Maize
Maize
Maize is a cereal grain, popularly known as corn, of the Gramineae family of grasses that today constitutes the most widely distributed food plant in the world. The grain was first domesticated about 10,000 years ago by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico.
The total production of Maize has surpassed the production of wheat or rice by becoming a staple food in many parts of the world. The six major types of maize are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn.
Besides being consumed by humans in their staple diet, the grain is also used for corn ethanol, animal feed, and other maize products, such as corn starch and corn syrup.