Start with the product form

Maize can mean whole grain, broken grain, grits, meal or flour. These products have different processing and packaging requirements. Dried shelled maize is also different from fresh sweetcorn. A clear product description identifies the form first, before adding colour, intended use and quality characteristics. This helps keep comparisons between quotations meaningful.

Yellow maize and white maize

Yellow maize is used in milling, food ingredients and animal-feed production. White maize is widely used in maize meal, flour and other cereal foods where a pale finished appearance is important. Colour does not establish food suitability on its own. The actual grain condition and the relevant tests determine whether a lot meets the requirements of its intended application.

What grain quality includes

Kernel damage, broken grain and foreign material are separate quality considerations. A lot can contain sound-looking kernels alongside fragments, other seeds or mineral impurities. Representative sampling provides a better picture than a photograph of the top of a bag. For a mill, consistent grain condition also helps with preparation and processing.

Moisture and storage

Moisture affects grain condition during handling and storage. Codex CXS 153 gives a maximum moisture content of 15.5% for maize within its food-use scope, while the East African Standard EAS 2 sets 13.5% for all three of its grades. Long storage periods and humid routes may need lower limits still. Protection from water ingress, pests and contamination remains important throughout distribution.

Bags and bulk formats

Common trade formats include 25 kg and 50 kg woven sacks, with suitable liners for the application. Larger bags and bulk handling serve different order sizes and unloading systems. Pack weight, bag count and lot marks connect the physical grain with the packing records. A bulk format should match the receiving operation as well as the shipment.

Food and feed orders

Food-milling grain and feed grain are assessed against different requirements. Food or feed analysis, crop information and the grain specification should therefore relate to the actual product offered. For a wholesale quotation, the key details are the maize form, intended use, quantity, packing and delivery destination. Product availability and the final specification are confirmed in the written offer.