Most ripening foods get sweeter as they ripen. But corn is one of the few foods that gets less sweet as it ripens. Prior to the 1960’s corn’s peak sweetness would only last a day or two. Plant breeders set out to increase the period when corn is sweet. They discovered genes that delayed the corn’s sugars from turning into starch by many days. These new varieties are often called “super sweet” varieties. It is important to isolate super sweet corn plantings from non-super sweet corn by 300 feet, or the sweet characteristic will be lost.
Growing Home - Ripening Foods
