Germination process increases phytochemicals in corn.

Chalorcharoenying, W.; Lomthaisong, K.; Suriharn, B.; Lertrat, K.

Sprouts and seedlings increase nutritional value of seeds as they increase phytochemicals that are beneficial to health. Corn sprouts and seedlings can be consumed as germinated grains, vegetable and used as food additive. The objective of this study was to compare of phytochemical compounds from seeds, sprouts and seedlings of four small ear waxy corns, three waxy corns, three field corn, three sweet corns and three glutinous rice cultivars. sprouts and seedlings increased carotenoid content, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) content, total phenolic content and total anthocyanin content, and the highest increases in these phytochemicals were found in seedlings. The levels of carotenoid content, GABA content, total phenolic content and total anthocyanin content among corn genotypes were low in seeds and sprouts but very high in seedlings. The correlation coefficients among Total anthocyanin content, carotenoid GABA and total phenolic content were high and significant (P≤0.01), ranging from r=0.711 to r=0.871. The results suggested that field corn is most suitable for germination at seedling stage in order to obtain the highest nutritional values. The utilization of sprouts and seedlings as vegetable and food additive is discussed.

GERMINATION; PHYTOCHEMICALS; CORN; SEEDLINGS; FOOD additives

International Food Research Journal, 2017, Vol 24, Issue 2, p552

1985-4668

Academic Journal