Anthocyanins in blue corn from the southwestern United States
What it found
Blue corn grown in the southwestern US averaged 0.43 g per kg of total anthocyanins, and the amounts were fairly stable across locations.
Five anthocyanin components were found, including one not reported before.
What they found
Total anthocyanin content
Across all locations and accessions, blue corn averaged 0.43 g per kg of total anthocyanins. Accessions Santa Clara Blue and Ohio Blue had the highest levels.
Lower level in one accession
The accession Flor del Rio had nearly six times less total anthocyanin than the highest accessions.
Components identified
Five anthocyanin components were found. Cyanidin 3-glucoside was the most abundant, followed by pelargonidin and peonidin 3-glucoside.
New anthocyanin form
Cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside was identified as a new anthocyanin form not reported before. Succinyl and disuccinyl glycosidic forms of cyanidin were also found.
Stability across locations
The amounts and types of anthocyanins were relatively stable across the different southwestern environments.
Pigmentation and anthocyanins
In Flor del Rio, more red and purple colour seemed linked to lower total anthocyanins and lower cyanidin 3-glucoside, not to higher pelargonidin.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that anthocyanin expression was relatively stable across multiple southwestern environments.
- They report that a previously unreported anthocyanin component in blue corn, cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside, is present in southwestern landraces.
How it was done
Blue corn is a new specialty crop in the USA, and its anthocyanins are antioxidants that may benefit health. The authors wanted to identify, describe and measure the anthocyanins in blue corn.
They measured anthocyanins in blue corn accessions grown at several locations in the southwestern United States. They compared total anthocyanin content between accessions and locations, and looked at which anthocyanin components were present.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study measured anthocyanins in corn plants. It did not test health effects in people.
- It cannot show whether eating blue corn affects health or disease risk.
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 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error