How are cornmeal and hominy made from corn kernels?

Cornmeal and hominy are both derived from corn, but they are produced through distinct processing methods.

Hominy

Hominy is made by removing the hull and germ from corn kernels through a process called nixtamalization. Traditionally, this involves boiling the corn in a lye solution made from wood ash until the hulls loosen and can be flushed away with water. Modern commercial production uses a dilute sodium hydroxide solution combined with mechanical action from rotating cylinders to remove the hulls. Home preparation can also be achieved by soaking dried, shelled corn in a baking-soda solution.1

Cornmeal

Cornmeal is produced by dry-milling corn kernels into a meal. Unlike the chemical treatment used for hominy, this process focuses on grinding the grain into a granular form. Cornmeal is a staple food used globally and serves as a primary ingredient in various culinary applications.23