Revalorization of Colombian purple corn Zea mays L. by-products using two-step column chromatography

Colombian purple corn Zea mays L. by-products have been chemically characterized. To achieve this, after Amberlite XAD-7 purification and Sephadex LH-20 fractionation, the accurate anthocyanin and flavonol profile using UHPL-DAD-ESI-MS, total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA), polyphenols using Folin-Ciocalteau reduction capacity (FCRC), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and TEAC) of each fraction were performed. Cob and leaves illustrated a more complete flavonoid profile and a higher content of anthocyanins and flavonols, strongly related to the highest reducing power and radical scavenging activity compared to grains. Furthermore, the most antioxidant fractions corresponded to the higher molecular weight compounds. The cob and leaves were enriched in cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-malonyl-hexoside, and peonidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-O-(6''-malonyl-glucoside). The purification and fractionation allowed us to establish the chemical and antioxidant characterization, and the resulting revalorization, of purple corn by-products for the first time, and to have available pure fractions of Zea mays L. for a wide diversity of industries.