Sweet corn and aloe vera beverage

Thanks to the corn, the product has a significant energy component supplemented by the functional benefits of aloe vera. These elements improve bowel transit, have anticarcinogenic properties, help the skin, protect the immune system and eliminate fungi and viruses.

"Furthermore, aloe vera "the innovative touch of the product" did not shadow the natural flavor of corn nor affect the stability of the liquid," said Karen Paola Contreras, Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNal) in Medellín Agroindustrial Engineering master"s candidate.

The beverage has already been approved by a consumer panel which evaluated its flavor, color, aroma and appearance.

"If the product is feasible, and the results of the research project are satisfactory, the idea is to market the product. The purpose is to develop an alternative to soft drinks, a functional product which benefits the consumer and improves their health," said Contreras.

The process

The research team chose sweet corn as the main ingredient as this food has not been used at an industrial level.

However, sweet corn has starch which is the energy source of the product. Starch causes precipitation of several particles to the bottom of the product, creating an appearance of bad quality as the upper part of the product is clear and the bottom is very dense.

Therefore to stabilize the product they added hydrocolloids, a kind of rubber which offsets precipitation caused by the starch and which has a very positive effect.

But then there was another issue: the fat of the corn stayed on the upper part of the product, and the hydrocolloid did not compensate the effect. Therefore Contreras says they need to add other stabilizers known as emulsifiers, which may be used in a future research project.

For now the results of the first stage have been published in an article entitled, "Development of a sweet corn beverage (Zea mays var. saccharata) with the addition of hydrocolloids and aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)".