Comparing the Carotenoid Content of Mature and Immature Corn (Zea mays L.) Grains

Abstract

This study's goal was to analyze the carotenoid content of sweet and waxy corn grains at the milk and dough stages using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a C(30) column that was coupled to mass spectrometry and a diode array detector. All-trans-lutein, all-trans-zeaxanthin, and all-trans-α-cryptoxanthin were the three main carotenoids detected in the reverse phase. In three kinds, waxy corn grains exhibited far lower levels of total carotenoids (ranging from 1.52 to 3.68 μg/g dry weight), while sweet corn grains had higher levels (ranging from 8.42 to 39.71 μg/g dry weight). The carotenoid pattern's composition differed somewhat from data found in the literature; this could be due to environmental or genetic variations. Immature sweet corn (such as "Jingtian 5" and "Jingtian 3) may be intriguing sources of lutein and/or zeaxanthin extract that could add value to an underutilized biomass, given the use of all-trans lutein and all-trans zeaxanthin for the prevention of several pathologies, particularly age-related macular degeneration.