Cargill's worldwide food industry businesses supply products used in food production. Corn and wheat wet milling plants in North America, Europe and Latin America produce corn syrups, glucose and dry sweeteners used in canning, preserving, baking, brewing and making ice cream and candies. High fructose corn syrups, produced in the United States, provide a superior sweetening alternative to sugar for foods and beverages. Citric acid and sodium citrate, produced from corn dextrose, are ingredients in food and beverages, cosmetics, detergents and pharmaceuticals.
Corn starch is used in a variety of food processing and industrial applications.
The company also produces ethanol and lactic acid polymer. The company recently began operating a joint-venture lactic acid production facility in Blair, Neb. Cargill mills flour in the United States for sale to domestic wholesale and retail customers, as well as for export. It also mills flour in India, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela and produces pasta in Venezuela. Cargill owns and operates malting plants in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States for brewing, distilling and food processing customers around the world. Cargill's Illinois Cereal Mills in the United States, and Seaforth Corn Mills in the United Kingdom, produce dry corn products such as grits, meal and flour for bakers, breakfast cereal manufacturers, brewers and snack food customers.