Maize is a cereal crop, the origin of which is Mexican where it was first ever cultivated about 10,000 years ago as per research done. Maize plants are interchangeable with corn. It’s the staple food in many parts of the world and is produced more than any other grain,
It’s a versatile crop and not only does it serve human consumption but also used as fodder for animals. Each part can be used for a different purpose based on the nutrition content it carries.
The sweetness and the flavored corn provide a way of its usage in the bakery, it’s rich in Vitamin B and contains several micronutrients that are used for medicinal purposes, the texture and the adhesive property helps in the industry associated with the production of glue and adhesives.
The flour made from the grinding of corn is rich in carbohydrate content with protein, vitamins, and minerals in small proportions, the processing of the grinding can be manipulated to form cornstarch and oil from it.
Corn flour vs Cornstarch
The main difference between Corn flour and Cornstarch is the way both are processed. Cornflour is the outcome when corn kernels at mature and dry state are ground to their entirety, whereas cornstarch, just like any flour is a ground powder, but a refined version with removed protein and fiber parts.
Comparison Table Between Corn flour and Cornstarch
| Parameter of Comparison | Corn flour | Cornstarch |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | Corn flour is the result of the grinding of the kernels to their entirety. | Cornstarch is much technical where the endothermic part is extracted leaving the hull, and the germ region behind. |
| Nutrient | One cup of corn flour calories count to 110, the carb amount is fairly low with 3 gm protein and it also contains micronutrients. | 120 calories, 10 calories more than cornflour, it’s protein deficient and lesser percentage of minerals to it |
| Uses | Used in the bakery because of the sweet nature, and is usually mixed with wheat and other flour to attain a higher fiber content and nutritious value. | Mostly used to thicken the soup, it has other uses too in the medical field, in industries in the formation of adhesives. |
| Gluten | It contains gluten, thus it is suitable for dough as it retains the shape and becomes elastic. | The endosperm region doesn’t contain protein, so it’s gluten-free. |
| Flavor | It tastes similar to corn with an earthy and slightly sweet taste. | Flavorless and hardly any taste since the flavored part is removed. |
What is Cornflour?
Corn flour is a whole grain flour, made from the mature and dried kernels of corn and is used in the processing to entirety. Each part, hull, germ, and endosperm are utilized during the grinding and contains most of the macro and micronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals.
They are generally yellow in color but can vary to white, a hue of blue depending on the variety of corn breed chosen. It’s versatile, being a bit sweet in taste it is extensively used in bread, bakery items, and can be mixed with wheat to upgrade the fiber and nutrition value.
It can be mixed with a wide variety of cereals which can improve the fiber and nutrition level. Corn flour production is more than that of any cereals and is a part of the staple diet of most of the nations and parts of the world.
What is Cornstarch?
Cornstarch like any other flour is a ground powdery form of the kernels of corn minus the yellowish part which contains all the protein, fiber, and micronutrients like potassium, magnesium.
It is specifically the endospermic part, the hull and germ are removed that are further utilized in the processing of oils. It is versatile, with the use not just as a food item but in medicine, and also for industrial purposes. Until 1851 it was extensively utilized in industrial use, starching laundry, and adhesive.
For food purposes, it is widely used in marinades, soups, and gravies (liquid-based foods) as a thickening agent. The cost of a food product can be reduced with the use of it in cheese and yogurt. It also has medicinal properties, being rich in Vitamin B it is used in medicines and also for the patients with glycogen storage problems it is used as an alternative to serving glucose.
While in the industry it is used as a binder or an adhesive traditionally and is used to compile papers as it dries transparent.
Main Differences Between Corn flour and Cornstarch
- The main difference between Corn flour and Cornstarch is the processing that goes into it. When the kernels are used as a whole and ground into a fine powder it forms cornflour, cornstarch on the other hand is the result of the grinding of the endospermic region and removal of fiber and protein.
- Corn flour has a similar texture as that of raw corn, sweet and earthy grains, cornstarch lacks the flavor and is therefore used to thicken soups and gravies while cooking and doesn’t influence the taste.
- Corn flour varies in color. It can be yellow, white, blue depending on the plant variety, cornstarch is chalk-like white.
- Corn flour is versatile and can be added to other flours to enrich it and in bakery items because of the flavor it carries, cornstarch is a different level of versatile, not just used as a thickening ingredient in the food but used in the medical field and industrial use too.
- The presence of protein makes the cornflour rich in gluten, cornstarch however just consists of endosperm thus lacking gluten.
Conclusion
There are a lot of possibilities if we look at things, adding and subtracting elements from the base unit can provide a new material or an ingredient with different qualities and properties.
Being versatile corn serves with multiple benefits, just a tiny grain has all the vital nutrients the human body requires. Corn flour just like any other flour is derived from cereal crop maize or corn and is widely produced and consumed across the globe with the properties
Cornstarch is a manipulated kernel, leaving behind the hull and germ part, the grinding of the endospermic part gives the white chile like form to cornstarch, unlike cornflour which is yellow predominantly.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095671350500229X
- https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-018-1538-5