Vol. 12, Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Sahana HS, Vijayalaxmi KG and Jamuna KV

Abstract:
Corn silk, a byproduct of maize cultivation, has been traditionally consumed for its therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to reintroduce corn silk into the culinary domain by incorporating it into chapati, a staple flatbread in India, at varying proportions (30%, 35%, and 40%). Chapatis incorporating 30% corn silk flour (SCT1) achieved the highest overall acceptability on a nine-point scale, comparable to control chapatis (SCC), with minimal impact on visual, textural, and taste qualities. SCT1 exhibited a higher moisture content (30.34±0.01% vs. 27.71±0.09%, p<0.001) and protein content (9.71±0.06 g vs. 8.83±0.04 g, p = 0.015). SCT1 also showed significantly higher total ash (1.92±0.03 g vs. 1.13±0.03 g, p = 0.002) and dietary fiber content (10.39±0.06 g vs. 9.20±0.07 g, p = 0.001) compared to SCC. However, SCT1 exhibited lower carbohydrate content (46.44±0.10g vs. 51.78±0.09 g, p<0.001) and energy content (235.4±0.86 kcal vs. 254.59±1.02 kcal, p = 0.001) than SCC. During a 48-hour storage, both SCC and SCT1 experienced significant moisture content decreases (p<0.001). Extended storage resulted in substantial declines in sensory properties for both formulations. Microbial analysis showed increased bacterial counts in both, with SCC more pronounced (11 × 10² cfu/g) than SCT1 (8.50 × 10² cfu/g), while SCT1 exhibited better resistance to fungal growth. Cost analysis favoured SCT1 due to reduced ingredient costs, establishing corn silk's economic advantage. In conclusion, integrating corn silk into chapati offers nutritional enhancement, sustainability benefits, and economic viability, with opportunities for refining storage techniques and optimizing sensory attributes.