Abstract:
Banana (Musa spp.) holds a prominent position as the fourth most important food crop globally, offering potential for global marketing and improved income for farmers. However, in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh province where over 80% of bananas are grown, there is limited research on banana value addition. This study aims to convert unripe bananas of two different varieties into valuable products, specifically banana figs, and compare their nutritional and sensory properties. The commercialization of these products not only reduces post-harvest losses but also enables the transfer of these technologies to benefit impoverished farmers, leading to poverty alleviation and overall economic benefits for the nation. The research focused on two Cavendish Banana varieties, namely Giant and Dwarf. Physical parameters, such as weight, length, width, and girth, were recorded, with the standard weight for Giant variety noted as 145.8g and 44.7g for Dwarf variety. Chemical analysis revealed that the Dwarf variety had higher total soluble solids (21.153 °Brix), total sugar (13.21%), reducing sugar (6.9%), and moisture percentage (77.613%). Conversely, the Giant variety exhibited higher pH (3.831), vitamin C content (45.02%), titratable acidity (0.267%), non-reducing sugar (6.52%), and ash content (0.522). Sensory evaluations of the banana figs stored at room temperature demonstrated significant differences in attributes, except for consistency, between the two varieties. The banana figs from the Giant variety received higher scores for taste, flavor, texture, palatability, and color, particularly in the range of 8 to 10. This study highlights the significance of various parameters, varieties, treatments, and their interactions, underscoring the potential for value addition in bananas and the importance of sensory preferences.
Page(s):
165-165
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on International Conference on Food and Applied Sciences (ICFAS-23) 3-5 August 23, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023