Antioxidative effect of polyphenols present in corn (Zea mays L.)

The polyphenol content in baby corn as well as in mature corn and their in vitro antioxidant activity have been studied. Mature corn and baby corn when extracted with 80% methanol, contained about 0.79 and 0.35 g polyphenol per 100 g (as gallic acid equivalent),. dry matter respectively. Both the poly phenols have shown strong reducing activity, hydroxy radical scavenging activity, lipid oxidation inhibiting activity and prolonged ABTS(center dot+) radical cation scavenging activity. This observation will be beneficial in application of the corn extracts in extended product self life. The result of the study indicates that corn is rich in active polyphenolic antioxidants, which are very much important from nutritional point of view.