摘要：

This chapter discusses maize, also known as corn, which is grown throughout the world. The United States, China, Brazil, Argentina, India, France, and Indonesia are the main corn-producing countries. Corn of different types (flour corn, flint corn, dent corn, sweet corn, popcorn, waxy corn, and amylomaize) and color (ranging from white to yellow, red, and purple) is grown. Corn grain is composed of endosperm (82–83%), germ (10–11%), pericarp (5–6%), and tip cap (0.8–1.0%). The pericarp is the outermost layer that is characterized by high crude fiber content, mainly consisting of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. High-amylose corn is a good source of resistant starch (RS), which can be used in various food products for its health benefits. RS has been associated with improved cholesterol metabolism and reduced risk of type II diabetes and colon cancer. Various bioactive compounds with the health-promotion and disease-prevention properties present in fruits and vegetables have also been reported in corn. The purple-, blue-, and red-pigmented corn inhibits colorectal carcinogenesis in male rats and possesses antimutagenic and radical scavenging activities. These bioactivities have been associated with the presence of anthocyanins.

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