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How is corn used for food products and biofuel?

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A large red and yellow combine harvester cuts through a golden wheat field, leaving neat rows of harvested grain behind. — Cereal farming Combine harvesting wheat.

Corn is a versatile crop utilized extensively for both human consumption and industrial energy production.

Food Products

Corn serves as a major global food source, processed into a wide variety of staples and ingredients:1
* Direct Consumption: Sweet corn is commonly boiled or roasted, while other varieties are used for popcorn, hominy, and breakfast cereals.1
* Milling and Dough: Corn flour is used to create masa, the foundation for tortillas, tamales, and arepas. It is also cooked into dishes like polenta, cornbread, and mush.1
* Sweeteners: Through wet milling, corn is converted into corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which are widely used in candies, soft drinks, and baked goods.1
* Oils and Beverages: Corn oil is a common cooking and salad oil, and it can be hydrogenated to produce margarine. Additionally, corn is fermented to produce whiskeys, such as bourbon.1

Biofuel

Corn is a primary feedstock for ethanol, a first-generation liquid biofuel.23
* Production: Starch is converted into sugars and fermented by yeast to create alcohol, which is then distilled.43
* Usage: In the United States, ethanol is typically blended with gasoline to create "gasohol," an automotive fuel.23
* Debate: The use of corn for fuel has sparked a "food versus fuel" debate, as it diverts arable land and crops from the human food chain. Furthermore, the energy-intensive process of farming and distilling corn for ethanol raises questions regarding its overall environmental impact compared to other energy sources.25