Food Safety Guide | How to eat, choose and store sweet and sticky corn?

Is the fruit corn so sweet because of added sugar? Is sweet sticky corn genetically modified? Chen Yongxin, a senior sweet sticky corn expert at the Corn Research Institute of Shanxi Agricultural University, gives us the answers.

Does sweetened fruit corn have extra sugar added?

Ordinary corn does not taste sweet. In the course of history, one or several genes of corn have naturally mutated, causing the reducing sugar and sucrose content in it to increase significantly, especially accumulating a large amount of water-soluble polysaccharides, forming a sweet corn type. The vast majority of sweet corn currently grown in my country is super sweet corn, also called "fruit corn."

Is sweet sticky corn a genetically modified food?

The fresh-edible sweet and sticky corn developed by Chinese corn breeding experts is cultivated using traditional breeding methods and is not genetically modified corn.

It combines the advantages of sweet corn and glutinous corn. It has the stickiness and softness of glutinous corn, the sweetness and crispness of sweet corn, and a chewy texture. It also has higher nutritional value and can be eaten with confidence.

Why is some fresh corn black?

The purple and black corn on the market is actually the color of anthocyanins. This type of corn contains a lot of anthocyanins on the pericarp, which is a natural antioxidant beneficial to human health. After eating this kind of corn, it is easy to get the color on your mouth and hands. Some people suspect that it is dyed corn, but it is actually naturally formed edible anthocyanins.

What kind of fresh corn tastes better?

Choose corn with bright green husks, plump and shiny kernels, and thick, paste-like juice flowing out. Such corn is fresher and more delicious.

Can the corn in the vacuum bag be eaten directly?

The corn in the vacuum-packed bag is cooked corn, but the sticky corn is hard when it is cold and becomes soft and delicious after heating. The vacuum-packed sweet corn can be eaten immediately after opening the bag.

Is it better to steam or boil sweet sticky corn?

Both are fine, depending on personal preference. Steaming corn can retain most of the nutrients in corn, and the taste is more tender and sweet. Sweet corn and glutinous corn can be steamed together, but it is not recommended to cook them together, as they will "mix flavors". In particular, black corn is best steamed to retain anthocyanins.

What should I do if I can’t eat the sweet and sticky corn right away?

If you buy sweet sticky corn that you cannot eat right away, steam and drain it on the same day, leave a small gap in the lid to let it cool, put it in a plastic bag, seal it and freeze it in the refrigerator, and then heat it up when you eat it. Remember not to refrigerate it in the refrigerator. The corn refrigerated in the refrigerator will be tasteless after two days. It must be cooked and frozen.

How long is the shelf life of sweet and sticky corn?

Fresh corn is best steamed and eaten within 8-10 hours after picking. The shelf life of quick-frozen corn cobs and vacuum-cold corn cobs is 12 months. Vacuum-cold corn products are stored at room temperature (above 0°C), while quick-frozen corn products need to be frozen at low temperatures. Whether it is quick-frozen corn or vacuum-cold corn, it must be fully heated before eating, and the starch will be gelatinized before it tastes good.

This article was scientifically reviewed by Chen Yongxin, a researcher at the Corn Research Institute of Shanxi Agricultural University, and Qiao Jingfang from the Whole Grain Channel of the People's Daily Health Client also contributed.