use of corn as a food product dates to about 4000 B.C. when it was grown near what is now Oaxaca in Mexico. Because of its natural hardiness, corn was successfully cultivated by people in much of the Western Hemisphere. It was imported to Spain from the West Indies in about 1520 A.D. and soon became a popular food throughout Europe.
The first commercial corn oil for cooking purposes was extracted in 1898 and 1899. Corn oil is oil extracted from the germ of corn (maize). Its main use is in cooking, where its high smoke point makes it a valuable frying oil. It is also a key ingredient in some margarines. Corn oil has a milder taste and is less expensive than most other types of vegetable oils.
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The oil is obtained from the germ of the corn seed. The germ contains near 50 percent of oil, which is separated with expellers or with solvents. One bushel of corn contains 1.55 pounds of corn oil (28 mg/kg). Refined Corn Oil is 99% triglyceride, with proportions of approximately 59% polyunsaturated fatty acid, 24% monounsaturated fatty acid, and 13% saturated fatty acid.
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Nearly all of the world's corn oil is produced in the U.S. Most of the oil is used as a salad or Cooking Oil or in the manufacture of lard substitutes. There is some use in industry.
Wet milling separates the corn kernel into components that yield so many different food, feed, and industrial products that the process often is called "corn refining." During a typical year, refiners process about 600 million bushels of corn. Refining begins by steeping corn for 30-40 hours in warm water to soften the kernels and help free the starch for further processing. After steeping, the kernels are coarsely ground, and the steepwater is recovered and used in the production of animal feeds, antibiotics, and chemicals.
The ground corn then flows in a water slurry to giant centrifuge-like devices that separate the germ, which contains about 85 percent of corn's oil. Refiners use mechanical and chemical solvent processes to extract the oil, which then is refined to produce table-quality corn oil. Germ residue is recovered and used in animal feeds. Corn oil has been increasingly popular with health-conscious consumers. It is high in polyunsaturated fats, which help to decrease blood cholesterol levels. About 50 percent of corn oil is used as frying or salad oil, and 35 percent is used to make corn oil margarines.