What Are Corn Grits? Types, Uses & How They're Made

If you work in food manufacturing, you've almost certainly encountered corn grits on an ingredient list. But what exactly are they, how are they made, and why do different grades matter for your production line? This guide covers everything you need to know about corn grits — from the milling process to practical applications in commercial food production.

What Are Corn Grits?

Corn grits are granular particles produced by milling dried corn (maize) kernels. During the milling process, the outer hull (pericarp) and germ are removed, leaving the starchy endosperm. This endosperm is then ground and sieved to produce particles of specific sizes — which is what we call corn grits.

Unlike whole-grain cornmeal, corn grits are a degermed product. Removing the germ (which contains oils) significantly extends shelf life and gives grits a more neutral, clean flavour — two properties that make them ideal for commercial food manufacturing.

Corn grits are naturally gluten-free, making them a key ingredient in gluten-free product formulations. They're also a cost-effective source of starch and texture in a wide range of processed foods.

Types of Corn Grits: Coarse, Medium & Fine

Corn grits are classified by their particle size, which determines their texture, cooking behaviour, and suitability for different manufacturing applications. The three main grades are:

Coarse Corn Grits

Coarse grits have the largest particle size, typically ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 microns. They retain a crunchy, granular texture even after processing, which makes them ideal for snack food manufacturing — particularly extruded snacks, corn chips, and crunchy coatings. Coarse grits are also used in brewing as an adjunct grain to lighten the body of beer.

Medium Corn Grits

Medium grits fall in the 500–1,000 micron range. They're the most versatile grade, used across breakfast cereals, polenta production, and general food manufacturing. Medium grits absorb moisture well and cook relatively quickly, making them suitable for both extruded and cooked applications.

Fine Corn Grits

Fine grits have a particle size below 500 microns and approach the texture of coarse flour. They're used in applications requiring a smoother texture, such as bakery products, batters, and coatings. Fine grits blend well with other flours and provide structure without the grittiness of coarser grades.

At Kondos, we mill corn grits to custom specifications — meaning you can request the exact particle size distribution your production process requires, rather than choosing from fixed grades.

How Are Corn Grits Made?

The manufacturing process for corn grits involves several carefully controlled steps:

1. Sourcing and Cleaning: Premium maize kernels are sourced from farmers — at Kondos, we buy directly from NSW farmers in the Riverina region. The raw corn is thoroughly cleaned to remove foreign material, broken kernels, and dust.

2. Tempering: The cleaned corn is tempered (moisture-adjusted) to optimise the milling process. Proper tempering ensures clean separation of the hull, germ, and endosperm.

3. Degerming: The kernels pass through a degerming mill that separates the starchy endosperm from the oil-rich germ and fibrous hull. This step is critical for shelf stability and consistent product quality.

4. Milling and Sizing: The endosperm is then milled using roller mills and classified through a series of sieving screens. This produces grits of specific particle sizes. Multiple passes and re-milling may be used to achieve tight particle size distributions.

5. Quality Testing: Each batch is tested for particle size distribution, moisture content, colour, and microbiological safety. In an SQF-certified facility like Kondos, every batch is fully traceable back to the farm and harvest.

6. Packaging: Finished grits are packed to customer specifications — bulk bags, 25kg bags, or custom packaging — and delivered to manufacturers.

Corn Grits Uses in Food Manufacturing

Corn grits are one of the most versatile ingredients in commercial food production. Key applications include:

• Snack foods: Extruded corn snacks, corn chips, cheese puffs, and tortilla chips all rely on corn grits as their primary ingredient.
• Breakfast cereals: Corn flakes, extruded cereal shapes, and granola clusters use medium-to-coarse grits.
• Brewing: Corn grits are used as an adjunct in beer production to lighten body and reduce haze.
• Bakery: Fine grits add texture and corn flavour to bread, muffins, and coating mixes.
• Polenta and porridge: Medium grits are the base for polenta and traditional corn porridge products.
• Pet food: Corn grits are a common carbohydrate source in pet food formulations.
• Coatings and batters: Fine-to-medium grits add crunch to fried food coatings.

Corn Grits vs Cornmeal: What's the Difference?

This is one of the most common questions in corn product sourcing, and the answer comes down to two factors: particle size and processing method.

Corn grits are coarser than cornmeal and are typically degermed — meaning the germ and hull have been removed. This gives them a longer shelf life, lighter colour, and more neutral taste. Grits are produced through dry milling with roller mills and precision sieving.

Cornmeal can be either whole-grain (containing the germ) or degermed, but is ground to a finer consistency than grits. Whole-grain cornmeal has a stronger corn flavour and shorter shelf life due to the oils in the germ. It's typically used in baking applications like cornbread and muffins.

For most commercial food manufacturing applications — especially snacks, cereals, and extruded products — corn grits are the preferred choice because of their consistent particle size, neutral flavour, and extended shelf life. If you're producing baked goods where a strong corn flavour is desired, cornmeal or maize flour may be more suitable.

Choosing the Right Corn Grits for Your Application

When sourcing corn grits for manufacturing, the key specifications to consider are:

• Particle size distribution: Request a specification sheet that shows the percentage retained on each sieve size.
• Moisture content: Typically 12–14% for shelf stability. Too high and you risk mould; too low and the grits become dusty and difficult to handle.
• Colour: Ranges from bright yellow to pale white depending on the maize variety. Colour affects the appearance of your finished product.
• Fat content: Degermed grits should have less than 1.5% fat. Higher fat indicates incomplete degerming and shorter shelf life.
• Food safety certifications: Look for suppliers with SQF certification or equivalent GFSI-benchmarked certifications.

Source Corn Grits from Kondos

Kondos is a family-owned Australian corn mill based in Darlington Point, NSW. We source premium maize directly from local Riverina farmers and mill it into corn grits to your exact specifications — particle size, moisture content, and packaging tailored to your production line.

Our facility is SQF certified, and every batch is fully traceable from paddock to product. Whether you need coarse grits for snack extrusion or fine grits for bakery coatings, we can deliver.