Anthocyanin pigments measured in blue corn from the southwestern US
What it found
Blue corn from the southwestern US averaged 0.43 g kg(-1) of total anthocyanins across all tested locations and varieties.
Five pigment components were found, including one newly identified form.
What they found
Total pigment levels
Across all locations and varieties, the average total anthocyanin content was 0.43 g kg(-1). Two varieties, Santa Clara Blue and Ohio Blue, had the highest amounts. Another variety called Flor del Rio had nearly six times less.
Pigment types found
The researchers identified five different pigment components in the corn kernels. The most common type was cyanidin 3-glucoside, with pelargonidin and peonidin 3-glucoside coming next. They also found two other forms linked to cyanidin.
A new pigment discovered
One of the pigments, cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside, had not been reported before in blue corn. It was found in traditional southwestern varieties.
Stability across locations
The amount and types of pigments stayed relatively steady when the same corn varieties were grown in different southwestern environments.
What the authors conclude
- They found that pigment levels and types remained fairly consistent across different growing spots in the southwestern US.
- They note that the red and purple colouring in the Flor del Rio variety seemed tied to lower overall pigment rather than higher amounts of one specific type.
- They report that a previously unknown pigment component exists in traditional southwestern blue corn varieties.
How it was done
Blue corn is a growing specialty crop in the USA, and its antioxidant pigments are thought to offer health benefits. The researchers wanted to identify, describe and measure these pigments across different varieties and growing locations.
They grew several traditional blue corn varieties at multiple locations in the southwestern United States. They then measured the total pigment content and identified the specific types of pigments present in the kernels.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work only measured what was inside the corn kernels. It did not test any health effects in people or animals.
- Because no one ate the corn as part of the research, it cannot show how the body handles these pigments.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- New Mexico State University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of kernel anthocyanins from southwestern United States blue corn
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Nankar AN, Dungan B, Paz N, et al (2016). Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of kernel anthocyanins from southwestern United States blue corn. Journal of the science of food and agriculture. doi:10.1002/jsfa.7671PubMed 26879128DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error