Isolating antigenotoxic components and antioxidants from commercial corn processing by-products

Corn distillate solids (CDS) is generated as a by-product from the commercial production of fuel ethanol and last year the fuel ethanol industry generated approximately 19 billion pounds (8.7x109 kg) of the CDS. My project was to investigate this corn processing by-product for value-added antioxidant chemicals, to search for agents that block the actions of carcinogens and to characterize their underlying molecular mechanisms of action. Organic antioxidants may be able to replace synthetic antioxidants and have commercial as well as health-related value. The isolation of value-added agents from the by-products generated by commercial corn-based ethanol production will make this renewable fuel more competitive within the market while reducing environmental pressures. If value-added products could be isolated from CDS, the cost of corn-generated ethanol would be reduced and potentially useful industrial products, medicines and dietary supplements may be discovered.; We are searching for value-added chemicals from the processing by-product of corn-generated ethanol that block the actions of oxidative cellular damage. Corn distillate solid chemical fractions are methanol extracts isolated from CDS. CDS fractions were tested for antioxidant activity using a microplate-based ferric thiocyanate assay and antigenotoxic activity using a single cell gel electrophoresis assay. Isolated biologically active agents were analyzed for gene expression modulation using transcriptome profiling with an Affymetrix platform.; The objectives of this research project included chemical fractionation of corn processing by-products and isolation of agents for testing, analysis of corn fractions for antioxidant activity using a microplate-based ferric thiocyanate assay, analysis and purification of corn-based antimutagens and antioxidants, determination of the chemical classes of active corn products using LC mass spectroscopy, and the analysis of the modulation of transcriptome profiles on human cell microarrays induced by biologically active agents isolated from CDS.; The identification and isolation of antimutagens and antioxidants are very important for setting up prevention strategies for environmental toxicants. Such research may lead to a future where agricultural crops would be raised for both their pharmaceutical and agronomic value. Opening a new niche in the market will result in increased crop value to producers as well as greater efficiency of corn commercial processing.