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What's in a Bushel of Corn?
Each bushel of corn can produce up to 2.5 gallons of ethanol fuel. Only the starch from the corn is used to make ethanol. Most of the substance of the corn kernel remains, leaving the protein and valuable co-products to be used in the production of food for people, livestock feed, and various chemicals. For example, that same bushel of corn (56 lbs.) used in ethanol manufacturing can also produce the following:
The wet-milling process:
31.5
pounds of starch
or
33 pounds of starch
or
2.5 gallon fuel ethanol
and
12.4 lbs of 21% protein feed
and
3.0 lbs of 60% gluten meal
and
1.5 lbs of corn oil
and
17 lbs of carbon dioxide
The dry-milling process:
10
one-lb boxes of cereal
and
15 lbs of brewer grits (enough for 1 gallon of beer)
and
10 eight ox packages of Cheese Curls
and
1 lb of pancake mix
and
22 lbs of hominy feed for livestock
and
0.7 lbs of corn oil
and
17 lbs of carbon dioxide
The corn oil is used in producing food for human consumption. For example, 1.5 lbs of corn oil from a bushel of corn is equivalent to 2 lbs of margarine. The 21% protein feed is used in making high protein livestock feed. The carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant, in carbonated beverages, to help vegetable crops to grow more rapidly in greenhouses, and to flush oil wells. Only the starch of the corn (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) is used to make ethanol.
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