Maize is an annual cereal crop, belonging to the grass family of 'Gramineae'. It composes of kernels having long ears. These kernels are used in the form of grains as food for both humans and animals and also as a source of oil. Maize is also known by the name of 'corn' in many countries. Maize or corn is a rich source of carbohydrates, Vitamin B, proteins and minerals. Most of commercial maize grows at a maximum height of 2.5 ft. In India, maize is also known as 'bhutta' in Hindi.

Maize is a type of cereal grain. In countries like United states, Australia and Canada, it is known as corn. It has a nutritional value for both animals and humans. The word maize means “ one that sustains life” and also an indian legend says that maize was the food of the gods that created the earth. It was first adopted and cultivated by the Latin American countries around 7000 years ago. Hybrid maize is one the variety of maize which generally have a high yield level and that is why it is most favored by the farmers. Another varieties of Maize are Sweet corn, Dent corn, Flint corn, Popcorn, Flour corn, Sweet corn and Pod corn.

Most varieties of corn require 100 to 140 days from seeding to full ripeness of the kernels though some kinds will ripen in as little as 80 days. Corn kernels or seeds vary in size and shape in different kinds and varieties. They may be only an eighth inch long and near round in popcorn to a half inch long and a flattened-cylinder shape in some other kinds. The kernel consists of the following: (1) An outer thin covering which is made up of two layers, an outer pericarp and inner testa or true seed coat. (2) The endosperm which makes up near 0.66 of the total volume. This consists almost entirely of starch, except in sweet corn. (3) The embryo, the miniature plant structure that develops into a new plant if the seed is planted and grows. The embryo is near one side of the kernel in most kinds rather than in the middle. It contains most of the oil in corn.

Maize first came into being in Mexico, where it was domesticated around 9000 years back. It was cultivated from a wild grass known as 'teosinte', that had kernels which were not long and were also not placed together. From there, it soon propagated to the New Wold in 1500 BC and by the 16th century, maize was being cultivated throughout the globe. Maize soon became the staple diet of North and South America when Columbus set his foot in these two continents. In fact, corn was not just a staple food for many, but was also an important means of trade and was used as a form of currency.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important grain crop in South Africa and is produced throughout the country under diverse environments. Successful maize production depends on the correct application of production inputs that will sustain the environment as well as agricultural production. These inputs are, inter alia, adapted cultivars, plant population, soil tillage, fertilisation, weed, insect and disease control, harvesting, marketing and financial resources. In developed countries, maize is consumed mainly as second-cycle produce, in the form of meat, eggs and dairy products. In developing countries, maize is consumed directly and serves as staple diet for some 200 million people. Most people regard maize as a breakfast cereal. However, in a processed form it is also found as fuel (ethanol)and starch. Starch in turn involves enzymatic conversion into products such as sorbitol, dextrine, sorbic and lactic acid, and appears in household items such as beer, ice cream, syrup, shoe polish, glue, fireworks, ink, batteries, mustard, cosmetics, aspirin and paint. Approximately 8,0 million tons of maize grain are produced in South Africa annually on approximately 3,1 million ha of land. Half of the production consists of white maize, for human food consumption. Maize needs 450 to 600 mm of water per season, which is mainly acquired from the soil moisture reserves. About 15,0 kg of grain are produced for each millimetre of water consumed. At maturity, each plant will have consumed 250 l of water. The total leaf area at maturity may exceed one square metre per plant.

Maize (Zea mays) is a tall, warm weather annual grass. It is deep-rooted but requires abundant moisture for best development. A single long stalk will develop from seed. Long smooth leaves are attached at the stem nodes. Seed producing shoots originate from the base of the main stem. The female flowers are borne on the corn 'ear', which arises at a leaf axil near the mid-point along the stem. The flower organs, and later the grain kernels, are enclosed in several layers of papery tissue, termed husks. A mass of long styles (silks) protrude from the tip as a mass of silky threads. These strands are actually the stigmas from the flowers and emerge at the same time the pollen from the terminal tassels is shed. The pollen is wind blown and comes in contact with the emerged silk or stigma.

Corn, Zea mays L., (or “maize” at it is known throughout much of the world) is a cereal crop, a member of the grass family. Corn is grown around the world and is one of the globe's most widely used food staples; corn varieties are directly used for food and animal feed or processed to make food and feed ingredients (such as high fructose corn syrup, corn starch and lysine) or industrial products such as ethanol and polylactic acid (PLA). The two primary methods of processing corn are referred to as "dry" and "wet" milling.

Chemical composition of the maize kernel

Components % - Carbohydrates 84.0 , Protein 10.9 , Fat 4.5 , Minerals 1.3

The maize kernel consists of an endosperm,embryo, a pericarp and tip cap . The endosperm contains the main carbohydrates. The embryo contains the parts that give rise to the next generation, while the pericarp and tip cap enclose the entire kernel.The endosperm contains approximately 80 % of the carbohydrates, 20 % of the fat and 25 % of the minerals, while the embryo contains about 80 % of the fat, 75 % of the minerals and 20 % of the protein found in the kernel.The starch part of the kernel is used in foods and many other products such as dhesives,clothing, and pharmaceutical tablets and in paper production. The starch can be converted into sweeteners and used in products such as soft drinks, sweets, bakery products and jams, to name but a few.The oil from the embryo is used in cooking oils, margarine and salad dressings. The protein, hulls and soluble part of the maize kernel are used in animal and poultry feed.

A wide variety of maize or corn is available in the market. Following are the types of corn that are commonly produced in India:

• Dent Corn: There is indentation on the top part of the kernel, because of which it is known as a dent corn. This indentation is caused by the shrinkage of starch present in the crop. Dent corn can be of two types, namely yellow and white corn
• Sweet Corn: It is sweet in taste and is primarily produced for human consumption. It is available in any grocery store in cans
• Popcorn: Popcorn is a type of maize that explodes from the kernel and when heated, gets puffed up. The term 'pop' implies that the kernel pops open as the corn heats up because of a rapid expansion of moisture present in the kernel
• Flint Corn: Also known as Indian corn, it has a hard outer shell and comes in a variety of colors like white, red, etc.

Maize is processed through milling process to weed out every germ harmful rodents present in it. The various milling processes are:

• Wet Milling: In wet milling, the corns are soaked in a solution of warm water and sulfur dioxide in a process known as 'steeping'. The kernels present in the corns are softened as result of this process and are then pulped in mills. They are then separated into various parts like hulls, germs(oil), gluten (animal feed) and starch(syrup, ethanol, corn starch)
• Feed Milling: In feed milling, the whole kernels are grounded and mixed with various vitamins, salt, etc. that make it nutritious enough to be fed for the poultry
• Dry Corn Milling: Dry milling is the process in which corn is separated into flour, corn meal, grits and other products, the corn or maize is tempered and cleaned with hot water and steamed for about 2-6 hours to soften the bran and the germ so that it becomes easier for them to be separated from the endosperm. The coarse, granular material is sifted using a sifter machine and then the miller extracts the oil and the corn flour from the kernel.

Corn oil, which is extracted from corn germ, has high polyunsaturated fatty acid content and oxidative stability. Its largest single use is in bottled oil for consumer use, followed by margarine and industrial snack-frying operations.

By removing free fatty acids and phospholipids from crude corn oil, the oil refining process gives corn oil one of the qualities consumers value most: its excellent frying quality and resistance to smoking or discoloration. It also has a pleasant taste, resists developing off-flavors.

In addition, refiners produce starches, sweeteners and ethanol -- all made from the starch portion of the corn.

Corn starch, which is derived from the endosperm of the corn kernel, is a mainstay of the corn refining industry. It has a wide range of industrial and food applications. Over 90 percent of the starch Americans used is produced from corn.

Corn sweeteners supply more than 56 percent of the U.S. nutritive sweetener market. Corn syrup is a sweetener made by processing corn starch with enzymes or acid to create a dextrose solution. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is further processed to increase its sweetness. Since HFCS is stable and cheaper to produce than ordinary sugar, it has largely replaced sugar in processed foods and soft drinks; in recent years, consumer watchdog and health groups have increasingly taken food manufacturers to task for their widespread use of HFCS, claiming that the product contributes to obesity.

Ethanol is another major refined corn product; refined from the starch of the corn kernel, ethanol is an alcohol that has many industrial uses. In recent years, it has become an increasingly important source of fuel for internal combustion engines.

Maize has a wide variety of uses that ranges from both human to industrial. Maize is used as a livestock, forage or silage for animals. Humans eat maize or corn in the form of popcorn, porridge, beverage, etc. In terms of industrial usage, the grains of the maize are used in the transformation of plastics and fabrics. Ethanol, produced from maize, is being used as an additive in gas to prevent pollution levels and reduce the use of petroleum.

Maize is a rich source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, dietary fibers, etc. The presence of thiamin in maize helps in keeping the memory power intact, thereby preventing the dreaded "Alzheimer's" disease. Folate, a good source of Vitamin B helps in preventing birth defects and also helps in lowering the level of Homocysteine that has the potential of damaging the blood vessels. Consumption of corn also prevents the occurrence of lung cancer as it is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in corn in large proportion.

Maize is the most important crop in the world after wheat and rice. It has continued to be the leading crop in terms of production and area of land on which it has been produced during the last decade. It is as much a significant crop in the American countries like rice and wheat in Asia. Maize has a wide variety of usage too. It is used as a feed and in the production of alcoholic beverages and of food sweeteners, starch, oil and proteins. Recently, it has been discovered that maize or corn can also be used in the production of fuel. United states of America is a major corn producing country. The states in US like Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota and Indiana contributes to over 80% of the total production in US. The production of maize was 614.3 million tons in 2003 and was still rising in the later years. Consumption of corns is also on an increasing level. It is basically consumed for three uses – as food, as feed for animals and as raw material for industry. USA and China are the major maize consuming countries.

Much of the corn now grown around the world is genetically modified for herbicide and/or pest resistance.

• United states
• China
• 25 countries in the European Union
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Argentina
• India

These countries produce about 4/5ths of the world’s total maize production. The production of maize is constantly increasing. This is because of the rising demand from the industries in maize is used as raw material. The area under cultivation for maize is maximum in the countries United States, China, Brazil, Mexico and India.

India’s produces around 10-14 million tons of maize annually. This contributes to about 2% of the total world production. Maize in India is generally produced as ‘kharif’ crop, which means that it is usually produced in the summers. Most of the corn produced in India mainly comes from the southern Corn Belt states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Earlier in 50’s and 60’s, the maize production was improved through crop management techniques and increasing the area under cultivation. Now it is being improved through improvement in yield levels. The Indian states in which maize is produced are: -

Karnataka, AP, Bihar, MP. UP and Rajasthan are the main maize producing areas. It is also produced in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, HP, Jammu Kashmir, and Orissa. Punjab, West Bengal etc. Expiry rate of maize is fixed according to Nizamabad mandi . Apart from Nizamabad, Karimnagar in AP is also a delivery centre. In Maharashtra, Jalna and Jalgaon are the delivery centres while in Karnataka, Davengere is a delivery centre. Nimbaheda in Rajasthan, Ratlam in MP and Bahraich in UP are the delivery centres which are approved by the NCDEX.

Andhra Pradesh

It is a one of the main producing states where Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Vijayawada and Warrangal are the main producing areas. Sowing starts in June-July and arrival starts in September-October. In Nizamabad and Karimnagar area, around 15 lakh bags of maize are produced. The Rabi crop sowing takes place as second crop after harvesting of paddy. Paddy harvesting starts in Oct and after that the Rabi maize sowing would start and its delivery would start from December which would last till February. Total production of maize in AP is nearly 18 lakh ton. This year, production is expected to decrease as late rains have adversely impacted the per acre productivity. Here, bold quality is produced which has a mix of Red and Yellow colours. Since the starch content for the crop here is higher than other states, it is mostly purchased by starch companies entire year.

Karnataka

It is also a major producing area. During 2007-08, around 25 lakh ton maize was produced here. This is expected to increase in 2008-09 to 26 lakh ton. Here, only one crop is harvested. The crop is sown in June-July and its arrivals start in October to November. Colour of maize here remains yellowish. Large size of Karnataka maize fetches demand from all industries.

Rajasthan

It attracts good demand from industries due to the good quality. Southern Rajasthan is a major producing area and colour of maize here remains Red. Tonk, Kota, Boondi, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Nimbaheda and Pratapgarh are the main producing areas. During 2007, around 23 lakh tons were produced here while in 2008, the production is expected to increase by 10% in the view of increased sowing area - as per traders. Here, production is expected to touch the level of nearly 25 lakh bags. Sowing takes place here during June July. Harvesting takes place during Oct.

Bihar

Maize production in Bihar has been increasing for last few years. Here, crop is cultivated 3 times in a year. One crop is sown in October- November and its arrival starts in April-June. Second crop is cultivated in September and its arrival starts in December. Third crop is sown in February and May is the month for its arrivals. Here, sowing area was expected to increase this year, but floods in Kosi River reduced the sowing area and also damaged the stock lying in warehouses. Soopol, Serhsa, Madhepura, Purnia, Katihar, Arrariya, Kishanganj and Khagariya are the areas most affected areas by flood but no report for damages has been reported from Begusarai, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzzaffarnagar and Chhapra. Last year, total production was around 28 lakh ton which is expected to reduce by 10 lakh bags to 18 lakh bags this year

Madhya Pradesh

Neemuch, Mandsore, Ratlam, Indore, Ujjain, Khandwa and Chhindwara are the main maize producing areas in MP. As per officially sources, around 8.78 lakh hectares was sown in 2007 which is likely to fall mildly this year to 8.73 lakh hectares. Around 16 lakh ton of maize was produced here in 2007 while production is expected to fall slightly this year to ~15 lakh ton.

Maharashtra

Maize is produced in central Maharashtra in Buldana, Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Jalna, Nanded, Solapur, Sangli and Satara. Though in 2007, ~10 lakh ton maize was produced in Maharashtra but due to scarcity of rains, production is expected to reduce to 8 lakh ton this year as sowing took place late. Sowing starts here in June-July while arrivals start in October.

Uttar Pradesh

In UP, maize is produced in Bahraich, Kasganj, Raibareli, Etah, Etawah, Mainpuri, Bareli, Aligarh, Farakka, Kanpur and Pilibhit. During 2007, maize production was nearly 18 lakh ton while in 2008, production is expected to reduced by 2-3 lakh ton as floods have damaged some crop here even though some increment was seen in the sowing area. Cultivation starts in April and May while arrival starts in August and October.

Other Maize producing states

Maize is also produced in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, HP, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Punjab and West Bengal. In 2007, total production of maize in these states was nearly 28 lakh ton. This is likely to cross the level of 30 lakh ton in 2008 as production of maize in Punjab is expected to increase than last year. Cultivation takes place in most places in June-July.

Maize as a crop needs a vast variety of environments for production. India as big and an agriculture-oriented country provide all the basic requirements for it. India produces around 10 million ton of maize. Karnataka is the leading producer of maize in India as it falls under the corn belt of India and produces around 15% of India’s total produce. In India, the area on which maize is cultivated is 7 million hectares in 2004. India consumes almost all the maize that it produces. About 50% of the total Indian produce is consumed as poultry feed and about 8% is consumed by the starch industry. Indian maize exports fluctuates around 5 lakh tons annually. Mostly the southwestern countries import maize from India.

In another words, India can be considered as maize importing country. Government fixes the quantity of maize to be imported each year and the imports are to be done on 15%.

Market Influencing Factors

• Weather of the area in which it is produced and natural calamities like floods, droughts etc
• Changes in the government policies relating to the minimum support prices
• Cheaper prices of the substitute products
• Changes in the seasons
• Technological changes and improvements

• Chicago
• Budapest (Hungary)
• South Africa
• Liaoning (China)
• Kenya

In India, maize is traded at

• Patna (Bihar)
• Chapra (Bihar)
• Begusarai (Bihar)
• Motihari (Bihar)
• Dohad (Gujrat)
• Banglore (Karnataka)
• Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh)
• Udaipur (Rajasthan)
• Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh)
• Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)

Maize is also traded in the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd and National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange ltd.

Maize is the only crop which has got the highest weight of production even as compared to rice and wheat. The planting of the maize crop is done in the spring season so that it could get the benefit of the rains in this season. Rains for this crop, are very important as maize is very sensitive to drought. This crop is generally cultivated in a two or three crop rotation. The cultivation of maize involves the following steps:-

• Planting – Planting of the crop is when the crop is planted. The planting of maize is generally done in mid of April to mid of May.
• Silking – Silking is the most crucial stage in the crop cultivation. It means pollination of the crop.
• Doughing – When the maize crop starts to show a thick substance, the crop is said to be doughed.
• Denting- During the process of doughing, the plant spends all its resources in the formation of those dough like substance and this causes the plant to reduce and a ‘dent’ starts to show, on the end of the substance. This is called denting.
• Maturing – When the green foliage is gone and maize appears from the opening of the foliage, the crop is said to be matured.
• Harvesting – The crop usually gets matured around the year end and then it harvested.

Major processors of corn in the U.S. include A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company, Ag Processing Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Company, Bunge Ltd., Cargill, Inc., Corn Products International, Inc., National Starch and Chemical Company, Penford Company, Roquette America, Inc. and Tate & Lyle PLC.

Other important U.S. processors include Consolidated Grain and Barge Company, SunOpta Grains and Foods Group, SK Food International Inc. and Agricor, Inc.

Introduction

Of all the grain commonly used in Live Stock & Poultry, Corn is by far the most important. Corn is palatable, readily digested by human and Monogastric and ruminant animals and is one of the best source of Metabolizeable Energy (ME) among the Grains.

Corn is composed of four principal ingredients viz. Starch (Carbohydrate), Gluten (Proteinous material), Fat (Lipids) and Fibers (Cellulosic Material) and providing valuable feed ingredients to produce high quality Live Stock and Poultry. The Co-product of Corn refining forms 25% to 30% of Corn processed and goes into feed product. There are four main Co-products obtained viz. Corn Gluten Meal, Gluten Feed, Corn Germ Meal and Corn steep extracts as can be seen from schemstic outline of Corn-wet milling process FIGURE - 1.

Corn Gluten Meal is prepared by recentrifugation, filtering and drying of gluten slurry obtained in starch gluten separation in the mill.

It has a high protein, high nutrient density, high energy ingredient consisting of insoluble protein in combination with minimal quantity of starch and fiber fractions. This high protein concentrate is commonly provided at minimum 62% protein. It is highly digestible, contains ME 4131 K Cal/Kg. on D.B. for chicks and rich source of available Carotene 49-72 mg/Kg. and Xanthophyll 244-550 mg/Kg.

Application

Poultry Feed :Feeding requirement of Poultry are characterized by great variability in needs according to class of birds being fed. (Chickens, Broiler, Laying hens etc.) Pigments to produce desired colour of skin and egg yolk is another special feature of poultry feeds. Feed stuff from corn wet milling have an important place in fulfilling these requirements. Most heavily used feed stuff is CGM. It is high in nutrient density and energy value, a good source of Vitamins and Minerals, high in methionine and efficient source of Xanthophylls, which are valued for their skin and yoke pigmentation.

Cattle :Corn Gluten feed and steep water are widely used for cattle and other ruminants. Because of complex digestive system cattle can thrive on feeds relatively rich in fiber content and are less demanding of the quality of protein feed.

Formulations

Protein quality considerations are very complex. For non-ruminants Poultry and swine protein essential amino acids must be present and biologically available in feed protein in sufficient quantity and in correct proportion to meet the needs of animal.

Ruminants have been shown to be responsive to protein quality in feed mixture in a less direct way because it has a different assimilation system than non-ruminants.

In formulating feed for non-ruminants it is desirable to blend corn derived feed stuff with other protein containing feed stuffs which supply sufficient amount of limiting amino acids of corn protein so the overall amino acids pattern in formulated feed is balanced for particular species being fed.

Corn Gluten meal is particularly valued for its high content of methionine an essential amino acid (Approx 2%). Protein of Corn Gluten meal in contrast to other feed stuffs is very nearly adequate in lysine, methionine and tryptophan.

Fats & Fibers

The Fat content of CGM* (Approx 5%) Contributes to improvement in energy value of feeds. Moreover, the high degree of unsaturation in these fats enhance the utilisation of saturated fats in other components of the feed. The high proportion of Linoleic acid an essential fatty acid in CGM (Approx 3%) is important in Poultry feeds. The use of feed stuff is affected by the fiber content. The lower fiber content of CGM is desirable for high nutrient density broiler feeds.

Vitamins

CGM is good source of carotenoids which have Vitamin A activity and all the feed stuff from corn wet milling will make important contribution of choline and B Vitamins in any formulation in which they are significant ingredients.B vitamins are not added to formulated feeds for cattle, they are of considerable importance in Poultry and swine feed.

Minerals

CGM feed stuff is high in Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and Zinc, Steep water tends to concentrate the minerals so that the trace metal content of CGM is enriched by addition of concentrated steep water to gluten fraction. In general feeds stuff of corn wet milling make significant contribution of essential minerals and trace elements to feed formation in which they are used.

Energy

Cattle derive almost as much energy from higher fiber lower protein Gluten feed as from Gluten Meal. Poultry and Swine-non-ruminants can Metabolize a much higher proportion of energy in corn Gluten Feed.

Diverse uses of starch make it a very versatile product. Maize or Corn Starch is a typical cereal starch with distinctly low protein and ash contents. Its carbohydrate content of high purity makes it of use in several industries.

Starch occurs in nature in many ways. Maize contains about 66% of starch which can be separated from other ingredients by various processes such as steeping, grinding, purifying and drying. The physico-chemical and functional properties of starch exhibit a wide variation with slight change in the production parameters. One of the important properties is of the viscosity of starch slurry. Normally, starch has near neutral PH. With an increase in the PH, viscosity of starch tends to show an increase, thus making it possible to have diverse uses. This is commonly known as High Viscosity Starch and is used in the textile industry for sizing.

Maize Starch exhibits all the properties of native starch with some special features such as non-foaming & non-thinning characteristics of boiling solution. Hence maize starch has a marginal effect on the efficiency in weaving and paper industry. Where high viscosity starch is used, it imparts higher tensile strength to the fibre and thus improves the sizing. The remarkable advantage over tapioca starch is short cooking time of less than an hour and uniform smoothness of paste. The foaming is also very less even at high pH.The starch has a deep penetration into the fibres making it an ideal choice for sizing and finishing.

Combined with resins, starch produces a permanent finish. Good binding capacity results in its use as a good filler and binder in tablets. It is also vital additive of most of the adhesives due to these properties. In slurry, it provides body to the food products. It also helps in retaining the viscosity of foods. Besides this, it is an excellent filler in cosmetics by virtue of its smoothness in dry form. It also participates in Maillard's reaction in presence of proteins and thus gives the brown colour in bakery products.

Maize Starch is a cereal starch, which has a low ash and protein content. It does not thin down during the process of sizing, whereas tapioca starch breaks down substantially on cooking. This results in an uneven pick up on the yarn. Unlike Tamarind Kernel Powder, which requires steeping and long cooking time, Maize Starch is transformed into a smooth paste within an hour or in even lesser time under pressure-cooking.

The uniform viscosity, from lot to lot, ensures uniform pick up and penetration into the interstices of yarn to ensure good weaving performance. As foaming is usually associated with high pH, it is not necessary to add any of the antifoaming agents while working with maize starch, as the pH of Maize Starch paste is always maintained in the neutral range. In addition to these advantages, the starch is easily removed during the normal process of desizing.

1. By virtue of its Superior uniformity and stability of water solution, the use of starch is preferred to any other material for sizing, finishing and printing. It offers economy alongwith ease in filling the interstices of the weave. This provides the requisite strength and weight.
2. A TEXTILE ENGINEER finds it suitable for all types of clothes and yarns as it offers a wide titration of parameters such as viscosity, binding strength and its compatibility with thermoplastic and thermosetting resins for a permanent inish and back filling. Moreover, starch has an added advantage of being washed away easily from the fabric.
3. A PHARMACIST uses starch as a tablet binder in excepient and as a disintegrating agent in the dispersible tablets and also in the sustained release formulations.
4. Pharmaceuticals: Dextrains are used as a neutrient source in preparations of certain antibiotics.
5. For a Householder the ubiquitous nature of starch does not go unnoticed due to its presence in food products such as ketch-ups, ice-creams, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, wafers and drycell batteries, detergents, etc. Starch also finds itself to use in adhesives and gums. Ladies love the soft and silky feel of starch in talcum powder. Children enjoy the blasting sound of starch in the crackers. Starch also finds immense usage in paper industry to enhance bursting & tensile strength, elongation, fold endurance, pick resistance etc. Starch also improves the printability of paper by inhibiting ink penetration and forming a hard firm surface.

Starch plays a leading role in determining the texture of many foods, which is vital to both the consumer and the food manufacturer, as a major factor that governs the acceptability and palatability of most food products. Maize Starch, because of its abundance and low cost, is used wherever its properties are applicable. Maize Starch takes a relatively short time to form a viscous and opaque paste, which has a typical cereal flavour and is widely used for thickening sauces, gravies, puddings and pie fillings. Cornstarch finds numerous uses in the baking industry. Addition of starch makes hard wheat flour preferred for cakes.

Cornstarch is used to give proper strength to ice cream cones and sugar water shells. In addition to the above mentioned uses, it finds numerous uses in "dusting" to facilitate certain baking operations. Starch is also used as an inert ingredient in baking powder and also in salad dressing.

The addition of starch to the wet end of the paper is generally referred to as beater sizing. Here, the primary function of starch is to increase paper strength, to lay surface fuzz and to increase stiffness and rattle of the paper. Practical experience has shown that adding 1% to 2% starch, on the dry weight of the fibre, is quite sufficient to achieve the desired result. Size press application of starch in the paper industry is often referred to as tub sizing or surface sizing. The purpose of size press application is to improve appearance and erasability, inhibit ink penetration and form hard firm surface for writing or printing and to prepare the sheet for subsequent coating. The size press is chiefly used to improve the writing and printing characteristics of sheets such as bond, ledger, tablet, envelope, chart and business grade. The second important use for surface sizing of paper products is for calender stack and here its main purpose is to enhance surface characteristics such as scuff resistance and printability. Native starches are generally used at concentrations ranging from 2% to 5%.

Cornstarch is used as an adhesive in pigment coating for paper and paperboard. The most commonly used pigments are clay, calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide. The primary purpose of coating is to enhance the printability and appearance of the paper.

In short starch is used by the textile industry in a number of different ways:

• As an adhesive in the size mix to strengthen warp yarn and improves its resistance to abrasion during weaving.
• In finishing, to change the hand and appearance after it is bleached, dyed and printed.
• In printing, to increase the consistency of the printing paste.
• As a compound in finishes to glaze and polish sewing thread.