What Is Corn Used For? Exploring the Many Uses of Field Corn
Illinois farmers grow more than 2.3 billion bushels of field corn each year, making Illinois one of the nation's leading corn-producing states. But what happens to all that corn? Field corn is used in a wide range of products and industries, from livestock feed and pet food to ethanol, corn-based plastics, food ingredients and countless everyday products. Explore how corn grown by Illinois farmers moves from the field into the products we use, the fuel we drive with and the feed that helps raise livestock.
Wallpaper Glue
Dextrin is a key ingredient in many wallpaper adhesives.
Stamps
Dextrin serves as the water-activated adhesive on stamps and envelopes.
Corn Plastic
Corn plastic is a plant-based material made using corn starch or sugars that can be processed into plastics and other biodegradable products.
Tortilla Chips
Corn oil is used in frying tortilla and other snack chips, reducing both saturated fat and trans fat.
Spark Plugs
Cornstarch hardens when heated, protecting spark plugs from the high temperatures and acid solvents in car engines.
Shampoo
Cornstarch helps to strengthen hair, while corn oil acts as a conditioner. Xanthan gum, made from corn bioprocessing, is a stabilizer and thickener.
Livestock Food
Field corn is a key livestock feed, used as silage, grain, corn gluten feed and DDGS (distillers grains) to provide cattle, pigs and poultry with energy, protein and other nutrients.
Tires
Corn can be used in tires through corn-derived materials such as corn-based oils and starch, which can replace some petroleum-based ingredients and help improve properties like traction, durability and rolling resistance.
Liquid Hand Soap
In many cases, one-quarter of soap’s ingredients are corn-based, including corn oil and products made from bioprocessing. For example, xanthan gum thickens and stabilizes soap.
Fireworks
Fireworks use cornstarch to increase their burn time and to give them their explosive quality.
Golf Tees
By some estimates, U.S. golfers use 2 billion tees each year. Tees made from bioprocessed cornstarch biodegrade in soil faster than wood or plastic.
Dog Food
Field corn provides starch, carbohydrates, energy and nutrients and is commonly used in pet food as ground corn, corn meal or other processed corn ingredients.
🌽 Where Does Corn Go?
You just harvested a bushel of Illinois field corn! Pick a bucket to discover some of the surprising places corn can go.