Dragičević et al. 2025 — Essential minerals and bioavailability in popcorn kernels and flakes (Serbia)
This Chilean Journal of Agricultural Research paper measured Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and phytic phosphorus in kernels and microwave-popped flakes of 12 popcorn (Zea mays subsp. everta) hybrids grown 2021-2022 at the Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje, Serbia. The study is primarily a bio-fortification and nutritional-bioavailability investigation; heavy metals (Cd, As, Pb, Ni) are discussed in the literature-review framing only, citing Abebe et al. 2017 on lower accumulation of potentially toxic elements in popcorn maize. Microwave popping decreased phytic acid up to 11.8% in flakes, improving potential bioavailability of essential elements.
Key numbers
- Hybrids/sampling: 12 popcorn hybrids (H1-H12: ZP 611k, ZP 614k, ZP 501k, 541/1k, ZP 542/1k, ZP 657/1k, ZP 544/1k, ZP 645/1k, ZP 546/1k, ZP 644/1k, ZP 557/1k, ZP 686/1k); 4 replicates; field-trial soil characteristics (Chernozem; 51% sand, 31% silt, 18% clay, 3.5% OM, pH 7.0 KCl / 7.5 H2O); samples calculated on dry-weight basis after 105 °C drying (p. 278-279).
- Essential mineral concentrations across 12 hybrids (Table 4, µg/g; same values reported for kernels and flakes per authors): Ca 103.3 ± 0.5 to 425.2 ± 24.1 µg/g; Mg 1620.4 ± 51.6 to 2094.9 ± 66.8 µg/g; Fe 31.03 ± 0.86 to 55.75 ± 0.81 µg/g; Cu 6.79 ± 0.19 to 37.32 ± 2.95 µg/g; Mn 9.57 ± 1.40 to 15.62 ± 0.56 µg/g; Zn 32.40 ± 1.14 to 69.15 ± 0.29 µg/g (Table 4, p. 281).
- Phytic P (Pphy): kernels 2.94-3.50 mg/g; flakes 2.78-3.46 mg/g; microwave popping reduced Pphy “up to 11.8%” in flakes of hybrids 541/1k, ZP 542/1k, ZP 657/1k, ZP 644/1k, ZP 557/1k, ZP 686/1k (Abstract; Table 3, p. 281).
- Molar ratios (Table 6): lowest Phy/Mg, Phy/Fe, Phy/Zn in H10 kernels/flakes; lowest Phy/Mn in H7 kernels and H10 flakes; lowest Phy/Cu in H1; lowest Phy/Ca in H5 (Table 6, p. 283).
- Authors cite Abebe et al. 2017 and Dada/Kutu 2022 reporting that accumulation of potentially toxic elements (Cd, As, Pb, Ni) was lower in popcorn maize even when grown on municipal-solid-waste-compost-fertilized soil; concentrations of K, Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Pb decrease after popping while Na, Ca, Cu, Zn increase (p. 277-278; this is literature-review context, not original measurement in the present study).
- Kernel yield 4.99-6.77 t/ha across hybrids; popping volume 29.00-40.09 cm³/g; kernel size 60.00-82.00 No./10 g; un-popped kernels 0.66-4.57% (Table 3, p. 281).
Methods (brief)
Field trial during 2021 and 2022 at Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia (44°52’ N, 20°19’ E, 81 m a.s.l.) on slightly calcareous Chernozem; rain-fed; 100 kg/ha mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) preceding plus 250-280 kg/ha urea spring-applied. Twelve hybrids in 6.2 m² plots, 4 replicates. After harvest, kernel moisture dried to 14% at 40 °C. Microwave popping in 1.1 cu Ft 1000 W Samsung oven, 5 min, no oil/salt. Kernels and flakes milled to <500 µm. Phytic P determined by Wade reagent spectrophotometry (Dragičević et al. 2011 method) at λ=500 nm. Essential mineral analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES, iCAP 7000 Series dual view, Thermo Scientific) following AOAC procedure (Helrich 1990). All concentrations on dry-weight basis after drying to constant weight at 105 °C / 4 h. Statistical analysis by ANOVA with Fisher’s LSD at p < 0.05; PCA with MATLAB R2011a PLS Toolbox. Limitation: heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Cr-VI) were not measured in the present study; popcorn heavy-metal data come from cited prior work.
Implications
- Certification (HMTc): Limited direct contribution. The paper does not measure Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Ni, Cr, Sn, Sb, or U in popcorn or popcorn flakes. Useful as a methodology reference for ICP-OES on maize matrices and as a pointer to Abebe et al. 2017 / Dada & Kutu 2022 for popcorn heavy-metal occurrence.
- Courses: Teachable example of how bio-fortification literature treats trace elements as nutrients versus contaminants and where the wiki must distinguish essential (Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe) from toxic species.
- App: Does not advance any HMTc analyte sub-block on corn or maize. The Cu, Mn, Zn data may seed an essential-element annex but are out of scope for the contamination_profile schema.
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Verification notes
- “maize” is not in the current ingredient slug vocabulary; corn is the closest existing slug. Frontmatter uses both as a placeholder pending Karen’s review per Part 10.
- Cu, Mn, Zn are essential nutrients in this paper, not contaminants. Listed in
metals:only because the system prompt’s metal vocabulary allows bare element symbols for other metals measured. No contamination_profile sub-block is advanced by this source. - Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Ni) were not measured in this study. Statements about Pb decreasing on popping etc. are from cited prior literature (Abebe 2017, Dada/Kutu 2022) and should be sourced to those papers, not this one.
Page history
The five most recent substantive edits to this page. The full version history lives in git; when DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.