In 2002, much of the 1.35 million tons of corn gluten meal was consumed by the livestock market. However, a fair amount was used in petfood. Corn gluten meal appears to be "below the radar" as an ingredient targeted as a "bad guy" probably because consumers wonder what it is: corn, gluten or something else. They likely won't find it on grocery store shelves when shopping for dinner.
Corn gluten meal (CGM) is a co-product from corn wet milling, the process responsible for production of corn sweeteners and corn syrup. In the wet milling process, corn is cleaned and then steeped in a water/sulfur dioxide mixture at 50°C. This acidic stew activates the inherent lactobacillus organisms, which begin to break down the corn seed.
