What component of corn leads to bloating and gas via bacterial fermentation in the large intestine?

Resistant starch

Corn intolerance often stems from the digestive tract's difficulty in fully processing certain components of the grain. Specifically, resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine, meaning it passes intact into the large intestine. Once there, it becomes a substrate for the gut bacteria, which ferment it. While fermentation can be healthy in moderation, in sensitive individuals, this process generates significant amounts of gas, leading directly to uncomfortable symptoms such as excessive bloating and abdominal cramping. This mechanism distinguishes intolerance from a true allergy, which is driven by the immune system. Conversely, the cellulose hull primarily acts as a physical irritant, and phytic acid is noted for potentially interfering with nutrient absorption, rather than being the direct cause of fermentation-based gas production.