If Your Corn Is Reddish-Pink on the Ends, This Is What It Means (2024)

FAQs

If Your Corn Is Reddish-Pink on the Ends, This Is What It Means? ›

Those Reddish-Pink Ends on the End of Your Corn Are Actually Corn Mold.

It's caused by the fungus Gibberella zeae. Yuck! It's specifically identified by the reddish-pink kernels toward the top of an ear of corn. The kernels themselves will usually also be soft, mushy or shriveled.

Gibberella ear rot is caused by the fungus Gibberella zeae. It is a consistently important mycotoxigenic fungus in the northern Corn Belt, producing vomitoxin, zearalenone, and other toxins. Gibberella ear rot can be identified most readily by the red or pink color of the mold.

ONE IS DANGEROUS: The white moldy ear has Diplodia. The green middle ear is Penicillium. The bottom red/pink mold is characteristic of Gibberella ear rot, which can produce mycotoxins.

Excess Heat, Excess Sugars

In a nutshell, corn leaves and stalks become red as a result of prolonged periods of high temperatures during the period of pollination. In a specific 2012 case that University of Kentucky used as an example, temperatures exceeded 100F for seven consecutive days.

The appearance and aroma of your corn are the two main ways to tell whether or not it has gone bad. If it's giving off a rancid or moldy smell, or has a slimy and mushy texture, it should be tossed in your compost. Similarly, if there's any visible mold on your corn, it has gone bad.

There are three main categories of corn in the United States: dent corn, flint corn, and sweet corn, which contains subgroups like white, yellow, and bicolor corn. These categories all contain an array of attributes and applications — edible and otherwise.

Corn comes in many different colors, from yellow to red to purple. The most common colors of corn are white corn and yellow corn.

Some people will argue that white corn is sweeter than yellow, while others will firmly hold their ground claiming that the yellow variety is sweeter than white. Both camps are right — sort of. Sweetness isn't determined by the color of the kernel, but rather the type of sweet corn.

Red corn has a subtly sweet, earthy, and slightly starchy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations.

When should you not eat corn? ›

However, some people should limit or avoid corn. Usually, corn is only a problem when consumed in excess. People with diabetes may want to use caution since carbohydrates, like corn, can spike blood sugar. Similarly, people wanting to lose weight may want to limit how much corn they eat.

When it comes to nutrients, color matters. Plant pigments are where you'll find natural chemicals called phytonutrients, which carry antioxidants. That's why white or yellow corn has fewer antioxidants than blue or purple corn. (These darker-colored types of corn come in chips or taco shells.)

Red corn's kernels are stained with hues of ruby brick red and creamy pink tones, depending on specific variety. The cobs of Red corn are typically leaner than yellow or white and kernels and less plump in size, though this is not a reflection of the Red corn's sweetness.

But it can be eaten, and might even be pretty good, if you first soak the kernels in water mixed with something alkaline. (Lime, or calcium hydroxide, is traditional, ashes even more so.) An alkaline bath loosens the tough hulls so they can be rubbed off, leaving hominy, or posole. Crack it if you prefer grits.

Corn silk colors can vary from yellow to purple to red depending on the genetics of the hybrid. Popcorn hybrids in particular often have vibrant purplish silks. But all silks eventually dry up and turn brown.

If your corn feels slimy, smells off, or is visibly bruised, throw it away. You should also toss corn immediately if you spot any mold or discoloration. Mold can cause serious health complications, so err on the side of caution.

GIBBERELLA EAR ROT - When natural early-season infections occur via the silk, Gibberella ear rot typically develops as white to pink mold covering the ear tip to the upper half of the ear.

The corn color is mainly due to the presence of a huge number of secondary metabolites, such as phenolic acids, carotenoids, and flavonoids. The different expression of these pigments imparts to corn tissues different colors, from yellow-orange to dark purple-blue, as well as ivory, and cream colors.