Maize global production

Starch is one of the most abimdant plant polysaccharides and is a major source of carbohydrates and energy in the human diet (Zobel and Stephen, 1995). Starch is the most widely used hydrocolloid in the food industry (Wanous, 2004), and is also a widely used industrial substrate polymer. Total annual world production of starch is approximately 60 million MT and it is predicted to increase by additional approximately 10 million MT by 2010 (FAO, 2006b LMC International, 2002 S. K. Patil and Associates, 2007). Com/maize Zea mays L.), cassava (also known as tapioca—Manihot escu-lenta Crantn.), sweet potato Ipomoea batatas L.), wheat Triticum aestivum L.), and potato Solanum tuberosum L.) are the major sources of starch, while rice Oryza sativa L.), barley Hordeum vulgare L.), sago Cycas spp.), arrowroot Tacca leontopetaloides (L.) Kimtze), buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), etc. contribute in lesser amounts to total global production. 

Maternal fumonisin exposure has been proposed as a potential risk factor for human NTDs among populations consuming large amounts of fumonisin-contaminated maize or maize-based products (Marasas et ah, 2004). Globally, NTDs present a tremendous burden to human populations in rural areas of the world where maize is a dietary staple, and fumonisin contamination is common (Hendricks, 1999 Kromberg and Jenkins, 1982 Marasas et ah, 2004 Melnick and Marazita, 1998 Moore et ah, 1997 ... 

Approximately 700 mio tonnes of maize were produced worldwide in 2005 on more than 140 mio hectares land [78]. Maize Zea mays), occupies third place in world production as a source of food, forage and processed products for industry. The main producing countries are the USA, China and Brazil, which together account for ca. two-thirds of global production. Maize is most commonly grown for animal feed use, although it is a dietary staple in some areas such as Mexico and other Latin American countries. 

Starch is one of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature. It is synthesized as a result of the photosynthesis process from carbon dioxide and water, and is then accumulated in seeds, tubers, and other parts of the plant [1,46], The primary raw material for starch production in the worldmarket is maize (81% of the global production of starch). Lesser, though significant, importance in this case is shared by wheat and potato (9 and 5% of global production, respectively). On the industrial scale, tapioca, rice, and waxy maize are also used. The total production of starch does not exceed 5% [11,89,91]. The global production of starch in the year 2(X)5 reached about 60 million tons [89]. 

In temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, widespread maize production may cause an increase in the isotopic content of the regional carbon. stock (i.e., a. shift to heavier C signatures). However, this signal would result in a higher global mean c5 Cer and a lower Ag thus it cannot explain the observed 5%o difference in A. at midlatitudes between field observations and B10ME3.5 estimates. 

Applications include food, feed, and renewable resources, with over 15 crops modified for 1 or more of some 47 phenotypic traits commercialized since 2000, most with attributes related to input and yield performance. In 2006,102 million ha were cultivated with GM crops, and in 2007, there were 114 million ha in 22 countries. Seven countries dominate the global market, namely, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, China, and South Africa. Among the products are soy bean, maize, cotton, rape, cucurbit (squash), tomato, papaya. 

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