Abstract
Mineral composition and the Sensory attributes of Some food softening agents: Potash, dry Plantain leaf, Unripe Plantain peel, dry Palm bunch (Extracts) and their effects on African bread fruit were evaluated. The results showed the following mineral contents of the samples: Phosphorus - 15.66mg/100g (Potash) to 26.22mg/100g (Palm bunch); Iron - 2.78ppm (Palm bunch) to 6.77mg/100g (Plantain peel); Zinc contents of the samples ranged from 2.25ppm (Plantain peel) to 3.34ppm(Potash); Potassium content of the samples ranged from 27.81mg/100g (Palm bunch) to 176mg/100g(Potash); Sodium content ranged from 9.17mg/100g (Palm bunch) to 24.78mg/100g (Potash); Magnesium ranged from 11.86mg/100g (Plantain peel) to 13.44mg/100g (Potash, Plantain leaf); Lead ranged from 0.17mg/100g (Palm bunch) to 0.39mg/100g (Potash).Calcium content of the softening agents ranged from 14.69mg/100g (Palm bunch) to 27.82mg/100g (Potash). Sensory parameters of the samples evaluated were taste, colour, aroma, texture and general acceptability. The mean taste scores of the samples ranged from 4.44 (Palm bunch extract) to 6.72 (Potash), mean colour scores ranged from 4.04 (Palm bunch extract) to 6.44 (Potash extract), mean aroma scores ranged from 4.04 (Palm bunch extract) to 6.08 (Plantain peel). Texture of the samples ranged from 8.1 (Plantain peel, Plantain leaf extracts) to 8.4 (Palm bunch extract). The general acceptability of the samples ranged from 7.20 (Palm bunch, Potash extracts) to 7.5, (plantain peels extracts).The plantain peel extract had the highest mean sensory scores in terms of overall acceptability. Its effects as a softening agent were similar to those of the potash which served as a control sample.
Highlights
Plantain is a crop from the genus Musa
Potash is dry and dehydrated in nature. This type of lake salt usually shoots out from the soil during the rainy season, but tends to fall off, solidifies and gets dries during the dry season. It is used in the coagulation of red oil and serves as a softening agent for legumes and bread fruit (Quick guide to potash,2013)
Softening agents used are food material by-product which are often discarded as waste and which has no use
Summary
Plantain is a crop from the genus Musa. Its fruits are edible, and are generally cooked for consumption. Plantain leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative They are used for cooking, wrapping and food-serving in a wide range of cousins in tropical and subtropical areas. Its ash is used to make local soap, the liquid, to coagulate red oil and serves as a healthy softening agents It is good organic manure because it is rich source of potassium.Potash known as “akanwu” in Igbo land, it is a type of lake salt. This type of lake salt usually shoots out from the soil during the rainy season, but tends to fall off, solidifies and gets dries during the dry season It is used in the coagulation of red oil and serves as a softening agent for legumes and bread fruit (ukwa) (Quick guide to potash,2013)
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