QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN SOME MAIZE CULTIVARS (ZEA MAYS L.)

Four maize cultivars grown locally, in Constanța county, were anlayized for their bioactive compounds contents.They were found to contain variable amounts of carotenoids, 10-45 mg/kg, with notable amounts of lutein and lycopene. Phenolic inventory varied between 7,651-10,622 mg/kg, of which hydroxybenzoic acids were dominant (45-63%), followed by flavonoids (mostly flavanols, 21-29%). Ascorbic acid concentration was 165-219 mg/kg.Soluble sugars were highly variable, with 24,558-62,327 mg/kg, the same being true for lipids, with 24,667-38,000 mg/kg. Oil content ranged from 6.1% in non-irrigated plants to over 11.7% in irrigated ones.Among the four hybrids, P9415 scored highest in terms of carotenoids (total, lutein, lycopene), total phenolics, hydroxybenzoic acids; P0710 in terms of xanthins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, coumarins and stilbenes; P0023 in ascorbic acid and free sugars, while P0216 in terms of lipid content.