Some individuals react to animals that have been fed a
corn-based diet prior to slaughter but not everyone does. To receive USDA certification, meat processors spray the carcass with
corn-based antibacterial solutions that contain citric acid or lactic acid. Both of these processing aids are derived from
corn
In addition, the trays that meats sit on can be made from
corn.
Meat can also sit on a pad soaked in citric acid (citric acid is derived from
corn)
Eggs can be washed in a
cornstarch solution.
FYI,
processing aids or the ingredients used in a food's packaging do not have to be listed on the label.
Corn oil, cornstarch, and citric acid are the most popular processing and packaging aids in the U.S.
Many plastics and plastic wraps also contain corn.
The trays that meats sit on can be made from
corn.
Meat cutters may use
corny products to clean their machine, or they may use
cornstarch on their slicer for deli meats.
They might use powered gloves or plastic packaging and wraps coated with
cornstarch.
As a result, most supermarket meat and dairy products are not safe for the
corn intolerant.
So it is best to find a local farmer or rancher to buy your meats from.
On the bright side, supermarkets who sell whole chickens and game hens don’t have soaker pads, will be less contaminated. (plastic wrap might still be contaminated with
corn)
Another thing to watch out for in the supermarket is repackaging. For example, Laura’s Grass-Fed Ground Beef in the
white tray comes straight from the company. They don’t use
corn in processing, but grocery stores often open up the packages, treat the ground beef with dye and
corny ingredients, and repackage it in different containers. My local Smith's grocery store sells Laura's Ground Beef, but it's in a
black tray.
All canned tuna, including salt-free varieties, will be
corn light due to the way fish is handled and iced on the boat. Since the ice used can contain
corny ingredients, fresh fish at supermarkets may also be further contaminated. Even frozen wild caught salmon isn't safe because the boat might have dipped the fish into a
corny glaze before flash freezing it.
Most produce is picked green and then gassed with ethylene (derived from
corn) to help it ripen at the right time. Bananas, avocados, pineapple, tomatoes, citrus fruits, mangoes, melons, kiwi, papaya, pears, nectarines, peaches, and plums are the most likely to be gassed.
In addition, fruits and vegetables might be washed with a
cornstarch-based solution or receive a
corn-based wax to help them stay fresh longer. This is particularly true for bagged and pre-cut produce, but is also true for organic products. Tomatoes, apples, peppers, rutabaga, citrus fruits, cucumbers and eggplant are the most likely to be waxed, but anything shiny and slick should be suspect.
In addition, the pesticides used on apples, even from organic sources, can also be problematic.
Potatoes can be sprayed or gassed to keep them from sprouting. The safest potatoes are the dirty, loose potatoes found in large bins, not the ones that come bagged.
Baby carrots list only carrots on the package, but because they are actually regular-sized carrots trimmed and sanded into their cute little shape, they contain citric acid (derived from
corn) for freshness.
When it comes to produce, the dirtier the better because you don't know how it was washed.
Despite what some people say, wax doesn’t wash off. It soaks into the pores and contaminates the fruits and vegetables. If you aren't that sensitive, you can remove some of the wax by using a baking soda and water paste to wash the produce. Washing before peeling reduces the risk of transferring
corn residues to the edible portion of the fruit or vegetable.
Finding safe frozen or canned varieties can be just as difficult.
Corn contamination can be found in the plastic packaging, how the produce was washed, or the type of salt or sugar used as a preservative.
Cornstarch is also used to keep frozen vegetables such as peas from sticking together. This is a common practice among vegetable blends. The packaging used for microwave steamer-bag varieties is definitely made from
corn.
One of the major practices within the processed foods industry is vitamin fortification and enrichment. Almost all of these vitamin enrichments contain some form of
corn.
Most brands of wheat flour, white rice, milk, and juice are off limits to those allergic to
corn. In the case of enriched white flour, the contamination comes from
cornstarch. While there are brands of rice that are not fortified, some use
cornstarch in the packaging to keep the rice from sticking.
Many commercial milks use safflower oil or
corn oil to suspend the vitamins in the milk. Vitamin D fortified milk may also contain propylene glycol or polysorbate 80, both derived from
corn.
All refined oils use
corn-based additives such as citric acid as a defoamer. Refined oils are the vegetable oils you generally find on supermarket shelves such as soybean, canola, and safflower oils. Better choices are extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oils.
Additives that are usually
corn-derived or contain traces of
corn include distilled white vinegar, carageenan, xanthan gum, guar gum, or pectin.
Because extracts are generally made from ethanol, vanilla extract can also be a problem.
In addition to substances that suspend them, vitamins themselves are often derived from
corn. Vitamin C is one example. These additives might not be listed on the label.
There are several additional things to watch out for when you first go
corn free. A common practice among food manufacturers is to use generic terms on the label, so they can take advantage of current prices and vary the ingredients without redoing the label. You’ll often find simple terms such as “starch” or “sugar” on a label without telling you where those starches and sugars came from. While all starch in the U.S. currently comes from
cornstarch, imported products may be from wheat.
Sugar can be from beets, sugar cane, or
corn.
The most common form of sugar used commerically is
corn sugar. Since manufacturers are only required to list "sugar" on the label, those with
corn allergies must be careful when using such products because manufacturers commonly vary the type of sugar they use throughout the year.
Soy lecithin also contains
corn as well as all artificial flavorings.
Caramel coloring can be from cane sugar or dextrose.
Ground spices may have
cornstarch or wheat added to prevent clumping without it being listed on the label.
Quaker Oats in the cardboard cylinder uses
cornstarch on the film that’s attached to the safety seal, but oats also come with their own set of problems. Just as oats can be contaminated with wheat due to adjacent fields, transportation, or manufacturing processes, they can also be contaminated with
corn fields adjacent to the oat field.
The plastic bottles that filtered water and juices come in are often made from
corn as well.
Almost all scents, perfumes, and colognes come from ethanol (derived from
corn).
That means fabric softener, air freshener, lotion, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner. Anything that has a scent such as kitchen trash bags or cleaning supplies contain
corn.
Washing soaps, chlorine bleach, dishwasher soaps, shower gels, and hand soap also need to be scrutinized. So does toothpaste, makeup, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, and cups.
If you’re partial to essential oils, they have to be steam distilled.
To sum it up, you have to change almost everything you now use to something fragrance free.
Smells result from particulates in the product being suspended in the air. When you inhale these particles, it’s the same as if you ate them. Since flour dust can stay in the air for up to three days, you can accidentally ingest corn by simply going to a party or bakery even if you don’t eat anything. These air-borne particles can also be absorbed through the skin.
Withdrawing from the products and foods you’re used to eating and using won’t be easy. Most people discover they are addicted to the foods and products that contain a lot of
corn.
Corny foods can also make you hungry.
Many people go through different states where they believe they are corn free only to discover they are not. Just the act of removing major sources of wheat and corn, will make you more sensitive to their presence. The more gluten and
corn you remove from your diet, the more sensitive you will become. Things you previously thought were safe, will now cause you to react. That is because your body is no longer producing the antibodies to fight the allergens.
One of the best ways to keep on top of your allergy or sensitivity is to keep a food journal or notebook handy to record the foods you experiment with and your reaction to them. Allergens can take up to four days to leave the body, so a record can be handy when watching for patterns and reactions you didn't realize you were having.
Source:
http://www.infobarrel.com/Beginners_...nd_Intolerance
I've mentioned my symptoms but I read here
http://www.cornallergens.com/symptom...ms-history.php the symptoms can be much more severe. As with gluten intolerance/celiac disease the symptoms often vary from person to person.
One more thing before I end this very long post. I ordered a documentary from Netflix titled King
Corn. A very interesting film. If you have an interest in all of this you may want to rent or download a copy.
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