Maize: A Paramount Staple Crop in the Context of Global Nutrition

Abstract

The maize plant (Zea mays), characterized by an erect green stalk, is one of the 3 great grain crops of the world. Its kernels, like other seeds, are storage organs that contain essential components for plant growth and reproduction. Many of these kernel constituents, including starch, protein, and some micronutrients, are also required for human health. For this reason, and others, maize has become highly integrated into global agriculture, human diet, and cultural traditions. The nutritional quality and integrity of maize kernels are influenced by many factors including genetic background, environment, and kernel processing. Cooking procedures, including nixtamalization and fermentation, can increase accessibility of micronutrients such as niacin. However, man cannot live on maize alone. For one‐third of the world's population, namely in sub‐Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, humans subsist on maize as a staple food but malnutrition pervades. Strategies to further improve kernel macronutrient and micronutrient quality and quantities are under intense investigation. The 2 most common routes to enhance grain nutritional value are exogenous and endogenous fortification. Although exogenous fortification, such as addition of multivitamin premixes to maize flour, has been successful, endogenous fortification, also known as “biofortification,” may provide a more sustainable and practical solution for chronically undernourished communities. Recent accomplishments, such as low‐phytate, high‐lysine, and multivitamin maize varieties, have been created using novel genetic and agronomic approaches. Investigational studies related to biofortified maize are currently underway to determine nutrient absorption and efficacy related to human health improvement.

Zinc fertilizer placement affects zinc content in maize plant

“…This phenomenon was reported before in maize (JarauschWehrheim et al 1999), rice (Jiang et al 2008), and wheat (Yilmaz et al 1997). Since Zn concentrations in the shoots could be increased by Zn application, thus Zn homeostasis by Zn loading in phloem, translocation and unloading to grain would be one limitation (Herren and Feller 1997;Stomph et al 2011), and the limited sink due to low concentration of N and P which can store Zn in grain would be another limitation (Cakmak 2008;Nuss and Tanumihardjo 2010). Overall, grain Zn concentration combining the current cultivar and Zn fertilization could not meet the target of maize biofortification with Zn, such as to 38 mg Zn kg −1 (Bouis and Welch 2010).…”

“…Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the leading cereal crops worldwide, and its total production is more than that of any other cereal grain (FAO 2011). And it is also an important cereal crop in the context of nutrition for humans, poultry and livestock (Nuss and Tanumihardjo 2010). Thus increasing Zn levels in maize grain could deliver more Zn to people whose diet relies directly or indirectly on maize-derived food.…”

Aflatoxin variations in maize flour and grains collected from various regions of Kenya

“…Maize is an important staple food for more than 1.2 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Latin America [1]. Maize and its products have long been part of the African culture, and they form part of everyday meal in most homes [2].…”

Nutrient and Non-nutrient Antioxidant Evaluation of Maize (Zea mays L.)

“…Besides β-carotene, other carotenoids cited to be present in maize are lutein, zeaxanthin, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin 10 . As vitamin E classes, both α-and γ-tocopherols are documented to predominate in maize 11 . Pertaining to phytochemical profile presented in Conclusion Maize (Zea mays L.), besides being a rich source of energy, carbohydrates, dietary fibre and micronutrients, is being advocated to be rich in nonnutrient components too associated with potent antioxidant activity and promising biological effects.…”