Tag: Ornamental corn

Over 200 varieties of corn exist, and for many, the colorful cobs used for fall decor raise a simple question: Is ornamental corn safe to eat? The answer is generally yes, but it’s not as simple as shucking and eating, as these kernels are a type of hard flint corn requiring specific preparation.

While most people associate ornamental or "Indian" corn with autumn decorations, it is technically edible. However, unlike sweet corn, this colorful flint corn is not meant to be eaten fresh off the cob. Its hard, starchy kernels require specific processing, such as grinding or nixtamalization, to be safely and palatably consumed.

While the vast majority of corn grown in the United States is field corn used for animal feed and industrial products, it’s important to know which corn is not edible for direct human consumption straight from the cob. The hard, starchy varieties are a world away from the sweet, juicy kernels you'd expect to find in the produce aisle.