Introduction:

Banana is a climacteric fruit, source of nutrients that can be used to obtain by-products, flours, and starches. The aim was to obtain banana flour from two stages of ripening and analyze physical, technological, and functional, characteristics.

Methodology:

Stage 1 green banana (1GB) and stage 4 mature banana (4MB) (Musa Cavendish var. nanica) were used. Samples were dehydrated at 40°C for 7 hours (1GB) and 70 hours (4MB). Morphological, physical (pH, titratable acidity, and soluble solids), chemical (moisture, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and ash), technological water absorption index (WIA), water solubility index (WSI), swelling power (SWP), and functional total phenols (TP), flavonoids and antioxidant capacity (AC) parameters were studied on fruits and flours.

Results:

Values found in 1GB and 4GB were: length 20.83 and 21.3 cm, peel thickness 4 and 3 mm, pH 5.3 and 4.8, titratable acidity 0.3 and 0.5%, soluble solids 1.2 and 9.6 °Brix, moisture 63.0 and 75.8%, carbohydrates 33.3 and 20.4, proteins 1.5 and 1.5 and fats 1.3 and 1.1 g/100 g. The functional fractions studied were: TP 281.0 and 561.0 mg AGE/100 g, flavonoids 65.4 and 168.5 mg CE/100 g and AC expressed as inhibition percentage were 8.2 and 9.4%, respectively. The results of technological properties founded in green banana flour (GBF) and mature banana flour (MBF) were: WIA 2.6 and 3.2 g/g, WSI 2.5 and 15.2%, SWP 2.7 and 3.7 g/g, pH 5.8 and 6.2, aw 0.5 and 0.4, moisture 10.7 and 13.0%, carbohydrates and proteins 81.8 and 77.1 and 4.5 and 4.0 g/100 g, respectively. TP 4078.2 and 3437.5 mgAGE/100g, flavonoids 333.6 and 634.1 mg CE/100 g and AC 84.7 and 13.0%, respectively.

Conclusions:

It was possible to obtain and characterize banana flour from two ripening stages. These presented remarkable nutritional and antioxidant parameters which would allow their incorporation as an ingredient in the formulation of food products.

Funding:

CIUNSa Subsidy, Type-A, Number 2362/0 of the National University of Salta, Argentina.

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