Chemical Compositions of Corn Silk: A Comparative Analysis of Different Processing Techniques

Recent advancements in livestock nutrition emphasize the use of naturally available materials, such as agro-industrial by-products, as sustainable feed additives. Thus, this study evaluated the chemical compositions (proximate, mineral, vitamin, and phytochemical) of corn silk processed using two methods: air-drying at room temperature and sun-drying from mature corn plants in the field. After collection and processing, subsamples were taken for laboratory analysis and values obtained were further subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. The results showed that corn silk had high carbohydrate content (67.57 ± 0.01 – 70.46 ± 0.01%), moderate levels of protein (7.27 ± 0.04 – 7.59 ± 0.00%) and fibre (11.08 ± 0.01 – 13.35 ± 0.03%), while fat and ash were relatively low. The air-dried corn silk generally contained higher levels of vitamins and minerals, except potassium, which was higher in the sun-dried sample (313.70 ± 0.06 mg/100 g). Furthermore, the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses revealed a notable amount of saponins and reducing sugars. Additionally, air-dried samples contained higher levels of tannins (30.78 ± 0.05 mg/100 g), phenols (24.46 ± 0.01 mg/100 g), cardiac glycosides (45.73 ± 0.03 mg/100 g), and flavonoids (41.31 ± 0.03 mg/100 g). These findings suggest that corn silk, especially when air-dried, may serve as a valuable natural feed supplement in livestock nutrition due to its rich nutrient and phytochemical profiles.