When you think of corn, the corn on the cob at the grocery store might be the first thing that comes to mind. However, a corn kernel is made up of four major components: Fiber, protein, oil and starch. These components are in the food we eat, the fuel in our cars and even vitamins. Indiana is in the top 10 states for corn production, which means there’s a good chance that corn grown in Indiana was used to make products you use every day.
Check out some of the products made from Indiana Corn.
Plastics
In recent years, corn-based plastics have become more popular as they help reduce the environmental impact of plastics. Production of corn-based plastics uses less fossil fuels than traditional plastics and many are also biodegradable. You'll find corn plastics used in things like food containers and packaging, disposable dishware and gift cards.
Fuel
Corn is also made into ethanol, which can fuel more than 80 percent of vehicles on the road today. Ethanol blended fuels provide higher octane, lower priced fuel options at the pump. Plus, E85 reduces emissions more than 30 percent compared to traditional gasoline and is recognized as a Clean Air Choice by the American Lung Association.
Food
Corn is a major source of livestock feed, meaning the bacon and eggs you eat for breakfast are made possible by corn. Beef, dairy, pork and poultry production are not the only places where corn is used for food. Corn starch and syrup are used in a multitude of food applications. Corn mash can even be distilled and made into whiskey.
Matchsticks
Cornstarch is a common ingredient in matchsticks. Additionally, matchsticks that are made from paper or cardstock may include corn products in the paper itself. You can even use those corn-based matchsticks to light soy candles.
Vitamins
Corn is an excellent source of vitamin C. Half a cup of corn contains roughly 33 percent of your suggested daily intake of vitamin C . In fact, the majority of commercially distributed vitamin C is derived from corn.
