the USA) simply corn. Staple food in many countries, made into tortillas in Latin America, into polenta in Italy, and flaked as cornflakes as a breakfast cereal; various preparations in the southern states of the USA are known as hominy, samp, and cerealine.

Two varieties of major commercial importance are flint corn (Zea mays indurata), which is very hard, and dent corn (Z. mays dentata); there is also sweet corn (Z. mays saccharata), and a variety that expands on heating (Zea mays everta, see popcorn). The starch prepared from Z. mays dentata is termed corn flour; the ground maize is termed maize meal. There is a white variety; the usual yellow colour is partly due to the carotenoid cryptoxanthin.

Because of its low content of the amino acid tryptophan (and available niacin), diets based largely on maize are associated with the development of pellagra.

A 60-g portion of sweetcorn kernels is a source of vitamin C; contains 1.2 g of fat, of which 10% is saturated; provides 2.4 g of dietary fibre; supplies 75 kcal (315 kJ).