Corn is a staple food crop in many countries, but its protein content is lacking in important amino acids. This can lead to malnutrition and vitamin deficiency diseases. New varieties, such as Quality Protein Maize, have been developed to increase the nutritional value of corn.
Maize, also known as maize, is grown throughout the world and is an important food crop in many countries, especially in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and parts of the former Soviet Union. The percentage of protein in corn commonly ranges from 8 to 11 percent, depending on the variety of corn. Quality Protein Maize (QPM), which is a variety of corn that has been specifically bred to be high in protein, contains approximately 18 percent protein. The main problem with the protein in corn, especially older varieties, is that it is lacking or a poor source of two important amino acids called lysine and tryptophan that are necessary for the human body to properly metabolize protein. Poor quality protein in corn can lead to malnutrition in the form of protein deficiency, also known as wet malnutrition or kwashiorkor, and also a vitamin deficiency disease known as pellagra.
Nutritionally, corn is a good source of carbohydrates, B vitamins, and various minerals. However, insufficient lysine and tryptophan content in corn protein makes most types of corn a poor source of dietary protein. It is recommended to eat corn with other types of protein, such as beans, fish or meat. This helps provide the necessary amino acids that are lacking in corn and allows the body to metabolize the protein in corn.
In some parts of the world, corn in various forms such as cornmeal and corn porridge is the main source of nutrition, with few other food sources. The low quality of protein in corn can cause serious health problems in those areas. One such health problem is kwashiorkor, a form of protein deficiency in children who eat enough calories but are still malnourished because they don’t get enough protein. This type of malnutrition is sometimes called wet malnutrition. Another health problem sometimes linked to eating corn is pellagra, a vitamin deficiency that occurs when you don’t get enough niacin or tryptophan.
New varieties of corn, such as QPM, have been developed to increase the nutritional value of corn and specifically its protein content. These varieties offer a higher percentage of protein, as well as more lysine and tryptophan, making them better sources of dietary protein. QPM is now used in maize production around the world and some studies show that its introduction has helped reduce the incidence of malnutrition and vitamin deficiency in parts of Africa and Latin America.
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