Banana Samples Research Articles

Characterization of Indonesian Banana Species as an Alternative Cellulose Fibers

ABSTRACT The pseudostem of banana (Musa sp.) has a high value for fiber. In this study, we characterized two wild Musa acuminata, i.e., ssp. malaccensis (LIPI-030) (M1) and var. breviformis (LIPI-218) (M3), an accession of diploid M. acuminata cultivar “Pisang Rejang” (LIPI-048) (M2) and one accession M. balbisiana “Pisang Klutuk” (LIPI-054) (M4) for its chemical (including Syringyl (S) and Guaiacyl (G) ratio) physical and mechanical properties, fiber analysis, morphological analysis, functional groups, crystallinity, and thermal analysis. As a result, there are variations in chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, fiber length and diameter, crystallinity, and thermal analysis behavior for each banana species. “Pisang Klutuk” showed the most different characteristics compared to others. The cellulose content of all banana fibers has a close correlation with their tensile strength. Based on the fiber properties evaluation, var. breviformis (M3) has a tensile strength of 459.99 MPa, cellulose content of 33.30%, degree of crystallinity of 45.23%, degree of polymerization of 1199.15, and S/G ratio of 0.39 that suggested the most potential banana for fiber with high strength. The lignin S/G ratio of banana samples (M1-M2) showed a positive correlation with the degree of crystallinity and tensile strength, while it had a negative one with tensile modulus and strain. This study presented the importance of the S/G ratio and fiber properties that may aid the future application of Indonesian fiber in biomass conversion strategies.

Effects of Ethylene Degreening on Peel Color, Physical Quality, and Chemical Content of Ambon Kuning (Musa acuminata Colla)

The natural ripening of ambon kuning, a typical banana widely consumed in Indonesia, tends to produce a non-uniform yellowish peel color of the fruits. Some degreening techniques using calcium carbide or ethepon, although improving the peel color appearance, may pose a safety risk compared to ethylene degreening, a technique using ethylene gas, a gas naturally produced by the fruit. This study aimed to determine the effect of ethylene degreening on changes in peel color, physical quality, and chemical content of ambon kuning and determine the combination of treatment that produces the best results. Taguchi design, with two levels for each of the three treatment factors (ethylene gas concentrations of 185.2 and 277.8 ppm, storage temperatures of 16±1 and 29±1 °C, and gas exposure time of 48 and 72 hours) was applied to banana samples stored in a hermetic bag in a temperature-controlled container. Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) was applied to get the best results considering multiple performance measures: peel color (measured as lightness L*-, green -a*-, and yellow b*-values), hardness of peel and pulp, total dissolved solids, total chlorophyll, and total carotenoids contents. The best results were obtained when degreening was carried out with a gas concentration of 185.2 ppm at a storage temperature of 16±1 °C for 48 hours.

Room-Temperature, Ionic-Liquid-Enhanced, Beta-Cyclodextrin-Based, Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Extraction of Abamectin.

To ensure environmental protection and food quality and safety, the trace level detection of pesticide residues with molecularly imprinted polymers using a more economic, reliable, and greener approach is always demanded. Herein, novel, enhanced, imprinted polymers based on beta-cyclodextrin, using room-temperature, ionic liquid as a solvent for abamectin were developed with a simple polymerization process. The successful synthesis of the polymers was verified, with morphological and structural characterization performed via scanning electron microscope analysis, nitrogen adsorption experiments, and thermogravimetric analysis. The imprinted polymers showed good adsorption ability, which was confirmed with a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and a Langmuir isotherm model, as they exhibit a theoretical adsorption of 15.08 mg g−1 for abamectin. The polymers showed high selectivity for abamectin and significant reusability without significant performance loss. The MIPs were used to analyze abamectin in spiked apple, banana, orange, and grape samples, and as a result, a good recovery of 81.67−101.47%, with 1.26−4.36% relative standard deviation, and limits of detection and quantitation of 0.02 µg g−1 and 0.05 µg g−1, respectively, was achieved within a linear range of 0.03−1.50 µg g−1. Thus, room-temperature, ionic-liquid-enhanced, beta-cyclodextrin-based, molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective detection of abamectin proved to be a convenient and practical platform.

Pulsed vacuum drying of banana: Effects of ripeness on drying kinetics and physicochemical properties and related mechanism

In current work, pulsed vacuum drying was employed to dry the bananas and the effect of ripeness on drying kinetics and physicochemical properties was explored and related mechanism was understood through the analysis of sugar and the microstructural changes. Results showed that, with the increase in the ripeness of banana, the drying time decreased from 6.0 to 5.0 h, the rehydration ratio increased from 1.76 ± 0.09 to 2.98 ± 0.11. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis illustrated ripening and pulsed vacuum drying hardly affects the chemical composition of starch molecules. Regardless of fresh or dried samples, the reducing sugar and total sugar content both increased with increase in ripeness. Compared to the dried ripeness III samples, total color difference of samples with ripeness I and II decreased by 25.03% and 25.49%, respectively. As ripeness increased, the total phenolics and DPPH assay of fresh samples decreased, whereas in pulsed vacuum dried samples it significantly increased. The overall findings indicate that the decrease of starch and the increase of sugar with the increase in ripeness have a significant impact on the pulsed vacuum drying kinetics, microstructure and physicochemical properties of the banana samples.

Performance analysis of direct solar dryer driven by photovoltaic thermal energy recovery and solar air collector for drying materials and electricity generation

AbstractThe direct‐type solar dryer is characterized by very simple construction, less maintenance, cost‐effectiveness, and is easy to handle. The present study aims to enhance the performance of a direct‐type solar dryer. To achieve this, the photovoltaic (PV) panels with thermal energy recovery and solar air collector were integrated with the direct‐type solar dryer. In this study, the PV panels with thermal energy recovery and solar air collector were utilized as preheating units to raise the air temperature before entering the direct solar dryer. Moreover, the PV panels were utilized to drive the air blower. In this study, three incorporated models are suggested to study the performance of the solar dryer integrated with PV panels with thermal energy recovery and solar air collector. The model of each component was validated by the previously recorded empirical data. The results confirmed that the dual utilization of the PV panels with thermal energy recovery and solar air collector as a preheating unit raised the air temperature entering the direct solar dryer by the rate varying between 29°C and 42°C within the period 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Also, the moisture content of banana samples inside the direct solar dryer reduced from the initial value of 72% (wb) to the value of 33.4% (wb) within 7 h (9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.). During this operating period, moisture removal from the banana samples varied between 110 and 400 g/h.

Dissipation and residue of tebuconazole in banana (Musa nana L.) and dietary intake risk assessment for various populations

ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the safety of tebuconazole as a fungicide in bananas, after a simple and rapid pre-treatment, the residues of tebuconazole in different parts of banana were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) within 35 days. The mean recoveries and relative standard deviations in banana samples were 87.17 ~ 96.68% and 2.85 ~ 8.49%, respectively. The half-lives of tebuconazole in whole banana, banana pulp, and banana peel were 7.31 ~ 8.68 days, 11.12 ~ 13.39 days, and 4.06 ~ 5.74 days, respectively. It can be seen that tebuconazole dissipated fastest in the peel and slowest in the pulp. And the contents of tebuconazole in banana pulp and banana peel were 3 ~ 35% and 65 ~ 97%, respectively, which can be seen that tebuconazole was mainly distributed in the peel, and only a small part was transmitted to the pulp. Results also showed that the residual amounts of tebuconazole in banana pulp were increased at the first three days and then gradually dissipated, and were below the maximum residue limit (MRL) in China. The results of dietary intake risk assessment showed that the HQ (hazard quotient) were 0.45 ~ 2.69%, which were within the acceptable range. Overall, our research results show that tebuconazole in the field control of banana freckle disease has high security and low risk with the application dose of 133 g/L and diluted 1000 times in water, and can provide an important reference for the rational use of tebuconazole as a systemic fungicide in the field.

Evaluation and Health Risk Assessment of Five Toxic Metals Concentration in Soil, Water and Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits from Pakistan-Afghanistan Border, Torkham

Heavy metals are of serious concern for human health and food security. The risk to human health is directly related to soil and water pollution, which enter the food chain (vegetables and fruits). The current study was designed to investigate the heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd, and Zn) concentrations in five vegetables (Potato, Tomato, Turnip, Onion & Taro) and five fruits (Banana, Apple, Grapes, Pomegranate, and Guava) samples. We also estimated metal concentrations in water and soil samples. Torkham, a border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, was selected for the purpose. The analysis was performed on Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS, Perkin- Elmer 700). In vegetables, the highest Pb and Ni were recorded in Potatoes (0.34 ± 0.066) and Onions (0.278 ± 0.021). While in tomatoes, the highest concentrations of Cd (0.90± 0.115), Zn (0.726 ± 0.008), and Cr (1.761 ± 0.028) were noted. While, in fruits the highest levels of Pb (0.32± 0.03), Cd (0.61 ± 0.0119), Zn (0.357 ± 0.0047) and Ni (0.111 ± 0.0128), while in apples we noted the highest Cr levels (0.789 ± 0.0452). We compared the metal concentrations with permissible limits set by World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization (WHO/FAO). In the majority of the samples, the metal levels exceeded the permissible limits, while few were found within the safe limits. Based on heavy metals concentrations in soil, water, vegetables, and fruit samples. We calculated the health risk assessment, i.e., daily intake of metals (DIM) estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total target hazard quotient (TTHQ), carcinogenic risk (CR), health risk index (HRI) and contamination factor (CF). The EDI for Ni and Zn was in the safest region. While for Cd and Pb, the highest EDI was recorded in tomatoes (0.394) and guava (0.303), respectively. Similarly, Cr poses’ serious risk with the highest EDI in tomatoes (0.771), apples (0.563), turnip (0.393), guava (0.282), and banana (0.263). If HRI, THQ THQ, and TTHQ are less than one (< 1), it means the exposed populations are not at risk. In the present HRI, THQ and TTHQ were found to be less than one. The contamination factor for Ni and Zn was found to be considerable (CF<6), while Pb, Cd, and Cr presented the highest contamination degree (CF>6). This study suggested that some samples may impose a certain degree of potential health risk. It is required that proper action should be taken to avoid chronic exposure and consequent adverse health effects.

Numerical investigation on solar air collector and its practical application in the indirect solar dryer for banana chips drying with energy and exergy analysis

In this paper, a numerical investigation was carried out to identify a proper solar air collector (SAC) for an indirect solar dryer (ISD). Corrugated absorber surfaces were used to enhance the heat transfer rate between air and absorber. The manuscript aims to develop a numerical model to identify proper SAC and to execute the proposed SAC model in an experimental setup hence it is an innovative study. The drying behavior and drying characteristics of banana slices were estimated by conducting the experiments in an ISD dryer which was developed based on the outcomes of numerical analysis. The velocity and temperature inside the dying cabinet were estimated for both cases. Better performance was noticed in triangular corrugated SAC and therefore, an ISD was developed with triangular corrugated SAC. The thermal performance of ISD was investigated. Numerical and experimental results of temperature at the outlet of SAC were compared. Also, the drying kinetics of banana samples was studied. Different corrugation angles (θ) (5 to 30°) and corrugation heights (e) (0.5 to 2 cm) were used to identify the maximum thermo-hydraulic performance parameters (THPP). The maximum THPP was 1.83 at θ = 20° and e = 1 cm which helped uniform distributions of velocity and temperature inside the drying chamber. From the investigation, surface transfer coefficients, diffusivity, and activation energy of banana slices were calculated. The average collector and dryer efficiencies were 64.5% and 55.30%, respectively. Banana samples were dried from 3.5566 to 0.2604 kg/kg on a dry basis (db). The experimental drying curve was fitted to six thin layer drying models and a fitting model was identified. Effective moisture diffusivity, surface transfer coefficients, and activation energy were estimated. Exergy and cost analyses were performed.

Elementary analysis in banana samples using X-Ray Fluorescence

This work aims to characterize the elemental concentrations of two banana types gold and silver. In both were analyze in the pulp and peel by X-Ray Fluorescence technique. The results showed that the elements in both types are more concentrated in the peel than in the pulp. In addition, it was also observed that the normalization of the peel and pulp concentrations for the elements K, Fe, Zn, Br, Rb, and Sr is higher in the silver banana compared to the gold banana. The results indicate that banana peels can be used to supplement nutritional deficiencies. The work also demonstrates the potential that X-Ray Fluorescence has in investigation of elemental composition of foods. As the technique has easy instrumentation and data interpretation, it can be implemented as a routine in the investigation of the elemental composition of foods. In addition, the technique has the advantage of carrying out in situ analyzes by portable instruments. These in situ investigations can even be applied to make quality control of bananas at the time of harvest.

Establishment of novel standardised operating procedures for LF‐NMR: used in rapid detection of typical fruit and vegetable

SummaryAlthough LF‐NMR has been widely used in many fields of food science, the lack of NMR expertise of many food researchers needs to be bridged. Using samples of carrots, bananas, and king oyster mushroom, this work systematically studied the influence of LF‐NMR parameters (repetition time (TR), echo time (TE)) on experimental results. The result showed that the TR of carrot, mushroom and banana were 2684, 4572 and 4317 ms, respectively. The rate of change of signal amplitude can be used as an index to optimise TR. The change of TE has different effects on the short relaxation components of the T2 distributions and long relaxation components in different TR samples. TE and Nech should be set according to T2 to record completely the decay process. What’s more, the method of normalised CPMG decay was suggested to eliminate the effects of parameters such as number of scan (NS), pre‐amp regulate gain (PRG) and mass of sample. At last, the standardised operating procedures were proposed to provide a strategy of improving the properties and applications of LF‐NMR.

Microwave drying of banana blossoms ( Musa acuminata ): Mathematical modeling and drying energetics

This research work explored the effect of microwave output power on drying characteristics, moisture diffusion, drying efficiency, and specific energy consumption. Banana blossoms was cut into 3 mm thickness and was dried as monolayers at five different power levels (160, 320, 480, 640, and 800 W). After drying, the powdered banana sample was analyzed for color attributes and functional characterization. Eight different mathematical models were investigated and the Page model was the best-fitted model for all samples with the maximum R2 values of 0.99359 (P-160 W), 0.99505 (P-320 W), 0.99344 (P-480 W), 0.99160 (P-640 W), and 0.99192 (P-800 W). The drying time was minimizing from 40 to 10 min as the microwave output powers increase from 160 to 800 W. The drying constant (k) is enhanced as microwave power increases. The effective diffusivity of banana blossoms varied from 4.428 × 10−7 to 1.171 × 10−7 m2/s and the activation energy was estimated as 7.96 W/g. Maximum energy consumption was found to be 7.74 MJ/kg water at 160 W, whereas minimum energy consumption was minimum (5.74 MJ/kg water) at a microwave power of 640 W. Energy efficiency increases with increasing microwave output power. Applied microwave output power was a critical aspect of all color parameters of the banana blossoms powder. Powdered banana blossoms dried at 640 W showed the highest lightness L* of 54.43 ± 0.46 with redness (a*) of 4.19 ± 0.03, and yellowness (b) of 10.71 ± 0.29. The highest water solubility index was 53.30 ± 0.59 % for the sample dried at 640 W and oil absorption capacity (g/g) and foaming capacity (ml) were varied from 1.76 ± 0.07 to 2.93 g/g and 1.67 ± 0.58 to 4.53 ± 0.57 ml. Practical applications Dehydrated banana blossoms could be an option to make convenience their utilization for different food products formulation, and food fortification. Hence, advanced drying techniques are needed in the current scenario. Microwave drying is one of the advanced drying techniques which helps to enhance the quality attribute of a dehydrated product in comparison to the conventional drying technique which produces a lower quality product and needs a longer processing time. Microwave drying of banana blossoms slices results in a considerable enhancement in the preservation quality. This research work will offer an alternative technique to make dehydrated banana blossoms with a considerably better quality of products. High-quality dehydrated banana blossoms can be practically implicated by the microwave drying technique with an optimum condition.

Rapid and Uninvasive Characterization of Bananas by Hyperspectral Imaging with Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)

Ripe fruit provides essential nutrients for the human body. To fulfill the needs of consumers, the practice of artificial ripening has become more common. Artificial ripening not only degrades the quality of fruit but also impairs health. The potential of hyperspectral imaging coupled with machine learning to quickly and uninvasively identify differently ripened bananas was explored in this study. A total of 300 banana samples that were naturally ripened or ripened by ethephon or calcium carbide were characterized by their hyperspectral images. To improve the accuracy of classification models and to reduce the effects of noise and irregular surfaces, different preprocessing strategies were investigated. Recursive feature elimination (RFE) and the successive projections algorithm (SPA) were employed to select feature wavelengths. Four classification methods – extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), support vector machine (SVM), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), and partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) – were applied for ripening identification. The results showed that the best classification model was XGBoost based on full wavelengths, which achieved an area under the macro-average receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9796 and high training, cross-validation, and testing accuracy values of 95.02%, 92.31%, and 91.16%, respectively. The RFE-XGBoost model reduces the data dimension and maintains satisfactory performance. Both XGBoost models achieved 100% correct differentiation between naturally ripened and artificially ripened bananas. Hence, the method may be employed to quickly and uninvasively classify differently ripened bananas.

Diverse Banana Pseudostems and Rachis Are Distinctive for Edible Carbohydrates and Lignocellulose Saccharification towards High Bioethanol Production under Chemical and Liquid Hot Water Pretreatments

Banana is a major fruit crop throughout the world with abundant lignocellulose in the pseudostem and rachis residues for biofuel production. In this study, we collected a total of 11 pseudostems and rachis samples that were originally derived from different genetic types and ecological locations of banana crops and then examined largely varied edible carbohydrates (soluble sugars, starch) and lignocellulose compositions. By performing chemical (H2SO4, NaOH) and liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatments, we also found a remarkable variation in biomass enzymatic saccharification and bioethanol production among all banana samples examined. Consequently, this study identified a desirable banana (Refen1, subgroup Pisang Awak) crop containing large amounts of edible carbohydrates and completely digestible lignocellulose, which could be combined to achieve the highest bioethanol yields of 31–38% (% dry matter), compared with previously reported ones in other bioenergy crops. Chemical analysis further indicated that the cellulose CrI and lignin G-monomer should be two major recalcitrant factors affecting biomass enzymatic saccharification in banana pseudostems and rachis. Therefore, this study not only examined rich edible carbohydrates for food in the banana pseudostems but also detected digestible lignocellulose for bioethanol production in rachis tissue, providing a strategy applicable for genetic breeding and biomass processing in banana crops.

LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analysis of pesticide residues in Ecuadorian and Filipino Cavendish bananas imported into Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT The occurrence of pesticide residues in bananas imported from Ecuador and the Philippines into Saudi Arabia was investigated. Eighty-seven banana samples were purchased from various supermarkets around the country. The conventional QuEChERS method was used to extract 294 pesticides in whole bananas and the analysis was carried out using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. In total, nine pesticides were detected of which azoxystrobin, carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, imazalil, and thiabendazole were the most frequently found in bananas from both countries. The levels of these pesticides were complaint according to the Saudi Food & Drug Authority’s (SFDA) maximum residue levels (MRLs), therefore they cannot be considered a public health problem. Detectable residues of these agrochemicals show that they are used extensively in banana cultivation. The Ecuadorian Agency for Agricultural Quality Assurance (Agrocalidad) and the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) prohibit the use of carbendazim in agriculture, while the Filipino Fertiliser and Pesticide Authority (FPA) allows its use. A legislative comparison of pesticide approval status revealed a lack of consensus between banana exporting and importing countries that could affect food safety and trade.

Preliminary Study on Tracing the Origin and Exploring the Relations between Growing Conditions and Isotopic and Elemental Fingerprints of Organic and Conventional Cavendish Bananas (Musa spp.).

The stable isotopic ratios and elemental compositions of 120 banana samples, Musa spp. (AAA Group, Cavendish Subgroup) cultivar Williams, collected from six countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Peru), were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Growing conditions like altitude, temperature, rainfall and production system (organic or conventional cultivation) were obtained from the sampling farms. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed separation of the farms based on geographical origin and production system. The results showed a significant difference in the stable isotopic ratios (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O) and elemental compositions (Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb) of the pulp and peel samples. Furthermore, δ15N was found to be a good marker for organically produced bananas. A correlation analysis was conducted to show the linkage of growing conditions and compositional attributes. The δ13C of pulp and peel were mainly negatively correlated with the rainfall, while δ18O was moderately positively (R values ~0.5) correlated with altitude and temperature. A moderate correlation was also found between temperature and elements such as Ba, Fe, Mn, Ni and Sr in the pulp and peel samples. The PCA results and correlation analysis suggested that the differences of banana compositions were combined effects of geographical factors and production systems. Ultimately, the findings contribute towards understanding the compositional differences of bananas due to different growing conditions and production systems linked to a defined origin; thereby offering a tool to support the traceability of commercial fruits.

Simultaneous extraction of five phenolic acids in fruits using ultrasound assisted aqueous two phase system based on polyethylene glycol-ionic liquid-sodium carbonate

ABSTRACT Polyethylene glycol bis (methylimidazolium) ditetrachloroferrate was synthesized and used as adjuvant in aqueous two-phase system based on polymer-salt for the extraction of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid. Ultrasound-assisted aqueous two-phase system was consisted by polyethylene glycol 600 and sodium carbonate and ionic liquid as adjuvant. Polymer-ionic liquid-salt-based aqueous two-phase system was optimized with parameters including amount of ionic liquid and polymer, type and amount of salt, extraction time, extraction temperature, and pH of phenolic acid solution. The optimal conditions were defined as follows: 5% (v/v) ionic liquid, 0.7 g polyethylene glycol 600, 0.5 g sodium carbonate, 20 min extraction time, 40°C extraction temperature, and sample solution at pH 5. The satisfactory method was successfully implemented for the extraction and determination of phenolic acids in grape, apple, banana, and pear samples with recoveries in the range of 84.30–100.00%.

Consumption study and margin of exposure of acrylamide in food consumed by the Bogotá population in Colombia

Acrylamide is a food contaminant that is formed during processes such as frying, baking and roasting. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), acrylamide is a possible carcinogenic compound in humans. In this work, 257 food samples were analyzed in Colombia to determine the acrylamide content. Samples of potato chips, french fries, bread, cookies, coffee, panela, fried banana and traditional fritters (such as egg or cheese pies) were prepared and analyzed following the Total Diet Study methodology. The highest acrylamide content was found in potato chips with 635 μg/kg and panela with 521 μg/kg. The calculation of margin of exposure was made by combining the analytical results of composition with consumption data. The highest average exposure in the group of adults was 0.30 μg/kg body weight (b.w.) per day in adults from 19 to 30 years old; for children, the highest exposure was 0.92 μg/kg b.w. per day in children from 2 to 3 years old. These exposure values indicate that acrylamide is a public health concern for the Bogota population.

Physicochemical and mechanical properties during storage-cum maturity stages of raw harvested wild banana (Musa balbisiana, BB)

The changes in various physicochemical and mechanical properties after harvesting wild banana (Musa balbisiana) were investigated by storing the fruit at room temperature (22 ± 2 °C). During ripening, physical changes such as pulp to peel ratio and fruit with seed to peel ratio increased and the changes in the colour of the fruits from green to red while yellowness occurred in the peel. The maximum colour difference (ΔE) of pulp and peel increased up to the 5th stage and decreased thereafter. Textural softening occurred till the end of the ripening stages; the peak force of penetration decreased from 16.6 to 5.8 N for banana samples with the peel. At the end of ripening, a non-significant difference was observed that may be due to equalized mucilaginous peel tissue structure. During the ripening process, moisture content, titratable acidity, pectin, fat, total sugar, pH and the total soluble solids were increased, and decreased starch content, ascorbic acid and protein were observed. The sensory assessment at the 6th stage of the banana received the highest rating. Thus, the present study determined the best ripening stage of wild banana variety to be suitable for processing during the postharvest phase and quality control of processed products.

Shelf life extension of Saba banana: Effect of preparation, vacuum packaging, and storage temperature

The shelf life of banana is very much dependent on the preparation method, packaging method, and storage temperature. Thus, this work is directed to investigate the effect of banana preparation (peeled and unpeeled), packaging method (vacuum packed and non-vacuum packed), and storage temperature (25 and 9 °C) on extending the shelf life of Saba banana. Peeled and unpeeled; and vacuum packed and non-vacuum packed banana was kept at different storage temperatures for 28 days. The shelf life of banana was investigated in terms of texture, color changes, and moisture content every 7 days. It was found that vacuum packed banana samples kept at 9 °C exhibited non-significant changes in firmness, and minimal changes in moisture content and color compared to non-vacuum packed banana kept at 25 °C, proving that vacuum packaging and low storage temperature are promising to extend the shelf life of banana. The unpeeled banana was also demonstrated to exhibit longer shelf life compared to peeled banana because the skin is able to preserve the moisture content inside the banana and prevent the banana to become dried and spoilt over time.

Cold plasma enzyme inactivation on dielectric properties and freshness quality in bananas

Cold plasma (CP) technology is a novel, non-thermal method to inactive enzymes and improve the quality of food materials. In this study, banana samples were processed via CP treatment for different lengths of time (1, 1.5, and 2 min intervals) and their properties, including dielectric properties, enzyme activities, levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species), enzymatic browning products, color, flavor compounds, and surface microstructure, were measured. The dielectric constant (ε′) and loss factor (ε′′) after CP treatment decreased with increasing frequency and increased with increasing temperature, respectively. Higher values of ε′ and ε′′ could also be found after CP treatment. The enzyme activity of polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and peroxydase (POD) decreased with increasing CP treatment time. ROS levels in cells increased after CP treatment, and quinones generated from enzymatic browning decreased at extended treatment times. CP treatment had a positive effect on the surface color of bananas due to enzyme inactivation, while significant differences in a⁎ and b⁎ values at different treatment times were noted. However, surface morphology changed with increasing CP processing time, leading to a rougher surface microstructure. CP treatment has little impact on flavor compounds and has demonstrated a potential pretreatment technology for dielectric heating/drying.