How to tell if corn is bad? Avoid food poisoning this yuletide season and keep your stomach safe. Here’s everything you need to know!
How To Tell If Corn Is Bad | Pad Outdoor
Corn has been a
staple food for many countries, especially in the orient. But because of strong
economic ties between countries nowadays, import and export practices have
allowed this amazing grain food to be famous all around the globe.
Unfortunately, not everyone is well acquainted with how to tell if corn is bad or spoiled. Thus, many people are prone to food poisoning.
In fact, just in July 2018, a food poisoning outbreak in the United Kingdom had been caused by frozen sweetcorn.
Now, you don’t
really wanna suffer the same fate, do you?
We know you don’t,
and that is why we specifically want to discuss this topic in our article
today.
What Makes Corn
Go Bad?
Really, knowing
what makes the corn go bad will help you prolong it. The number one culprit of
corn spoilage is moisture. Compared to well-dried corn, moist corn has a
greater tendency to become spoiled.
The moist
environment is a good breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and other
contaminants, thus they thrive in the corn cob. The byproduct of these bacteria
or fungi gives off a weird and rancid smell, which affects the taste of the
corn. Moisture can also cause molds to appear on the corn, which also makes it
go bad.
Thus, proper
storage of the corn cob will greatly help to avoid spoilage.
How To Tell If
Corn Is Bad?
In this section, we
will now explain the different signs to watch out for to avoid eating bad corn.
Here are the signs:
1. Corn Appearance
Using
your sense of sight, you can easily spot an ear of bad corn from the good ones
through its appearance. Good corns are healthy looking and do not have damaged
parts.
On
the other hand, if you notice molds and black spots of the corn, then it is
most likely spoiled already. It is better to just dispose of the entire cob for
safety reasons.
Do
not attempt to use parts that you think are damage-free. The molds may have
affected the corn more than what you see.
2. Corn Smell
Of
course, smelling the corn is another way to identify if it has gone bad or not.
As mentioned earlier, sometimes it is hard to spot molds right away. Therefore,
you can use the sense of smell this time.
Corn
with molds usually has the moldy and rancid smell to it. Even the slightest
change in smell could mean something like spoilage, so it is better to keep the
corn out of your fridge before it can affect the other vegetables inside.
3. Corn Texture
If
the raw corn is slimy to touch, then it is an indication that it might be
infected with fungus or molds. Fresh and good corn cobs are hard and rough to
touch. The bumps of the kernels should be prominent when you touch them.
4. Corn Colour
You
also need to pay attention to the color of the corn husk, as well as its silk.
The husk must be green and the silk should be pale yellow. If you notice that
the husk is already brown, this could mean that the corn is entering the
spoilage stage.
How Do You
Store Corn To Extend The Shelf Life?
Aside from knowing how to tell if corn is bad, you also need to learn the proper way of storing it.
If you plan to use
the whole ears of corn within the week, it is best to avoid pre-washing it. Use
ziplock to store the unwashed corn and then put it inside the fridge. The
plastic will protect the corn from being exposed to water.
If you need to use
the corn for cooking, just get enough amount that you need and store the others
just the same.
For storing corn that lasts for months, it is better to just keep the kernels and get rid of the husks. It is also a must to slightly blanched the kernels before freezing. Blanching helps prevent the corn enzymes to take action, thus preserving its current taste, texture, and color.
