UMM Students Create Anti-Stress Tea from Corn Silk
Malang (ANTARA) - Students from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) have created an anti-stress tea using natural ingredients consisting of sweet corn silk combined with mint leaves and jasmine flowers.
This innovative anti-stress tea product, which utilises sweet corn silk waste, mint leaves, and jasmine, has been named Zeazen Herbal Tea.
“The idea for creating this anti-stress tea began with our concern regarding the large amount of agricultural waste being wasted, including corn harvest remains in Sragi Village, Talun District, Blitar Regency,” said Zakiy Zamzi, a member of the Zeazen Herbal Tea creation team, in a statement in Malang, East Java, on Friday.
Zakiy stated that this natural tea can help relax consumers. “As the years progress, students and workers certainly face burdens, and they definitely need relaxation,” he said.
Furthermore, he noted that this artisan tea does not rely solely on corn silk but is blended with other herbal plants that possess calming effects.
He explained that the mixture of mint leaves and jasmine was chosen because they contain specific functional compounds beneficial for relieving stress on both mental and physical health.
“Corn silk contains flavonoids, such as maysin and luteolin, which act as antioxidants. Mint leaves contain rosmarinic acid and menthol to provide a refreshing sensation, while jasmine flowers are rich in volatile compounds like linalool, which support a more relaxed sensory experience,” he added.
During the development process, which began last April, the team—under the guidance of UMM Food Technology lecturer Ayu Diawi—also had to ensure the standards and quality of the raw materials.
He explained that the primary ingredient used is a specific type of sweet corn, which is processed by being dried and then precisely ground.
“We obtain sweet corn silk from Blitar in a dried condition, then blend it finely without removing its fibre content, before combining it according to the formula percentage into tea bags,” he added.
The utilisation of this waste also provides a breath of fresh air for farmers in the supplying regions who have previously tended to ignore harvest remains, particularly corn silk.
He mentioned that before this innovative initiative, sweet corn silk in Sragi Village had no economic value and simply ended up as field waste. On average, this corn silk waste was discarded or burnt, leaving it unutilised.
Currently, the artisan tea bag product has entered the early stages of commercialisation, offering premium packaging variants priced between Rp75,000 and Rp100,000.
In addition to providing a relaxing effect and stabilising blood sugar, female consumers have also reported a reduction in menstrual pain after consuming the tea.
This programme, which received funding from the Student Entrepreneurship Development Programme (P2MW) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek), is expected in the future to be more than just a campus entrepreneurial product that has secured funding, but to become a sustainable solution that increases the economic value of village communities while maintaining long-term environmental sustainability.