Effect of Cooking Methods and Ripening Stages on the Nutritional Compositions of Plantain ( Musa Paradisiaca )

Abstract

The effect of stage of ripening and cooking methods (boiling, roasting and frying) on the nutritional compositions of plantain (Musa spp.) were studied. Plantain fruits (Musa spp.) at the unripe (deep green), semi-ripe (yellow green) and fully ripe (deep yellow) stages of ripeness were analyzed for proximate, total sugar and mineral compositions, after boiling, roasting and frying alongside the uncooked (raw) fruits as control. Proximate and mineral compositions of the plantain flours were determined by standard AOAC methods. Total sugar contents of the plantain flours were determined using the volumetric method (Lane-Eynon method) described by Pearson’s compositions and analysis of foods. Result showed that ash, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate and total sugar contents ranged from 6.04% to 22.70%, 1.54% to 4.52%, 3.25% to 4.83%, 0.07% to 16.02%, 1.26% to 5.57% and 57.12% to 86.27%, 4.06% to 14.14% respectively. The mineral contents were 17.07 to 28.44 mg/100g, 4.92 to 9.36 mg/100g, 364.80 to 487.55 mg/100g, 0.10% to 0.39% and 0.16% to 0.42% for iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium and calcium respectively. On the whole, the result showed that roasting and boiling of semi-ripened and unripened plantain best conserved its nutrients.