White Corn vs. Yellow Corn

Main Difference

The main difference between the white corn and yellow corn is that the white corn is creamy and yellow corn is pale to dark yellow.

Difference Between White Corn and Yellow Corn

Comparison Chart

White Corn vs. Yellow Corn

White corn is the most common type of sweet corn that has creamy and white kernels. Yellow corn variety that has pale to dark yellow kernels is more familiar to people. White corn does not contain carotenoids. Yellow corn has carotenoids that give it its yellow hue. It contains more lutein than white corn. White is generally the most common coloration of corn. Yellow corn is another common type of corn. White corn is categorized as a variety of sweet corn. It is a mutation of the regular field corn with a higher sugar than the starch ratio of content. Yellow corn is similar to white corn. It is an evolutionary offshoot of white corn. White corn has high water content. The kernels and the milk that comprise it also has a white color. Yellow corn is considered as having more nutritional value than white corn. Some varieties of yellow corn contain more lutein, and Vitamin A. white corn does not contain lutein, and Vitamin A. yellow corn is a good source of lutein, and Vitamin A. White corn has two recessive Y alleles that do not produce carotenoids, so the endosperm is white. The single dominant Y allele of yellow corn makes it produce carotenoid pigments that are responsible for the red, yellow, or orange hues in fruits and vegetables. White corn is the more common variety of corn and is the original. Other-colored corn varieties as the yellow corn are mutations of the white ‘parent.’

What is White Corn?

The term corn was originally used by the English about any cereal crop. Maize is a scientific terminology and the proper name used outside of America. The scientific name of corn is Zea mays. The white corn is a grain crop and a member of the Gramineae grass family. It is not just a grain, but also considered as a vegetable and a fruit. Corn is a grain as it is a dry seed of a species of grass. It is considered a vegetable when it is harvested before its maturity. Corn is fruit by botanical definition as it is a flowering plant with seeds. White corn is a variety of sweet corn. It is preferred in many parts of the world. It gets its color from the presence of the two recessive Y alleles. These recessive alleles do not produce carotenoids, so the endosperm is white. The milk and the kernels of the white corn are both creamy and white. White is the most common color of corn. White corn is a type of corn that has a high percentage of water and sugar in its kernels, making it sweet and juicy. But with the maturation of ear, there is a decrease in water content. Also, the sugar turns into starch, making the kernels harder and tougher. Due to its specialty of surviving in various climates or weather conditions, white corn is available in any season.

What is Yellow Corn?

The yellow corn comes from the sweet corn variety. It is considered as a grain, vegetable, and fruit depending on its maturity and use. Yellow corn is available around the year. This type of corn is developed from a series of studies and research on white corn. There is a single dominant Y allele on yellow corn that makes it produce carotenoid pigments. These pigments are responsible for the yellow, red, or orange hues in fruits and vegetables. The carotenoid pigments in the endosperm of yellow corn give its yellow color. The same carotenoids also make yellow corn a good source of beta-carotene. Beta-Carotene, in turn, produces Vitamin A. Also, yellow corn is a good source of lutein, which is good for the eyes. There is a lot of sugar and water in the kernels of yellow corn. Yellow corn is sometimes used as a sweetener in certain foods, soups, and beverages. Moreover, it is left to mature and dry, decreasing the water content and turning the sugar into starch. This starch of yellow corn is then ground and made into corn flour to make cereals, tortillas, or other baked foods. It can also be used for the source of oil. Yellow corn is one of the mutations from the inherent recessive gene of corn with the inclusion of carotenoids within the corn’s composition. Yellow corn is not particularly popular in certain areas of the world.

Conclusion

White corn and yellow corn are the two varieties of corn that resemble one another physically but are slightly different from each other.