Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of eight representative sweet corn varieties grown in South China

Abstract

In the present study, phenolic content and antioxidant capacities including cellular antioxidant activity of eight Chinese sweet corn varieties were investigated. The total phenolic content revealed significant varietal differences and phenolics existed mainly in free form. HPLC analysis showed that ferulic and p-coumaric acids were the dominating phenolics in sweet corn. The DPPH scavenging capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and cellular antioxidant activity demonstrated distinct varietal differences, which were positively correlated with their phenolic content, although the orders of antioxidant activity of eight varieties determined by three different methods were not consistent. Sweet corn could be a better substitute for many commonly consumed vegetables in terms of phenolics and antioxidant activity.