What Plant Does Corn Syrup Come From?

Ears of corn

Corn syrup is a common ingredient in many modern foods. The sweet concoction has a history dating back over 200 years; it spawned the creation of high fructose corn syrup, its unhealthy counterpart.

Identification

Corn syrup, as its name suggests, is derived from food-grade corn. Corn, or maize, is the most widely produced crop in the U.S., and has been domesticated and cultivated since prehistoric times. Regular corn syrup was used as early as the late 1800s in baked goods.

Creating Corn Syrup

When manufacturing corn syrup, the corn is first wet-milled and spun in a centrifuge to produce starch. This starch is treated with water and an added acid or enzyme, which helps the corn syrup form. Finally, the mixture is heated to evaporate any additional water. Depending on the manufacturer, additional steps may be taken to add artificial flavor or sweetness.

Common Uses

Corn syrup is present in the majority of prepackaged goods in the U.S. Candies, jellies, juices and even items such as bread normally contain corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup. Corn syrup can also be purchased alone for cooking purposes.

References

• The Corn Refiners Association: The Corn Refining Process
• "Corn and Capitalism: How a Botanical Bastard Grew to Global Dominance"; Arturo Warman; 2007