Maize (/meɪz/ MAYZ; Zea mays subsp. mays, from Spanish: maíz after Taino: mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The leafy stalk of the plant produces pollen inflorescences and separate ovuliferous inflorescences called ears that yield kernels or seeds, which are fruits.

Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with the total production of maize surpassing that of wheat or rice. In addition to being consumed directly by humans (often in the form of masa), maize is also used for corn ethanol, animal feed and other maize products, such as corn starch and corn syrup. The six major types of maize are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn. Sugar-rich varieties called sweet corn are usually grown for human consumption as kernels, while field corn varieties are used for animal feed, various corn-based human food uses (including grinding into cornmeal or masa, pressing into corn oil, and fermentation and distillation into alcoholic beverages like bourbon whiskey), and as chemical feedstocks. Maize is also used in making ethanol and other biofuels.

Maize is widely cultivated throughout the world, and a greater weight of maize is produced each year than any other grain. In 2014, total world production was 1.04 billion tonnes. Maize is the most widely grown grain crop throughout the Americas, with 361 million metric tons grown in the United States alone in 2014. Genetically modified maize made up 85% of the maize planted in the United States in 2009. Subsidies in the United States help to account for the high level of cultivation of maize in the United States and the fact that the U.S. is the world's largest maize producer.

• Sweet corn is also known as corn on the cob or also called an ear of corn.

• Corn is covered by tightly wrapped leaves called the husk.

• The threads of silk surround and protect an ear of corn. There is one piece of silk for every kernel of corn.

• The average ear of corn has 800 kernels arranged in 16 rows.

• The kernels on sweet corn can be yellow, white or a combination of both. Corn that is both white and yellow is call bicolor.

• You can test if corn on the cob is fresh by pinching a kernel (A milky juice should spurt out if the corn is fresh.)

• The procedure for removing the husk and silk from corn is known as husking or shucking.

• Unshucked corn on the cob should be stored in the refrigerator. Warmth causes the sugar content of corn to convert to starch which will make corn less sweet.

• The Iroquois Indians gave the first corn to European settlers in 1779.

• Americans consume approximately 25 pounds of corn per person per year but most of it is frozen or canned.

• Corn can be boiled, steamed or grilled whole in the husk.

• Corn is high in protein and carbohydrates and has been an important nutritional food for over thousands of years.

• Corn can be dried and made into flour.

Corn can be considered either a grain or a vegetable, based on when it is harvested. The maturity level of corn at harvest affects both its use at meals and its nutritional value. Corn that is harvested when fully mature and dry is considered a grain. It can be milled into cornmeal and used in such foods as corn tortillas and cornbread. Popcorn is also harvested when mature, and is considered to be a whole grain. On the other hand, fresh corn (e.g., corn on the cob, frozen corn kernels) is harvested when it is soft and has kernels full of liquid. Fresh corn is considered a starchy vegetable. Its nutrient content differs from dry corn, and it is eaten in different ways -- often on the cob, as a side dish, or mixed with other vegetables.

If you’re a Latina who’s expecting a baby, your diet may be missing a key ingredient believed to help prevent certain kinds of birth defects.

That ingredient? Folic acid, which has long been used to fortify, or strengthen, certain enriched grains.

However, Hispanic women may not benefit from folic acid-enriched cereal grain products because these products are often not a staple in their diet. This could be a reason why Latinas represent the highest percentage of U.S. women giving birth to children with neural tube defects (NTDs), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NTDs are birth defects of the brain, spine and spinal cord, such as anen­cephaly and spina bifida.

In 2016, FDA moved to help protect these women and their children by approving the addition of folic acid to corn masa flour, an ingredient in foods including tortillas, tacos, tortilla chips and tamales. Foods made from this flour are staple foods of Mexican and some Central and South American diets.

When consumed by pregnant women before and during pregnancy, folic acid—a B vitamin—may help to prevent neural tube defects.

Corn masa flour, sometimes called masa—Spanish for dough—is produced by cooking corn in alkali (a substance that has a bitter taste and then forms a salt when mixed with an acid), then grinding it.

An Important Preventive Step

In 1998, in response to a recommendation by CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service, FDA made it easier for many expectant mothers to consume folic acid. The agency required the addition of folic acid to standardized enriched cereal grains, such as enriched rice and flour, and standardized enriched cereal grain products, such as enriched bread and macaroni.

Refined grains are enriched when certain B vitamins are added back after processing. Standardized foods contain ingredients required by FDA and are produced in a specified way.

“Increased consumption of folic acid in enriched flour has been helpful in reducing the incidence of neural tube defects in the general population,” said Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "Our analysis shows that adding folic acid to corn masa flour will help increase the consumption of folic acid by women who consume this fortified flour as a staple in their diet."

However, the incidence of neural tube defects in some Hispanic American populations has not declined to the same extent as in the general population.

So, FDA reviewed and approved a food additive petition from five organizations—the March of Dimes Foundation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Spina Bifida Association, the National Council of La Raza, and Gruma Corporation—requesting that folic acid be added to corn masa flour. Manufacturers may now voluntarily add the amount of folic acid (up to 0.7 milligrams) per pound of corn masa flour that is consistent with the levels in the enriched cereal grains mandated in 1998.

Safety First

Before FDA could provide an approval, the agency first had to determine whether adding folic acid to corn masa flour is safe—not just for Latina mothers and mothers-to-be, but for men, women and children of all ages, ethnicities, and demographics. FDA scientists conducted a thorough scientific review of the information provided in the petition and determined that adding this amount of folic acid to the food supply would be safe for the general population. In addition to reviewing the safety and projected consumption data, scientists had to verify that folic acid remained stable throughout the production process and didn’t break down into other harmful substances during manufacturing.

After this intensive review, FDA was able to give the go-ahead to those manufacturers who want to add folic acid to their corn masa products.

Cynthia Pellegrini, senior vice president of public policy at the March of Dimes, says, “FDA worked closely with us to design a study that garnered the information needed to establish the safety of this action. We’re thrilled at the outcome and feel confident that it will address the disparities we’ve seen in the Latina community and will give even more babies a healthy start in life.”

If You’re Pregnant or Thinking of Becoming Pregnant

CDC recommends that for folic acid to help prevent some major birth defects, a woman should start consuming 400 mcg a day at least one month before she becomes pregnant and the entire time while she is pregnant. For masa, cereals and grain products, read the ingredient statement to see if the food has been enriched with folic acid.

Some easy ways to make sure to get enough folic acid are to:

• Eat a bowl of an enriched breakfast cereal that has 100% of the Daily Value of folic acid.
• Eat other enriched cereal grain products mandated to contain folic acid.
• Take a vitamin or multivitamin supplement that contains folic acid each day.

Talk to your health care provider about what’s best for you.

As you enjoy fresh produce, follow these safe handling tips to help protect yourself and your family.

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Your local markets carry a wide variety of nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables. However, harmful bacteria that may be in the soil or water where produce grows can come in contact with fruits and vegetables and contaminate them. Fresh produce may also become contaminated after it is harvested, such as during storage or preparation.

Eating contaminated produce can lead to foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning.” So as you enjoy fresh produce, follow these safe handling tips to help protect you and your family.

Buy Right

You can help keep produce safe by making wise buying decisions.

• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• When buying pre-cut, bagged or packaged produce — such as half of a watermelon or bagged salad greens — choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood when packing them to take home from the market

Store Properly

Proper storage of fresh produce can affect both quality and safety.

• Store perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check! If you’re not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to keep its quality, ask your grocer.
• Refrigerate all produce that is purchased pre-cut or packaged .

Separate for Safety

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood — and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with soap and hot water between preparing raw meat, poultry, and seafood and preparing produce that will not be cooked.
• If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use

Prepare Safely

When preparing any fresh produce, begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after preparation.

• Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Throw away any produce that looks rotten.
• Wash all produce thoroughly under running water before preparing and/or eating, including produce grown at home or bought from a grocery store or farmers’ market. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended. Produce is porous. Soap and household detergents can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables, despite thorough rinsing, and can make you sick. Also, the safety of the residues of commercial produce washes is not known and their effectiveness has not been tested.
• Even if you do not plan to eat the skin, it is still important to wash produce first so dirt and bacteria are not transferred from the surface when peeling or cutting produce.
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• After washing, dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present on the surface

What About Pre-Washed Produce?

Many pre-cut, bagged, or packaged produce items are pre-washed and ready-to-eat. If so, it will be stated on the packaging, and you can use the produce without further washing.

If you choose to wash produce marked as “pre-washed” or “ready-to-eat,” be sure that it does not come in contact with unclean surfaces or utensils. This will help to avoid cross contamination.

About Foodborne Illness

Know the Symptoms

Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of foodborne illness can include:

• Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

Take Action

If you think that you or a family member has a foodborne illness, contact your healthcare provider immediately.