Purple corn

Uses

Common in Peru, purple corn is used in chicha morada, a drink made by boiling ground purple corn kernels with pineapple, cinnamon, clove, and sugar, and in mazamorra, a type of pudding". In Bolivia, purple corn "Kuli" is used in Api, a smoothie served hot.

Color chemistry: anthocyanins

The pigment giving purple corn its vivid color derives from an exceptional content of a class of polyphenols called anthocyanins. Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, also called chrysanthemin, is the major anthocyanin in purple corn kernels, comprising about 73% of all anthocyanins present.{{Cite journal | display-authors = 3

Evaluating growing conditions for anthocyanin and total polyphenol content, one research group found that field location was an important determinant, whereas seedling density and soil potassium content were not.{{Cite journal

For ease of extractions, scientists have explored components of the purple corn plant for yield, such as kernels, cob and husk, possibly allowing use of a plentiful, non-edible residual biomass in cobs or husks. Husks of the purple corn plant contain about ten times higher content of anthocyanins than do kernels.

References

References

1. (6 November 2020). "Maíz morado: propiedades y beneficios del 'elixir' inca de la eterna juventud".
2. Perich, Tatiana. (14 September 2011). "De Arequipa a Mistura: Api, una mazamorra bebible hecha con maíz morado". El Comercio Peru.
3. "La diversidad del maíz nativo en Bolivia". Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua/ Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura - FAO..
4. (April 2002). "Anthocyanins isolated from purple corn (Zea mays L.)". Foods Food Ingred J Jpn.