Why not eat cornflakes for breakfast?

Healthy vitamins and phenolic acids are lost during production

Cornflakes are a popular dish for breakfast. Often the packaging suggests that it is a healthy product with many valuable ingredients. This may also apply to the unprocessed ingredients, but as an American study recently revealed, many useful substances, especially phenolic acid, are lost during industrial processing.

A University of Illinois research team recently published a study showing how valuable nutrients are lost in cornflakes processing, even though the raw materials, such as corn, are high in vitamins and beneficial phenolic acid. Scientists reveal what happens to nutrients during production. The study results were recently published in the journal "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry".

A recent study shows how important ingredients of the basic ingredients are lost during the production of cornflakes. (Image: barkstudio / fotolia.com)

19 different types of corn as a basis

The scientists produced cornflakes from 19 different maize genotypes. All varieties differed in the content of healthy ingredients such as ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid. Researchers wanted to determine if increased concentrations of these acids in the feedstock lead to higher concentrations of phenolic acid in the final product.

Not good news for cornflake fans

"What we found was not very good news, but it was interesting," reports Carrie Butts-Wilmsmeyer, lead author of the study, in a university press release on the study's findings. According to the expert, the healthy phenolic compounds in maize are mainly found in the bran or the outer shell of the maize kernel. This is already removed in the first steps of the processing.

Later feeder did not produce the desired effect

In further experiments, the research team tried to recover valuable phenolic acids from the starch-containing maize residues in order to be able to feed them back into later processing stages. The level of antioxidants could be improved so minimal, but the results were so low that the effort would hardly be worthwhile.

Minimum size for maximum success?

"We have seen an increase in soluble phenols, but it was so small that you would not benefit significantly," says Butts-Wilmsmeyer. Nevertheless, the researchers see in the results of important findings for the food industry. So the scientists developed a production method for cornflakes, which can produce only 100 grams. The next larger production size is 45 kilograms. With the minimized process now a much more intensive food research can be operated, explain the experts.

Small portions could bring the hoped-for breakthrough

"Now that we have miniaturized the process and can control everything in the lab, we can also figure out how to change the process," explains Martin Bohn, co-author of the study. He hopes to create a healthier end product.

The focus is on the waste products

"We have to concentrate on bran and other waste products," says Bohn. The healthy ingredients are still present in the waste products. Bohn considers it possible to develop a process to add these ingredients back to the final product.

Health benefits of phenolic acids

Phenolic acids are said to have a positive effect on the human organism. They are said to have health effects such as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-cancer effects. However, the mechanisms of action are still largely unknown. Investigations in the field have shown that phenolic acids best develop their health promoting effects when taken in combination with other substances such as vitamins and trace elements.

Which foods are rich in phenolic acids?

What many coffee drinkers will enjoy: Phenolic acid is present in coffee. Furthermore, you will find the acid in sea buckthorn fruits, lavender, caraway, St. John's wort and cloves. Rye wholemeal, spinach and lettuce are also rich in it. In potatoes, as is the case with maize, the phenolic acid predominantly exists in the shell. (Vb)