Author(s)
Mrs.R.Subha
- ISSN (P): 3139-8464
- Manuscript ID: 140978
- Volume: 2
- Issue: 9
- Pages: 1–8
Subject Area: Other
Abstract
Corn silk is an underutilized agricultural by-product with potential applications in the development of functional foods and beverages. The present study was undertaken to develop and compare ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages prepared from maize silk and sweet corn silk and to evaluate their sensory acceptability, nutritional composition and antioxidant activity. Maize and sweet corn silk extracts were prepared and used for the development of RTD beverages. Different formulations were standardized using sugar, jaggery and palm jaggery as sweetening agents. The developed products were subjected to sensory evaluation by a panel of 10 members, and the most acceptable formulations were selected for further analysis. Among the maize silk beverage formulations, the jaggery-based sample (S2) obtained the highest overall acceptability score of 4.05 ± 0.43. Similarly, the sweet corn silk beverage formulated with jaggery showed the highest overall acceptability score of 4.90 ± 0.21. The standardized maize silk and sweet corn silk beverages were further evaluated for moisture, carbohydrate, protein, crude fibre, iron, vitamin C and antioxidant activity. The moisture content of maize silk and sweet corn silk beverages was 75.4% and 79.2%, respectively. The maize silk beverage showed higher carbohydrate content (9.17 g/100 ml), crude fibre (15.16 g/100 ml), iron (0.55 mg/100 ml) and antioxidant activity (75.67%) than the sweet corn silk beverage. The sweet corn silk beverage contained higher protein (0.80 g/100 ml), moisture (79.2%) and vitamin C (21.43 mg/100 ml) than the maize silk beverage. The findings demonstrate the potential of maize and sweet corn silk, which are commonly discarded during corn processing, as value-added ingredients for the development of functional RTD beverages. Both beverages showed favourable sensory acceptance and appreciable nutritional and antioxidant characteristics, with the jaggery-based formulations emerging as the most acceptable.