Corncob

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A corncob also called corn cob or cob of corn, is the hard core of an ear of maize, bearing the kernels, made up of the chaff, woody ring, and pith. Corncobs contain mainly cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.^[1]

However, during several instances of famine (especially in European countries throughout history), people have been known to eat the corncobs, especially the foamy middle part. The whole cob or just the middle used to be ground and mixed with whatever type of flour was available (usually wheat or corn flour). It served as a sort of peculiar "filler", to extend the quantity of the original flour and as such, it was used even in production of bread.^{[citation needed]}

The cob is not toxic to humans and can be digested, but the outside is rough and practically inedible in its original form. The foamy part has a peculiar texture when mature and is completely bland, which most people would find unappealing, due to the consistency similar to foam plastic.

Corncobs are a particularly good source of heat when burned, so they were traditionally used for roasting meat on the spit, barbecuing and heating the bread ovens, through the centuries. In the olden days, it was especially appreciated for its long and steady burning embers, also used for the ember irons.^{[citation needed]}

When harvesting corn, the corncob may be collected as part of the ear (necessary for corn on the cob), or instead may be left as part of the corn stover in the field.

• Bedding for animals — cobs absorb moisture and provide a compliant surface^[2]
• Fiber in fodder for ruminant livestock (despite low nutritional value)
• Diluent/carrier/filler material in animal health products, agro-chemicals, veterinary formulations, vitamin premixes, pharmaceuticals, etc.^[3]
• Soil conditioner, water retainer in horticulture^[3]

Corncobs are not frequently consumed after the corn has matured. Young ears of corn are harvested while the cob is still tender and are eaten whole. Baby corn is common in stir fries and Thai cuisine.^[4] The cob can still be used for cooking, after the corn has matured:

• Corn cobs are used to flavor stock.^[5]
• Corn milk is made utilizing whole ears of corn.^[6]

• Powdered corn cob is used as an environmentally-friendly rodenticide.

• Industrial source of the chemical furfural^[7]
• Absorbent media for safe disposal of liquid and solid effluents^[3]

• Ground up and washed (then re-dried) to make cat litter
• A mild abrasive for cleaning building surfaces, when coarsely ground
• Bowl material for corncob pipes^[8]
• As a biofuel^[9]
• Charcoal production
• Anal hygiene^[10]
• The body of a doll^[11]

Corncob TV is the fictional TV channel featured in Season 2, Episode 1 of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.^[12]

• Making charcoal from corncobs

This agriculture article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e