Corn oil: uses and health benefits

The recent trend in maize processing is the emergence and popularity of corn oil. Corn oil is derived from germ, which use to be a throw away product obtained after the extraction of starch.

Corn oil is isolated from corn germ by expelling and solvent extraction. The germ seeds are isolate during wet milling – a process designed to isolate starch from corn kernels.

Corn oil belongs to the group of oils with high levels of linoleic and oleic fatty acids. The liquid oils in this group are the most adaptable of all the fats and oils. They have desirable oxidative stability properties and may be hydrogenated to a varying degrees of saturation from a milky liquid to melting points in excess of 59 °C.

Corn oil today is used as a cooking medium and for manufacturing hydrogenated oil. Almost all corn oil is made into specialty margarines and salad or cooking oils. Cooking oil is not winterized, salad oil is. The reason for the popularity of corn oil for these purposes is that the oil has a reputation for being more healthful, as a result of its content of some unsaturated fatty acids.

It is revealed that consumption of corn oil reduces occurrence of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases in humans and is claimed to be even healthier than extra virgin olive oil.
Corn oil: uses and health benefits