Rachel Leigh Siegel
Cedar Crest High School, Lebanon, PA, USA
Quality and freshness of sweet corn is of major concern to consumers and commercial growers, warranting scientific scrutiny. The effects of time and temperature on starch and glucose levels in sweet corn were studied. Further emphasis was placed on the correlation between glucose and starch levels. Conditions were created to simulate storage in exceptionally hot conditions, in refrigerated conditions, and in room temperature conditions. Fresh corn was used as a control to which the three treatments were compared. It was hypothesized that glucose levels would be highest after a longer time in high temperatures while starch levels would be low. In cool temperatures, the starch level would be high, while glucose levels are low. As time goes on at low temperatures, the amount of glucose will increase more slowly than the rapid increase occurring in warmer temperatures. Nevertheless, it was hypothesized that the amount of glucose and the relative amount of starch should be in an inverse relationship, whatever the temperature of storage treatment.
In general, the experimental data support the hypothesis. The higher the treatment temperature, the lower the amount of starch and the higher amount of glucose were found in the treated sample as compared to the control. ANOVA tests revealed that only oven treatment produces statistically significant data; the other treatment groups do not, regardless of time of treatment. No identifiable numerical correlation was found; one may exist between starch and other corn sugars. Practical applications for the consumer, the commercial grower, and sellers are discussed.