Effect of Gelatin Addition on the Physicochemical Properties of Corn Silk Jelly Candy

Corn silk jelly candy is an innovative product with the potential to serve as a healthy snack alternative, made from corn silk, which is rich in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, beta-sitosterol, and antioxidants. Gelatin, a common gelling agent in the food industry, is suspected to influence the physicochemical properties of the final product. This study aimed to determine the effect of different gelatin concentrations on the moisture, ash, antioxidant activity, reducing sugar, chewiness, and hardness of corn silk jelly candy. An experimental method with a completely randomized design and a single factor, gelatin concentration (15 g, 17.5 g, 20 g, 22.5 g, and 25 g), was used, with each treatment repeated four times. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test. The results showed that gelatin addition significantly affected the physicochemical properties of corn silk jelly candy. The best results were obtained with the addition of 25 g of gelatin, yielding a moisture content of 13.61%, ash content of 2.80%, antioxidant activity of 22.25%, reducing sugar content of 15.54%, chewiness of 378.79 gf/mm, and hardness of 511.17 gf/mm. The addition of gelatin effectively enhanced the chewiness and gel stability and contributed to the development of innovative and nutritious food products that harness the power of natural ingredients like corn silk.