Nutritional and nutraceutical/functional properties of maize

Publication date: 09/06/2017
Extent: 12 pages

Contributions by: Dharam Paul Chaudhary, Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), India

Chapter synopsis: Maize is the most widely grown crop, which is primarily used for animal feed and food. It is a staple food for a large segment of the world’s population, and it is also used as an industrial raw material. This chapter - reviews the nutritional quality of maize by considering various quality components including protein quality, carbohydrate profile, oil concentration and carotenoids composition. The discovery and association of opaque-2 gene with the enhancement of protein quality in maize has been discussed in detail. Subsequent sections review the carbohydrate profile of maize, the qualities and uses of corn oil, and the micronutrients present in maize.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2016.0001.12