Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Corncob
open-in-new
<h2 id="uses">Uses</h2> <h3>Agricultural</h3> <ul><li>Bedding for animals — cobs absorb moisture and provide a compliant surface<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a></li> <li>Fiber in <a href="/facts/Fodder/b4Hw0Lq0">fodder</a> for <a href="/facts/Ruminant/tTcBMxk4">ruminant</a> livestock (despite low nutritional value)</li> <li>Diluent/carrier/filler material in animal health products, agro-chemicals, veterinary formulations, vitamin premixes, pharmaceuticals, etc.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li>Soil conditioner, water retainer in horticulture<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>Culinary</h3> <p>Corncobs are not frequently consumed after the corn has matured. Young ears of corn are harvested while the cob is still tender and are eaten whole. <a href="/facts/Baby_corn/gVfGpkB7">Baby corn</a> is common in stir fries and Thai cuisine.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The cob can still be used for cooking, after the corn has matured: </p> <ul><li>Corn cobs are used to flavor <a href="/facts/Stock_(food)/JNXhS57g">stock</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></li> <li>Corn milk is made utilizing whole ears of corn.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>Pest control</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Powdered_corn_cob/j2lYa9fK">Powdered corn cob</a> is used as an environmentally-friendly <a href="/facts/Rodenticide/unEUuByD">rodenticide</a>.</li></ul> <h3>Industrial</h3> <ul><li>Industrial source of the chemical <a href="/facts/Furfural/xnnVJtsQ">furfural</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></li> <li>Absorbent media for safe disposal of liquid and solid effluents<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>Other products</h3> <ul><li>Ground up and washed (then re-dried) to make cat litter</li> <li>A mild abrasive for cleaning building surfaces, when coarsely ground</li> <li>Bowl material for corncob pipes<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></li> <li>As a <a href="/facts/Biofuel/RWu7b6Y3">biofuel</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Charcoal/tpYGBHTn">Charcoal</a> production</li> <li><a href="/facts/Anal_hygiene/TTfbeMta">Anal hygiene</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></li> <li>The body of a <a href="/facts/Doll/vsUC8dVH">doll</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="in-media">In media</h2> <p>Corncob TV is the fictional TV channel featured in Season 2, Episode 1 of <a href="/facts/I_Think_You_Should_Leave_with_Tim_Robinson/8PVXMr3E">I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://web.mit.edu/mmadinot/Public/corn-cob.pdf">Making charcoal from corncobs</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Gandam, Pradeep Kumar; Chinta, Madhavi Latha; Gandham, A. Priyadarshini; Pabbathi, Ninian Prem Prashanth; Konakanchi, Srilekha; Bhavanam, Anjireddy; Atchuta, Srinivasa R.; Baadhe, Rama Raju; Bhatia, Ravi Kant (December 2022). "A New Insight into the Composition and Physical Characteristics of Corncob—Substantiating Its Potential for Tailored Biorefinery Objectives". Fermentation. 8 (12): 704. doi:10.3390/fermentation8120704. ISSN 2311-5637. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Ffermentation8120704" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.3390%2Ffermentation8120704</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Aston, Andrew (November 14, 2010). "Bedding For Laboratory Animals". ALN Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150927020107/http://www.alnmag.com/articles/2010/11/bedding-laboratory-animals" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150927020107/http://www.alnmag.com/articles/2010/11/bedding-laboratory-animals</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Corn Cob Powder". www.rahiindustries.com. <a href="http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html" target="_blank">http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Corn Cob Powder". www.rahiindustries.com. <a href="http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html" target="_blank">http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Coelho, Steph. "Baby corn, explained: What it is and where it comes from". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-08-09. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/what-is-baby-corn" target="_blank">https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/what-is-baby-corn</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Hunt, Tom (2022-08-13). "How to turn spent corn cobs into stock – recipe". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-08-09. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/aug/13/how-to-turn-spent-corn-cobs-into-stock-recipe-zero-waste-cooking" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/aug/13/how-to-turn-spent-corn-cobs-into-stock-recipe-zero-waste-cooking</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Nguyen, Andrea (2023-09-21). "Vietnamese Corn Milk Recipe (Sua Bap)". Viet World Kitchen. Retrieved 2024-08-09. <a href="https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2023/09/vietnamese-corn-milk-recipe-sua-bap.html" target="_blank">https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2023/09/vietnamese-corn-milk-recipe-sua-bap.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Engineers, N.B.C. (2006). Wheat, Rice, Corn, Oat, Barley and Sorghum Processing Handbook (Cereal Food Technology). Asia Pacific Business Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-81-7833-002-0. <a href="978-81-7833-002-0" target="_blank">978-81-7833-002-0</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Corn Cob Powder". www.rahiindustries.com. <a href="http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html" target="_blank">http://www.rahiindustries.com/powder.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Tobacco Leaf. 1907. pp. 36, 38. Retrieved October 29, 2015. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nCNLAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA12-PA36" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=nCNLAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA12-PA36</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Roth, Greg; Gustafson, Cole (January 31, 2014). "Corn Cobs for Biofuel Production". Cooperative Extension System. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150910035739/http://www.extension.org/pages/26619/corn-cobs-for-biofuel-production" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150910035739/http://www.extension.org/pages/26619/corn-cobs-for-biofuel-production</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Ruane, Michael E. (18 Mar 2020). "Toilet paper takes center stage amid coronavirus outbreak. Be thankful we no longer use corn cobs and rope ends". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-03-18. Retrieved 31 July 2021. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/03/18/toilet-paper-takes-center-stage-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-be-thankful-we-no-longer-use-corn-cobs-rope-ends/" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/03/18/toilet-paper-takes-center-stage-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-be-thankful-we-no-longer-use-corn-cobs-rope-ends/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Zeltwanger, Alicia (2018-12-07). "Make Your Own Corn Cob Dolls DIY". Little House on the Prairie. Retrieved 2023-08-14. <a href="https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/make-your-own-corn-cob-dolls-diy/" target="_blank">https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/make-your-own-corn-cob-dolls-diy/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"They said that to me at a dinner". I Think you Should Leave with Tim Robinson. July 2021. Netflix. <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>