Corn oil is oil extracted from the germ of corn. Its main use is in
cooking, where its high smoke point makes it a valuable frying oil.
It is also a key ingredient in some margarines. Corn oil has a
milder taste and is less expensive than most other types of
vegetable oils.
Refined corn oil is *9% triglyceride, with proportions of
approximately *9% polyunsaturated fatty acid, *4% monounsaturated
fatty acid, and *3% saturated fatty acid.
Corn oil is also one source of biodiesel. Biodiesel is commonly
made from soybeans, but as corn oil refining technology improves,
it will become a greater source of biodiesel and a backup source in
case of large-scale soybean crop failures. Other industrial uses
for corn oil include soap, salve, paint, rustproofing for metal
surfaces, inks, textiles, and insecticides. It is sometimes used as
a carrier for drug molecules in pharmaceutical preparations.
