Maize contains about 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365 Kcal/100 g (Nuss and Tanumihardjo, 2010) as compared to rice and wheat, but has lower protein content. “Maize provides many of the B vitamins, essential minerals and fiber, but lacks some other nutrients, such as vitamin B12, vitamin C, and generally, a poor source of calcium, folate, and iron. Iron malabsorption, particularly the non- heme iron present in maize, can occur in the presence of anti-nutrients or foods in the diet, such as vegetables, tea (e.g., oxalates), coffee (e.g., polyphenols), eggs (e.g., phosvitin), and calcium in milk” (Dale and Niernberger,1982; Nuss and Tanumihardjo, 2010). The fortification of maize flour and cornmeal with iron …show more content…
The quality of white maize is important since it affects the milling performance, grading, and yield of high-quality products. Maize can also be classified based on the size and composition of the endosperm, resulting in an artificial definition by kernel type as follows: dent, flint, waxy, flour, sweet, pop, Indian, and pod corn. Another difference or classification criterion is the sweetness or amount of sugar. The amount of residual sugar depends on the variety of maize and when it is harvested from the field. Sweet maize stores poorly and must be consumed fresh or processed before the kernels age, becoming small, tough, and starchy. Sweet maize varieties cannot be fortified (Brown and Darrah, 1985; Gibson and Benson, …show more content…
European and African countries originally banned GM maize, but while still very controversial, this position may be changing as the benefits of Bt corn become accepted. In 2011, herbicide-resistant GM maize was cultivated in 14 countries (James, 2011). By 2012, 26 varieties of herbicide resistant GM maize were authorized for import into the European Union (GMO Compass, 2014) and in 2012, the European Union was reported to import 30 million tons of GM crops. The GM maize MON810 was cultivated on almost 89,000 hectares in five European countries, particularly in regions with high incidence of maize borer (GMO Compass, 2014). It seems that there exists no nutritional difference with Bt maize; therefore, its presence or absence should have no effect on fortification technology or policy (Nestel et al., 2006; Banziger and Long, 2000; Graham et al., 1999; Bouis and Welch, 2010.). Maize milling and the different types of milled products made from maize have also been documented. The main products, all of which can and are being fortified, are meal, flour, precooked meal, dry masa or hominy flour, and breakfast cereals. In addition, there are other fortified products, such
Currently, the United States is the largest producer of corn in the world. In 2010, it produced 32% of the world’s corn crop. Corn is grown on approximately 400,000 U.S. farms, showing the importance of corn in the United States’ diets. Twenty percent of the corn produced is exported and corn grown for grain accounts for almost one quarter of the harvested crop acres in this country (National Corn Grower's Associatio...
One of the most prominent crops in the GMO industry is Bt corn. The Bt pesticide stands for Bacillus Thuringiensis. Scientists transferred the Bt gene into the corn to create a crop that produces its own pesticides. As the corn matures, it grows stronger poi...
Is corn the future of the world? Will our human race develop an immunity and need for corn? Nations across the world are turning to cheaper, unhealthy ideas using subsidies such as corn. Since corn is cheap and useful to the agricultural businesses, our world has lost respect for one’s health. Monocropping corn is a growing problem creating health issues and destroying our fragile ecosystems; therefore, the only solution is change.
An advantage to genetically modified crops is a higher crop yield; this means the crop will produce more crops compared to a crop that isn’t modified. A significant portion of genetically modified crops have being growing in developed countries. In the last couple of years there has been a steady increase in the amount of ...
In this paper I will be focusing my attention on foods modified to produce a certain insecticidal protein known as Bt. I have to do this mostly for brevity. To discuss in detail all of the types GMOs in production or slated for production could easily fill a paper ten times as long as this. Also, Bt crops are already in wide production, with over three million acres planted worldwide, and are already sold in many processed foods (Altieri, 2000). This makes the task of dispelling myths about them all the more prudent. The alleged dangers of Bt crops can be roughly divided into two groups: the risks that growing them pose to the environment, and the risks that eating them pose to people.
According to the article GMOs Under Scrutiny by Racheal Ehrenberg, genetically modified organisms or GMOs have neither benefitted nor negatively affected our way of living. The assumption that GMOs are causing a variable of health problems holds no credible scientific evidence. There is proof, however, in developing countries like India genetically modified crops like cotton containing bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt have resulted in higher yields and profits for the poor farmers. Thanks to its resistance to bollworm farmers using Bt cotton can save money on herbicides, saving more money for food and education. Many of the GMOs have been developed to only assists farmers; now the development to provide nutrition around the word with GMOs is in development.
The maize, or corn, experiment was conducted to observe the results of a monohybrid or a dihybrid cross between two different types of corn. This particular experiment required samples of various types of dried corn, preferably corn the sustain features between color and texture. These different colors and textures include purple, yellow, sugary (smooth), or starchy (wrinkled), respectively. The experiment is started by taking an individual stalk of corn from each type available, in this case three different types. Each stalk of corn was then observed carefully and their kernels were being observed, and counted
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Maize in Human Nutrition. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011.
In the years between 1997 and 2010 the area of land cultivated with GMOs had a huge increase, we have moved 4.2 million to 365 million hectares. In fact, 10% of the planet’s arable land is used for genetically modified crops. Most of these crops are located in North America, but it should be registered, in recent years, a rapid increase in acreage in so-called developing countries. In the USA in the years 2009/2010, the vast majority of soy (93%), cotton (93%), corn (86&) and sugar beet (95%) have been grown with genetically modified varieties. Data for 2012 published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) show that in Europe there has been a 13% increase of cultivated area (globally, the increase was 6%).
Corn is the basis for almost everything that is massed produced. It is what the animals are fed, it is what vegetables are coated with to become shiny, and it is put into processed foods for flavor and preservatives. While this sounds like you are eating a lot of corn, it is not the corn that you would think of. The corn that is in most of what we eat is not the same corn as you would have as corn on the cob. The corn that is in processed food is called Zea mays. This corn has become the stable crop for the American diet. It is placed in almost everything that week eat and it is hard to escape. They have turned it into a sugar known as high fructose corn syrup that is placed in almost every processed food in America. This includes all desserts and sweets, but also lots of other things like breads, cheeses, and soups. While many people would not think about putting sugar in soup or cheese factories do because High Fructose Corn Syrup is a great preservative even if it is adding large amounts of sugar into our
In areas of the world where malnutrition is an enormous problem and countless die every day, genetically modified foods can help. For example white rice has been modified to contain more vitamin A and labeled “golden rice” to save the lives of those who have a vitamin A deficiency. 40% of children under five in developing countries have this deficiency and 12 million of them lose their life every year (Potrykus). It is fair to say people from these developing countries in Southeast Asia will not be protesting GMOs anytime
When corn was introduced to Spain in the 18th century, it helped to feed a rapidly growing population. The crop quickly spread throughout the European and Asian continents, reaching all the way to China within a century. The Russians used it for cornmeal and mamaliga, which is a type of porridge. Corn was also more filling than the previous staples like wheat and rice meaning that more people could be healthily fed with less money. The crop utilized fields that would have been deemed as useless in growing any other crop besides the potato. However, feeding a rapidly increasing population was not corn's only role in European history. It was also fed to livestock. The crop's multiple uses led to a higher demand that people like William Cobbett met. In his Cottage Economy of 1821 it read, "I, last April sent parcels if the seed into several countries, to be given away to working men, this corn is the very best hog-fattening in the world." Some Europeans developed pellagra, which is caused by a lack of niacin from eating too much corn. "Nevertheless, the golden grain wa...
Throughout the history of the human race there have been a great number of crops that were discovered, planted, and over time domesticated. Wheat in the Middle East, rice in Asia, and rye in Eastern Europe are all some of today’s staple crops that feed millions every day. Crops like these make up over 50% of the world’s total food supply. However, the third most eaten crop in the world is maize, or corn, which provides 21% of human nutrition. Today maize feeds millions across the world, but its history is different from the others.
According to scientists, genetically engineering crops contributes to their quality. Crops that have been genetically modified to have a particular trait can decrease the amount of herbicides needed for growing that crop. Additionally, genetically modified (GM) crops can help third world countries, where malnutrition is common. For example, to help diminish nutrient deficiencies in developing countries, “plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content”(Whitman 2). In addition, GM crops can be modified to be able to “withstand the environmental challenges of drought, disease, and insect infestation” (Swenson 1). Growing GM crops can also result in fruits and vegetables that stay fresh for a prolonged period of time and taste better.
Genetically modified (GM) foods have become omnipresent over the past decade. They are a technological breakthrough that allows humans to manipulate and add foreign genes to crops to enhance desired traits, but they have also evolved into a controversial issue, especially for Third World countries. Some people believe that GM foods not only provide larger yields to feed hungry citizens in Third World countries, but they can also be a source of great nutritional value. For example, researchers have developed a strain of golden rice containing high amounts of vitamin A and numerous other vitamins and minerals. Additionally, GM crops are laced with herbicides and pesticides, and therefore reduce the need for chemical consumption. Opponents of GM foods claim that they pose a threat to the health of consumers and that these crops could eventually cross-pollinate in an unregulated fashion or lead to the growth of superweeds and superbugs resistant to the herbicides and pesticides woven into the genetic fiber of the crops. Developed nations should promote research and monitoring from an ethical point of view and financial assistance through philanthropic ventures in order to limit environmental and health risks. They should also make sure that limited cultural displacement will result from the introduction of GM crops and that instead, a better livelihood and well-being through collaboration will emerge. Hence, GM crops should be introduced only provided that the developed nations assume the ethical and financial responsibilities for the environmental, health, and social consequences that attend this new innovation.