Sweet corn (
Zea mays convar.
saccharata var.
rugosa; also called
sugar corn, dent corn and
pole corn) is a variety of
maize with a high
sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring
recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to
starch inside the
endosperm of the corn kernel. Unlike
field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a
vegetable, rather than a
grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh,
canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.