Abstract
Corn silk contains a variety of beneficial compounds: phenolic compounds (flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins), fat- and water-soluble vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, their extracts can be beneficial for health, serving as a source of vitamins and minerals, and can be used to create functional food products that help combat harmful free radicals.The objective of this work is to experimentally validate the most suitable technology for producing corn silk extract and to conduct an experimental study of its composition.This study aims to comprehensively investigate the physicochemical and biologically active properties of a hydroalcoholic extract of corn stigmas. Evaluating its impact on key characteristics of fermented dairy products will determine its potential for functional food development.The study used raw materials from the "Ali" peasant farm, located in the Saryagash district of the Turkestan region, Kazakhstan. To determine the biologically active compounds in the corn silk extract (CSE) and products derived from it, the methodologies for the quantitative determination of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, D3, K were modified using the High efficiency liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) method. Statistical data processing was performed with "Excel 7.0" (MS Office, USA) and "Statistica 6.0" (StatSoft, USA) software.The most effective method was determined to be vacuum ultrasonic extraction with a 20% aqueous-alcoholic solution. Corn silk extract addition led to a noticeable increase in protein concentration in the experimental sample compared to the control. This activation indicates a positive impact of corn silk on amino acid composition. Based on these changes, it can be concluded that the developed product is improved and possesses functional properties.The results of the research on the developed fermented milk drink, Ayran, containing an aqueous-alcoholic corn silk extract, indicate, the presence of fats like Methylbutyrate and Methylcis-11, 14- eicosadienoate in its composition confirms its biological efficacy. It has been established that the high content of B vitamins in corn silk extract makes it a promising raw material for the production of the fermented milk drink "Ayran." This direction stimulates the development of the domestic industry for functional fermented milk products enriched with vitamins and essential amino acids.