Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I've just opened one can of canned corn. Besides corn there is always some liquid inside — just like in case with any other canned vegetable. So what is that liquid? How would you call it? Juice, bouillon, soup?

share|improve this question
Technically speaking it's just water added to keep the corn moist. Naturally it acquires some of the corn syrup and other elements of the corn while in storage. It is meant to be drained. – Robusto Apr 14 '11 at 10:12
3  
In America, the FDA calls it a suitable liquid packing medium. In other words, they have no idea what to call it either. Follow the link to learn everything you'd ever want to know about canned corn—and some things you wouldn't. – Callithumpian Apr 14 '11 at 13:32
@Callithumpian - "In other words, they have no idea what to call it either - HA-HA-HA!!! :) Thank you for the link. – brilliant Apr 14 '11 at 21:44

4 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

Depends upon what it actually is.

Salt water: brine.

Sugar water: syrup.

Stock: stock/bouillon.

Thicker stock: gravy.

share|improve this answer
So, into which one of these 4 categories does canned corn fall? – brilliant Apr 14 '11 at 13:16
Check the ingredients, if the 2nd one (after water) is salt or sugar – mgb Apr 14 '11 at 13:45
1  
@brilliant: I've checked four different brands of tinned sweetcorn on Ocado.com. Most are simply packed in water. The outlyer has added salt and sugar but my guess would be the amounts are so small as to not be significant. I would say then that sweetcorn is generally packed in water. – Paul Ruane Apr 14 '11 at 15:47
I see. Thanks a lot. – brilliant Apr 14 '11 at 21:42
up vote 1 down vote

In a can of pineapple I would call it juice. But when it comes to corn and such vegetables I think I would possibly just call it liquid. (I'm sure you can still call it juice. But to me juice means something that comes from the fruit/vegetable when you squeeze it).

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

I would call it excess fluid, because that implies it's nothing you'd want to add to a recipe (in fact in recipes, it's written to drain the excess fluid). However you can't tell your friend to drink the excess fluid, so I'd say corn juice, for lack of something better.

share|improve this answer
The thought of corn juice is somewhat stomach churning, but maybe that's just me. – Matt Эллен Apr 14 '11 at 9:34
Not in all recipes. In fact I have a easy slow-cooker soup recipes that is simply throw in a bunch of canned veggies with their water contents and add some seasoning. – Davy8 Apr 14 '11 at 16:48
True, but at least in the recipes where it doesn't call to add the juice, it says "excess fluid" instead. – Neil Apr 14 '11 at 16:49
up vote 0 down vote

A general word for this is "liquor" (OED meaning 4. "The water in which meat has been boiled; broth, sauce; the fat in which bacon, fish, or the like has been fried; the liquid contained in oysters.", though I admit that that definition doesn't cover vegetables).

However "liquor" has a more common meaning, which may be thought undesirable in this context.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.