Biofuels have become a very important topic in the world of sustainability. Corn can produce ethanol from the fermentation process. Ethanol is a very high octane fuel, though not as high in energy as gasoline. Throughout the 20s and 30s, ethanol and gasoline competed for use in automobiles. The Model T was first developed to use ethanol. It also resurged in the 70s due to the energy crisis and its sustainable production, such as through the US Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. 

Currently, ethanol is used as a gasoline additive and in fuel blends. Blends include E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Ethanol actually burns cleaner than petroleum fuels and yields less harmful emissions. Ethanol fuels are most popular in the Midwest due to the close proximity of corn. However, E85 and other blends are still available worldwide. For example, Brazil has flex-fuel vehicles that run on E100It is common for companies to create flex-fuel vehicles that can run on both petroleum-based gasoline and the E85 blend. Biofuels are also very important in motorsports. With the higher octane content of ethanol, racing series such as INDYCAR and Formula 1 have been pushing to incorporate biofuels onto the racetrack to create a more sustainable sport.

Ethanol, a byproduct of corn, is extremely effective in killing bacteria and viruses. Typically, hand sanitizers have 60% or more ethanol content, which gives hand sanitizer its colorless look and powerful scent. The 60% ethanol content is also standard in other cleaners such as antiseptics, surface cleaners, and solvents. Ethanol is effective against common infections like E. Coli, typhoid fever, influenza, herpes, and staph infections. As of right now, there is no FDA guideline on its use against COVID-19, but ethanol still reigns supreme in santizing surfaces against other viruses.

PLA plastic is everywhere: food packaging, storage containers, and 3D printing are just a few industries that this plastic is used. This industry-changing material is actually made from corn! The kernels from corn are milled, and the dextrose taken out is converted into lactic acid through fermentation and turned into small pellets that form the PLA polymer. This can actually be done with several other crops, such as wheat, beets, and potatoes. 

Producing this PLA polymer is significantly more energy-efficient than PET plastic. The production of PLA requires 65% less energy and generates 68% less greenhouse gases. It also contains no toxins, so it has wider uses such as food production. This production of corn plastic has drastically changed over the last 35 years. The first corn version of PLA was created in 1989 and cost over $200 per pound to produce, but has quickly lowered to less than $1 due to larger scale manufacturing.

Corn starch, along with other starches, is an excellent thickener. When mixed with water or other liquids, corn starch will thicken the liquid into a viscous substance because it is insoluble in water. When fermented, corn starch will create xanthan gum, a commonly used product in the commercial food industry. Xanthan gum gives sauces, salad dressings, and soups their thickness and high viscosity. It can also be used to prevent oil separation in fatty liquids and emulsify liquids that are usually not able to be mixed. Found in hundreds of thousands of recipes, this product is very important for home baking as well. When using xanthan or guar gum, a little goes a long way--one tsp of this thickener is enough to turn a runny substance into a thicker, sauce-like liquid.

Outside of the food industry, corn-derived xanthan gum has several uses. In the cosmetics industry, it is an emulsifier. In fact, on some makeup products such as foaming cleansers, xanthan gum or "Zea Mays" is listed. In the medical industry, water gel medications are thickened and hardened with corn starch and xanthan gum.