Herbal tea formulation using different flavoured herbs with dried corn silk powder and its sensory and phytochemical analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to use dried corn silk powder variety of VL Baby corn-1 for formulation of flavoured herbal tea with different combination of Thyme (Trachyspermum ammi), Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Cinnamon powder (Cinnamomum verum), Timur (Zanthoxylum alatum), Tulsi (Holy basil) (Ocimum tenuiflorum), Gandraini (Achillea millefolium), Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), Blend (Clove + Timur + Gandraini), and one only corn silk without any other herbs and to know antioxidant properties of developed tea. Result of sensory evaluation experiment showed that all combinations were liked moderately. Lemon grass flavour followed by cinnamon and clove blend obtained highest score. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, DPPH free radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant activity for all flavour are analyzed and reported. Results on DPPH free radical scavenging activity indicated that corn silk tea had 81.215 ± 0.75 µg/mL whereas blend with Timur had significant highest value and Thyme blend had lowest value 64.20 ± 0.40 among all eight different blends with corn silk. The values for total antioxidant capacity blends with Timur (Zanthoxylum alatu) in corn silk showed significantly (P < 0.05) highest value and Clove, Timur, Gandraini blends got lowest value.