Prelims 2014 · archive
EasyConsider the following statements:
- 1.Maize can be used for the production of starch.
- 2.Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
- 3.Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
All three statements are correct. Maize is wet-milled to produce starch, oil from maize is used as a biodiesel feedstock, and fermented maize gives alcoholic beverages.
- ✓ 1. Wet milling of maize yields maize starch, along with by-products such as maize gluten that are used in animal feed.
- ✓ 2. Corn oil is used to make biodiesel. The US Energy Information Administration lists distillers' corn oil among biodiesel feedstocks. This is an inedible oil recovered as a by-product of corn ethanol production.
- ✓ 3. Maize is fermented to make alcohol, and FAO notes that fermentation of maize also provides some alcoholic beverages.
Remember · Maize is a multi-use crop. Wet milling gives starch, its oil can be turned into biodiesel, and fermentation gives ethanol and alcoholic drinks.
Sources
- FAO – Maize in human nutrition, Ch 2: Chemical composition and nutritional value of maize ↗ “Wet milling yields maize starch and by-products such as maize gluten, used as a feed ingredient. … Fermentation also provides some alcoholic beverages.”
- US Energy Information Administration – Today in Energy (biodiesel feedstocks) ↗ “distiller's corn oil (an inedible oil that is produced as a byproduct of the corn ethanol production process)”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·