Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Blue Corn Flour (Zea mays L.) Produced and/or Metabolized by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in a Fermentation Process

Abstract

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites produced by plants, and their study has been increased in recent years due to their ability to improve human health. The aim of this work was the determination of phenolic compounds presents in blue corn flour before and after a fermentation process, where different proportions were used of blue corn (Zea mays L.) flour and Czapek Dox culture medium (90 mL of culture medium with 10 g of blue corn flour, 80 mL of culture medium with 20 g of blue corn flour and 70 mL of culture medium with 30 g of blue corn flour) and were fermented at 3 different times (20, 25 and 30 days) with the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides fungus. A determination of the phenolic compounds was carried out with five standard solutions, which were cyanidin 3-glucoside (CYA), pelargonidin 3-glucoside (PEL), chlorogenic acid (CLA), quercetin (QRC) and cinnamic acid (CA). The obtained results showed the presence of CA and PEL. The most abundant phenolic compound in the fermented samples was CLA over the naturally occurring compounds in blue corn, which are CYA and PEL. QRC was the phenolic compound with the lowest concentration in blue corn flour samples fermented with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.