Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Background. Corn silk, rich in flavonoids and polysaccharides, is an agricultural by-product with diuretic and antioxidant properties; yet it remains underutilized. The global prevalence of hyperuricemia continues to rise, highlighting the need for functional dietary interventions. This study aims to develop a corn silk com­posite tea bag (CCT) comprising corn silk, lotus leaf, mint, and hawthorn, with favorable sensory attributes and uric acid-lowering and antioxidant potential.
Material and methods. Raw materials were evaluated using a structured sensory scoring system (100-point scale) based on appearance (20), aroma (20), color (20), and taste (40). Formulation optimization was con­ducted using single-factor experiments and response surface methodology. Anti-hyperuricemic activity was determined by xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibition, and antioxidant capacity was assessed using DPPH⁺, ABTS⁺, and hydroxyl radical (OH⁻) scavenging assays.
Results. The optimized formulation comprised: corn silk 53%, lotus leaf 11%, mint 4%, and hawthorn 14%, achieving a sensory score of 96 ±0.51. After infusion in 200 mL of water at 100°C for 15 minutes, the ex­tract contained 0.59 ±0.06 mg/mL of flavonoids and 1.08 ±0.02 mg/mL of polysaccharides in the tea extract. XOD inhibition rate reached 61.78 ±0.53%, while DPPH⁺, ABTS⁺, and OH⁻ scavenging activities were 90.89 ±0.23%, 88.56 ±0.18%, and 60.34 ±0.31%, respectively.
Conclusion. CCT exhibited superior sensory quality and enhanced bioactivity relative to corn silk alone, with a 105.93% increase in XOD inhibition and improvements of 10.80%, 20.39% and 1.09% in DPPH⁺, ABTS⁺, and OH⁻ scavenging activities, respectively. These results support the potential of CCT as a functional bev­erage that adds value to agricultural by-products and provides a transferable model for the development of bioactive botanical formulations.