Maize is the most
popular cereal crops in world. Million tonnes are harvested worldwide yearly
and Nigeria is one of the countries that produces maize in high quantity
yearly. Maize which is also known as corn is used for human consumption,
feeding of livestock and also as fuel. Corn has been proven to be one of the
most adaptable crops, it is viable in tropics and north temperate zones. Maize
is the main cereal grain and considered the third staple food after rice and
wheat. Its main constituent is carbohydrate but it is also high in vitamins and
minerals. The high population and the wide acceptability of maize have made its
processing a viable business for entrepreneurs. Maize are of different species
and they can be processed into different consumable products depending on its
intend use.
Below are some of the
beneficial and marketable products from maize which can be focused on to
generate income for farmers.
Maize
flaking grits: These are the prime products from a
full degerming system consisting of the largest pieces of broken maize
endosperm free of husk and germ. They are used for the production of corn
flakes and could also be used for direct cooking.
Maize
Grits: they are fine milled maize with different granular
size and fat content. They are useful for cooking, brewing etc. They are the
equivalent of semolina from wheat.
Maize
flour: finely milled maize with low fat. This is useful
as a thickening agent and also useful in the production of confectioneries.
Maize
bran:
this is the outer layer of the maize which can be used in animal feed.
Maize
germ:
this is the part of the maize which is rich in oil. It can be processed for oil
extraction.
Maize
germ meal: sometimes, the germ and bran are mixed together
for cooking.
Dried
maize: used in the production of popcorn. It can also be
fermented, milled into paste and used in cooking local dishes.
Baker’s
cone:
this is a finely granular product of maize, useful as dusting flour, cooking
and snacks.
Maize is a crop that is
easy to cultivate and which doesn’t take more than 5 months to mature. It has
so many derivable products which can be useful in commercial quantity in food
production. A business that involves corn as a raw material is profitable to
consider.