Effect of Cooking Methods on Total Phenolic and Carotenoid Amounts and DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity of Fresh and Frozen Sweet Corn (Zea Mays) Kernels
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Czech J. Food Sci. Vol. 31, 2013, No. 6: 607–612 Effect of Cooking Methods on Total Phenolic and Carotenoid Amounts and DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity of Fresh and Frozen Sweet Corn (Zea mays) Kernels Jiangfeng SONG1, Chunquan LIU1, Dajing LI1 and Lili MENG2 1Institute of Farm Product Processing and 2Modern Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centers, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China Abstract Song J.-F., Liu C.-Q., Li D.-J., Meng L.-L. (2013): Effect of cooking methods on total phenolic and carotenoid amounts and DPPH radical scavenging activity of fresh and frozen sweet corn (Zea mays) kernels. Czech J. Food Sci., 31: 607–612. We evaluated the effect of three different cooking methods on antioxidant content and radical scavenging activity of sweet corn. Both fresh and frozen sweet corn kernels were boiled, microwaved, and stir-fried for 1, 3, and 5 min, respec- tively, then total phenolic (TP) and total carotenoid (TC) contents were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The free radical scavenging activity of the samples was determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The results showed that there was a significant increase in TP (1.2–1.9 times) and TC (1.1 to 1.8 times) content of fresh sweet corn after each cooking session for 1, 3, and 5 min, the same treatment of frozen corn resulted in 47–80% losses of TP and 10 to 39% losses of TC content. The free radical scavenging activity (RSA) exhibited by cooked fresh and frozen sweet corns was found to be different, neither of them was very high, in the range of 70.2–78.6%, and the fresh cooked ones had higher values of RSA. Keywords: Zea mays L.; cooking process; phenolics; β-carotene; antioxidant Many studies have shown that diets rich in fruits Vegetables are often consumed after a variable or vegetables are protective against diseases and degree of freezing and cooking; it has been ob- populations that consume such diets have the served that the conditions of freezing process and higher plasma antioxidant status and exhibit a lower preparation have significant effects on the level of risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases (Azizah phytochemicals in vegetables (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2009; Chipurura et al., 2010; Adefegha & et al. 2008; Mazzeo et al. 2011). Most consumers Oboh 2011). Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is a variety likely consume a variety of fresh vegetables to get of maize with high sugar content, well received by the most complete antioxidant support, however, consumers. Unlike field maize varieties, which are some people cannot spend much time preparing harvested when the kernels are dry and mature, fresh vegetable food every day, and so they frequently sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) use frozen vegetables that can be rapidly prepared. and prepared and eaten as a vegetable. Since the Consequently, the consumption of frozen food has process of maturation involves converting sugar increased in recent years (Danesi & Bordoni 2008). to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be Previous studies of sweet corn antioxidant activity eaten fresh, frozen, or canned, before the kernels were carried out on extracts of unfrozen or fresh become tough and starchy. samples, and the general opinion is that the quality Supported by the Agricultural Science and Technology & Self-innovation Foundation of Jiangsu Province, Grant No. CX (11)2067. 607 Vol. 31, 2013, No. 6: 607–612 Czech J. Food Sci. of frozen sweet corn is sometimes inferior to that for storage at –18°C until cooked by the methods of freshly prepared products. Several researchers described. The other fresh sweet corn kernels analysed nutrient content in fresh and frozen sweet threshed were directly used for cooking. corns, freezing produced a slight reduction of trans- 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), gallic β-carotene, blanching before freezing improved acid, β-carotene, and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents were carotenoid retention (Gebczynski & Lisiewska obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, USA). 2006; Hunter & Fletcher 2012). But to date, the Other chemicals used were all analytical grade. comparison of frozen and unfrozen samples on an- Sample preparation and cooking. One portion tioxidant capacity has not been studied properly. of fresh and frozen sweet corn samples was cooked Many people think that the nutritional values of by each of three methods (boiling, microwaving, fresh vegetables are better than those of the cooked and frying). Cooking treatments were as follows: ones. Despite this thinking, most vegetables are (1) Boiling. 200 ml of water in a 400 ml beaker usually cooked before consumption. These cooking were heated to boiling. The beaker was covered processes could bring about a number of changes with a plate, preventing water loss. 20 g of sweet in physical characteristics and chemical composi- corn kernels were added to the boiling water and tion of vegetables (Yamaguchi et al. 2001; Chen cooked for 1, 3, and 5 minutes. (2) Microwaving. et al. 2008; Shi et al. 2009). Podşedek (2007) sug- 20 g of sweet corn kernels were added to 200 ml of gested that both antioxidant levels and activities boiled water (over 80°C at the beginning) in a 400-ml of processed vegetables were lower than those of beaker and then cooked in a domestic microwave the corresponding fresh samples. This is probably oven (Galanz 600W) for 1, 3, and 5 minutes. The attributed to degradation of bioactive compounds beaker was also covered with a plate, preventing and absorption of water during boiling, resulting water loss. (3) Frying. 20 g of sweet corn kernels were in dilution of the active compounds. On the other stir-fried in hot oil (170°C) for 1, 3, and 5 minutes. hand, Bernhardt and Schlich (2006) reported a In which a minimum amount of cooking oil (2–3 g) significant increase in the release of β-carotene and was placed in a non-stick frying pan (diameter of tocopherol in broccoli upon cooking. Cooked sweet 20 cm) and heated at ‘high’ on a hot plate (Media corn has significant antioxidant activity (Dewanto SH2181, 2100 W, 220 V; Midea Holding Co. Ltd, et al. 2002). Scott and Eldridge (2005) indicated Guangdong, China). After the cooking processes, that freezing could increase carotenoid content in the samples were all drained off, then pre-frozen, white Shoepeg corn, which can further influence freeze-dried and ground to fine powder used for bioavailability and health benefits. However, there subsequent analyses. The other portion of non- is still little information on the effects of cooking cooked samples was directly freeze-dried and ground on total phenolics and carotenoids amounts and to fine powder for analysis. antioxidant activities of sweet corn. Therefore the Total phenolics (TP) extraction and determina- main objective of the present study was to make a tion. The amount of TP was determined using the preliminary assessment of the effects of different Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, as described by Turkmen cooking methods on the phytochemical content et al. (2005) with some modification. About 1 g of and antioxidant activity of fresh and frozen sweet cooked and uncooked samples was extracted with corn, with the hope that the findings would guide 85% aqueous methanol (5.0 ml) in an ultrasonic future practice of suitable cooking methods in order bath kept at 40°C for 30 minutes. The mixed ho- to minimise the degradation of antioxidant activity mogenate was centrifuged at 4000 g for 10 min and in fresh and frozen sweet corns. the supernatant was recovered. The residue was extracted under the same conditions as described above. Supernatants were combined and filtered MATERIAL AND METHODS through Whatman No. 1 filter paper. 0.2 ml of ap- propriate dilutions of clear filtrate was mixed with Material. Fresh sweet corn (Z. mays L.) at milk 7.5% sodium carbonate (0.8 ml) followed by 1 ml of stage of maturity for consumption was obtained the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The mixture was then from a local market during the summer season shaken vigorously. The absorbance was measured (July) of 2011 in Nanjing, Jiangsu. One portion of at 765 nm after 30 min at room temperature using sweet corn ears were hand-sorted to thresh, then a TU-1810 spectrophotometer (Pgeneral, Beijing, blanched and quick-frozen as frozen sweet corn China). A mixture of water and reagents was used 608 ( Czech J. Food Sci. Vol. 31, 2013, No. 6: 607–612 as a blank. The TP was expressed as mg gallic acid the fresh ones (82.6 ± 4.8 mg/g), as well as higher equivalents (GAE)/g dry matter. amounts of total carotenoids (50.56 ± 0.51 μg/g) Total carotenoids (TC) extraction and determi- versus the fresh ones (25.98 ± 1.45 μg/g). The nation. TC were analysed according to the methods blanching and freezing process itself can dehydrate of Jatunov et al. (2010) with some modification. 1 g vegetables slightly resulting in water weight losses of fresh, frozen or cooked tissues was homogenised ranging from 0.3% to 5% (Scott & Eldridge with 10 ml of a mixture of ether and n-hexane (1:1). 2005). The increases in total carotenoid and total The homogenate was filtered with four layers of cheese phenolic concentrations found in frozen corn may cloth and the residue was treated with n-hexane for be a result of water loss from the kernels. This three successive extractions until the yellow colour study also showed that the effect could be based could no longer be visually detected in the extract and on the release of carotenoids and phenolics from residue. The filtrate was combined and centrifuged the matrix by heat disruption of protein-carotenoid at 3000 g for 10 minutes.