Corn oil (Corn germ oil)
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Pressed from corn.
Nothing but fat, and no carbohydrate.
Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.
Rules by country
Corn oil is sold as a food and carries no E-number, so no regulator has assessed it as an additive. Its profile is settled by the food science rather than by an additive listing, and the main question is how much of it is heated and how often.
What is it?
Corn oil is about 59% polyunsaturated, 24% monounsaturated and 13% saturated fat, with most of the polyunsaturated share being linoleic acid. That makes it a good source of polyunsaturated fat in principle and the most oxidation-prone of the common oils in practice. Most of it on the market is made from genetically modified maize.
Where it comes from: Taken from the germ of the corn kernel, usually by solvent extraction after the starch has been milled away. Most of the world's maize crop that is not eaten as food is crushed for this oil and for ethanol.
Why it’s in food
- Frying
- Popcorn
- Margarine
- Baking
- Salad dressings
Often found in
Also listed as: Corn oil, Corn germ oil, Maize oil, Refined corn oil
Health & gut impact
Corn oil is about 60% linoleic acid. Replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat lowers LDL cholesterol, but corn oil is also the most easily oxidized of the common oils, which is why it is a poor choice for a fryer that runs all day.
Sacks and colleagues, American Heart Association presidential advisory on dietary fats (2017)
Repeatedly heated polyunsaturated oil generates aldehydes such as 4-hydroxynonenal. A review of reheated frying oils found the levels in reused oil far above those in fresh oil used for the same food.
Chang and colleagues, aldehydes in repeatedly heated oils (2019)
Most corn oil in the United States comes from genetically modified maize. The FDA requires the source to be declared only when the oil is highly refined and the modified DNA is absent or undetectable, which is why many corn oils carry no modified-organization statement.
US FDA, food labeling and genetically modified foods
What can I use instead?
Related
More fats & oils:
Common questions
Is corn oil healthy?
It is a reasonable source of polyunsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat is a good swap. The catch is heat: corn oil oxidizes faster than olive, canola or avocado oil, so it is best used fresh rather than in a fryer that is used all day.
Is genetically modified corn oil safe?
The approved insect-resistant maize varieties have been through the usual food safety reviews, and highly refined oil is exempt from the modified-organism declaration because the modified DNA does not survive refining. Every major health body that has reviewed them has found no evidence of harm.
Is corn oil the same as corn syrup?
No. Corn oil is the fat pressed from the germ and it is a savory cooking fat. Corn syrup is the sugar that comes from the starch, and it behaves completely differently on a nutrition label.
Is Corn oil safe?
Use in moderation (82/100). Corn oil is sold as a food and carries no E-number, so no regulator has assessed it as an additive. Its profile is settled by the food science rather than by an additive listing, and the main question is how much of it is heated and how often.
Is Corn oil vegan?
Yes. Pressed from corn.
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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- Sacks and colleagues, American Heart Association presidential advisory on dietary fats (2017)
- Chang and colleagues, aldehydes in repeatedly heated oils (2019)
- US FDA, food labeling and genetically modified foods
CAS 8001-76-7