How to read a corn peptide specification, line by line
What we settle before a corn peptide specification sheet goes out. Most corn peptide enquiries arrive with a competitor sheet quoting a single percentage, so the first thing we establish is the assay basis, because a sheet written against a different peptide assay cannot be compared with ours line by line. We then ask which application the powder is going into, since liver-support oral liquids and recovery beverages pull the mesh and the solubility in a different direction from tablets and lozenges, and we confirm the mesh the process needs, 80 mesh as standard or 100 mesh on request, before the sheet goes out. We also ask our manufacturing partner for the most recent lot COA to send alongside the sheet: the sheet states limits, the COA states results, and on a marginal lot those are two different documents. If the buyer needs an alternative mesh size or carrier system, we confirm feasibility and lead time with the partner within one business day rather than quoting blind.
A corn peptide specification is a short sheet, and buyers read it in the wrong order more often than in any other peptide category. Most people open it looking for a single potency number, find “75% peptides”, and are not sure what to compare. This article reads the corn peptide specification in the order that matters: what the source and process lines tell you, what the assay and physical lines actually commit to, and what the batch COA adds on top. The commercial side — how quotations are compared and what a first order looks like — is covered in our corn peptide sourcing guide.
What the source and process lines tell you
The standard material is made from non-GMO corn (zein) protein by enzymatic hydrolysis, separation and spray drying, and the assay line reads 75% peptides. Two details matter more than they look. First, the source line: non-GMO corn protein is the stated raw material, and that is what the “corn” in corn peptide actually commits to. Second, the process line: enzymatic hydrolysis is what produces the high-alanine/proline peptide profile behind the material's use in liver-support and hangover-recovery formulations, and spray drying is what turns it into a pale cream to light-yellow fine powder that is water-soluble with a clean taste. The same material also circulates in the market as corn oligopeptide powder; on our sheet it is the same 75% peptide grade either way. If your process handles a different peptide assay, say so before quotations are compared, because the assay basis is the first thing that makes two sheets comparable.
The assay line: what 75% peptides commits to
The assay line states 75% peptides. That is the single most useful filter in the category, and it is also the line most often quoted without its basis. A sheet that reads “peptides 75%” measured one way and a sheet that reads the same number on a different basis are not the same material, so the first question to any corn peptide supplier is what the percentage is measured against. On our sheet the figure is the standard production grade, and alternative assays can be produced to your specification — we confirm feasibility and lead time with our manufacturing partner before quoting rather than after.
The assay line is a commitment, not a result. The sheet states what the grade commits to; the batch COA states what the lot tested.
The physical lines: mesh, loss on drying and ash
Three physical lines decide whether the corn peptide powder works in your process:
- Particle size. 80 mesh is the standard grade, with 100 mesh on request. For oral liquids and beverage bases the standard mesh disperses without a separate milling stage; 100 mesh suits processes that need a finer dispersion.
- Loss on drying. Limited to 5.0% or less. This is the free-moisture line, and it is the one that matters most for shelf life in unopened original packing.
- Total ash. Also limited to 5.0% or less. On a peptide hydrolysed from corn protein, ash is the inorganic residue after combustion, and the limit keeps the peptide content honest.
The appearance line — pale cream to light-yellow fine powder, characteristic odour and taste — is what you check against the sample rather than against the sheet.
Packing, shelf life and what the batch COA adds
| Line | Standard grade |
|---|---|
| Packing | 25 kg fibre drum, double polyethylene liner |
| Sample and pilot packing | 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags |
| Shelf life | 24 months in unopened original packing |
| Storage | Cool, dry, away from direct sunlight |
| MOQ | 1 kg |
Every lot ships with a batch COA and full documentation. The sheet states limits; the COA states results, and on a marginal lot those are two different documents — which is why we ask buyers to compare the lot COA that would ship with their order rather than a generic sample. When two corn peptide specifications land side by side, the corn peptide COA is the document that settles which sheet describes the material you would actually receive.
How we read a corn peptide specification against a quotation
When a buyer sends us a competitor sheet, we read four things in this order: the assay basis, the mesh line, the physical limits, and the documentation offered. Where the competitor sheet quotes a single percentage without a basis, we ask for the lot COA behind it. Where the mesh or carrier differs from our standard, we confirm feasibility and lead time with our manufacturing partner within one business day rather than quoting blind. And where the buyer needs OEM packing under their own brand, we treat that as drum and label work, not as a change to the powder. The applications the powder is bought for — tablets, oral liquids, recovery beverages and functional foods — are covered in our corn peptide applications breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
What is corn peptide standardised to?
The standard assay is 75% peptides, from non-GMO corn (zein) protein by enzymatic hydrolysis, separation and spray drying. The powder is pale cream to light-yellow and fine, water-soluble with a clean taste. Loss on drying and total ash are each limited to 5.0% or less, and the powder is 80 mesh as standard with 100 mesh on request.
What should I check when comparing corn peptide specifications?
Check the assay basis first: 75% peptides stated explicitly, and ask what the percentage is measured against, because sheets written on different bases cannot be compared line by line. Then the mesh line (80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request), the physical limits (loss on drying and total ash each at 5.0% or less), and the documentation: ask each supplier for the lot COA that would ship with your order rather than a generic sample.
What packing and shelf life does corn peptide come in?
Standard packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. Shelf life is 24 months in unopened original packing, stored cool, dry and away from direct sunlight. MOQ is 1 kg, and every lot ships with a batch COA.
Related reading
Related: Corn Peptide — full specification, grades and documentation.