The key difference between cornstarch and corn flour is their composition. Cornstarch is made from the endosperm of corn. This is because starch constitutes the endosperm of corn. Corn flour, on the other hand, is made by mixing endosperm with corn gluten. It is important to know that bran constitutes what is called corn gluten.
There is so much confusion about cornstarch and corn flour because these names vary from region to region. In the United Kingdom, corn flour refers to cornstarch. But in the United States, these are two distinct products.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cornstarch
3. What is Corn Flour
4. Cornstarch vs Corn Flour in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Cornstarch vs Corn Flour
What is Cornstarch
Cornstarch is the starch of corn or maize obtained from the endosperm of the kernel. The name cornstarch is mainly used in the United States and Canada. Cornstarch is a versatile ingredient and has many culinary and non-culinary uses. In cooking, it’s a common food ingredient. It helps to thicken soups and sauces and make corn syrup. Even a little bit of cornstarch is enough to be used as a thickener. Cornstarch is mainly used in the cooking methods of American and Chinese cuisines. It is used in the stir fry method of cooking and in the preparation of different types of gravies. Cornstarch is also used to prevent eggs from curdling. It is also useful in the preparation of custards and cheesecakes. It is used to bring about crispness to the food. Cornstarch is, of course, preferred to corn flour in the thickening of dairy-based sauces. It is also used in various industries to manufacture paper products and adhesives, as an anti-sticking agent, and in textile manufacturing.
Cornstarch can act as a non-Newtonian fluid when we mix it with a fluid. For instance, when you add water to it, it becomes a material called oobleck, but when you add oil to it, it transforms into an electrorheological (ER) fluid.
What is Corn Flour
Corn flour is a kind of flour milled from whole corn kernels. It contains the hull, germ, and endosperm of corn and is therefore considered a whole-grain flour. It usually has a yellow color but can also be available in white or blue. The color actually depends on the type of corn used. Corn flour has a fine and smooth texture, like whole wheat flour.
Corn flour is also used as a thickener in the absence of cornstarch. One of the disadvantages of using corn flour as a thickener is that you need to have the quantity of corn flour equal to two times the quantity of cornstarch. Corn flour is not much used in American cuisine, but it is found used in Chinese cuisine. It is more used as a traditional thickener when compared to cornstarch.
It’s important to know that the name corn flour is used to refer to cornstarch in the United Kingdom. But in the United States, these are two distinct products.
What is the Difference Between Cornstarch and Corn Flour?
Cornstarch is the starch of corn or maize obtained from the endosperm of the kernel, while corn flour is a kind of flour milled from whole corn kernels. Cornstarch is only made from the endosperm, but corn flour contains the hull, germ, and endosperm of corn. Thus, this is the key difference between cornstarch and corn flour.
Below is a summary of the difference between cornstarch and corn flour in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Cornstarch vs Corn Flour
Cornstarch only contains the endosperm, but corn flour contains the hull, germ, and endosperm of corn. This is the key difference between cornstarch and corn flour. Both can be used as thickening agents, but there is a difference in the quantities you should use.
Reference:
1. “Corn Starch.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “What is Corn Flour?” All Recipes.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Cornstarch mixed with water” By Picasa author kalaya – (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Corn Flour in the bowl with Wooden Spoon” By Marco Verch Professional Photography (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr