BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SOME BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN FIVE MAIZE CULTIVARS (ZEA MAYS L.)

Abstract

Five maize hybrids grown in local farms, in Constanța county, were analyzed for determining bioactive compounds contents. They were found to have variable carotenoid contents, between 17–69 mg/kg, with lutein and lycopene being the most important. Phenolic inventory ranged between 6,016-16,326 mg/kg, of which phenolic acids were dominant (77–87%), followed by flavonoids (13–23 %). Ascorbic acid content ranged between 265-682 mg/kg. Free soluble sugars were 20,883–39,134 mg/kg, while lipid oil, with 22,000–36,333 mg/kg.
Among the selected cultivars, DKC 5810 scored highest in terms of total carotenoids, lutein, xanthins, total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids; KWS 4484 also hosted high amounts of phenolics, also scoring highest in terms of tannins, stilbenes and oils; SY Torino was first in terms of lycopene, coumarins, ascorbic acid (but with the lowest phenolic inventory); DKC 4391 had the highest free sugar amount.