Corn fiber gum (CFG) is extracted from corn bran which is the by-product of corn dry milling process.
Therefore, an attempt was made to understand various properties of CFG to promote its uses for food and
pharmaceuticals. The extraction of CFG using alkaline hydrogen peroxide method yielded 25% w/w of
destarched corn fibers. A good flow property was indicated from the results of % compressibility (12.9%),
Hausner ratio (1.14) and angle of repose (35.45) in comparison to beal fruit gum [% compressibility
(17.65%), Hausner ratio (1.21) and angle of repose (37.2)]. Further, Reff.p (1.97 mm), dynamic advancing
contact angle (74.18) and surface free energy (22.55 mJ/m2 polar component and 4.0 mJ/m2 dispersive
component) suggested highly porous and polar nature of CFG. The intrinsic viscosity and molecular
weight of CFG were 1.746 dl/g and 3.18 105 g/mol, respectively. The instrumental texture studies
indicated direct correlation between different concentrations of CFG and firmness, cohesiveness, consistency
or index of viscosity. CFG exhibit good antioxidant activity in concentration dependent manner.
The antioxidant activity was 5e6 folds higher as compared to guar gum, sulfated guar gum, xanthan
oligosaccharides and hemicelluloses derived from wood and rice husk. Overall, the physicochemical,
rheological and antioxidant potential of CFG could be utilized as an excipient for food and pharmaceutical
industry.