Corn Oil

Corn oil is one of the most widely used cooking oils in the world, finding its way onto dinner tables either in its refined form or as a component of processed foods. Although its use dates back centuries, people have only recently begun to understand its chemistry and production process. This article explores the sophisticated journey of a kernel of corn from harvest to a dinner plate, detailing how energy, corn, and technology combine to produce the corn oil that so many of us enjoy today.

Harvesting Corn

The production of corn oil begins with the harvest of corn itself. Far beyond the traditional technique of manual plucking from stalks, modern harvesting techniques revolve around a complex system of machines operated by computers. These combine harvesters can harvest large areas of corn fields with greater speed, precision and cost-effectiveness than ever before.

In more developed countries, these harvesters can easily be integrated with GPS technology for more exact navigation and navigation. Such harvesters are often equipped with specialty features like experimental designs and yield-monitoring capability to help farmers maximize their yields.

Henning Schulzrinne of Cornell University explains, “Harvest machines nowadays not only pick the corn but also note their location, so that fertilizing and planting machinery knows the yield in this particular area of the field and can act accordingly”. This level of granular information allows farmers to evaluate their yields and cultivate more effectively in subsequent harvests. The resulting harvest is then packaged in bulk for shipment to a processing facility.

Pre-Processing: Shelling, Cleaning, and Drying

Once the corn is harvested, it’s sent to a processing plant to be prepped for oil extraction. Here, the first step begins with shelling, which removes the outer husk and other debris from the kernels. This process is typically done manually, but automated systems are increasingly being used to reduce labor costs.

Once the husks are removed, the kernels go through a cleaning process. This is done with vibrating sieves that are calibrated to a specific size to remove stones and other foreign materials. An additional step, known as a scalping process, is used to remove any grain not fit for oil-making. After these processes, the kernels are dried using both hot air and sunlight, lowering the moisture content down to levels suitable for oil extraction.

Oil Extraction

Now that the kernels are clean and dry enough for oil extraction, they’re sent to a mechanical oil press. These machines use physical pressure to force oil from the kernels, usually with two pressing cycles. The first one bursts the cells of the kernels and liberates the oil. The second pressing, called a finishing press, produces a much purer and higher yield of oil.

The final product, known as cake or meal, is composed of the protein and fiber remnants of the kernels. This is typically dried and processed in a way that makes it safe for animal feed. The whole operation is powered either electrically or with steam, and the resulting oil is either pressed out or sprayed into containers.

Oil Refining

Once the oil is produced, it’s sent to a refinery where it undergoes a series of steps to remove contaminants, such as solids, silica, phosphates, metals and particulates. This is done with a combination of centrifuges, filtration systems, and acid and alkali treatments.

To reduce unsaturated fats, hydrogen is pumped into the oil under pressure. This transforms the oil into a solidified product, which is then filtered to remove residual contaminants and to separate the oil from solid chunks. The oil then goes through a distillation process to further purify it. Lastly, deodorization is carried out to remove any odor or taste that remained after refining.

From Barrel To Bottle

At this point, the oil is a clear, light-yellow liquid ready for packaging. Although it was once a common practice to ship corn oil in barrels, today it’s usually shipped in sealed plastic bottles, which provides better protection for the oil. The bottles are labeled and then loaded onto pallets and sent to markets for sale.

A lasting legacy

For centuries, corn oil has served as an important ingredient in human diets. But it’s only recently that we understand the science behind it and its production process. With advances in technology and harvesting, we can now harvest corn with greater efficiency and produce more corn oil with greater purity than ever before.

The process of turning kernels of corn into bottles of oil is an impressive sequence of energy, technology, and chemistry. From the farmers out in the fields to the manufacturers of the oil, everyone involved in the process is part of our long and lasting cultural legacy of enjoying the health benefits of corn oil.