Abstract

Corn silk (Zea mays L.), commonly discarded as agricultural waste, contains bioactive compounds with potential functional and health benefits. However, its utilization at the community level remains limited due to insufficient knowledge and processing skills. This community service program aimed to enhance food literacy, reduce organic waste, and promote small-scale entrepreneurship through the utilization of corn silk as a functional herbal tea at the Alaurodussalafiyah Foundation, Mataram City. The program was implemented using a participatory empowerment approach involving women from majelis taklim, adolescent students, and foundation administrators. Activities were conducted through socialization sessions, hands-on training in corn silk tea processing, and a brewing demonstration followed by a simple organoleptic evaluation. The production process included raw material selection, washing, withering, drying, size reduction, and packaging into tea bags. Program evaluation was carried out through participatory observation, question-and-answer sessions, and sensory acceptance testing. The results showed high participant engagement and improved understanding of functional food concepts and hygienic processing practices. Participants were able to independently produce corn silk tea using simple and locally accessible methods. Organoleptic evaluation indicated good consumer acceptance, with 80% of panelists favoring the color, 75% rating the aroma as pleasant, and 70% reporting acceptable taste. In addition, the activity contributed to reducing organic waste and increasing awareness of sustainable food utilization. Overall, the program demonstrates that community-based corn silk tea production can serve as an effective model for food-based empowerment, functional food education, and the valorization of agricultural by-products.

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