Green Banana Research Articles

Characterization of probiotic properties and development of banana powder enriched with freeze-dried Lacticaseibacillus paracasei probiotics

Lacticaseibacillus paracasei is one of the probiotic bacteria widely identified from fermented foods. The application of L. paracasei is commonly used in dairy and non-dairy products. To investigate the probiotic properties of L. paracasei cells including their acid, pepsin, pancreatin, and bile salt tolerances; adhesion ability; antipathogen activity; and antibiotic susceptibility, L. paracasei cells were incorporated into skim milk and lyophilized by freeze drying. Freeze-dried probiotic cells were add to green banana powder and low moisture additive food matrices and a storage analysis of the product was performed. The result showed that L. paracasei cells possessed potentially beneficial probiotic properties to survive stress in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and functional abilities as an anti-enteropathogenic agent; they were also safe to use and displayed antibiotic properties. Furthermore, the probiotic freeze-drying technique preserved high probiotic cell survivability (1011 CFU/g). In term of prolonged storage (60 days), the powder product was stable and maintained probiotic survival (107 CFU/g) while excluding non-probiotic growth. In conclusion, L. paracasei displayed probiotic properties in the GIT and was judged to be a highly acceptable product as a probiotics–banana rehydrated beverage.

The Ecofriendly Biosorbent of Methylene Blue Using Banana Peels Waste

This research aimed to synthesize and characterize the properties of green banana peel waste to be used as adsorbent material. The green banana peel waste was prepared by sieved to be banana powder and then characterized by XRD, FTIR, XRF, and TGA. The adsorption capacity of methylene blue was tested using a simple method, the “batch method”, with further analysis by spectrophotometry UV-Vis. The XRF results of green banana peel showed that most of the composition is potassium and phosphorus. The methylene blue adsorption capacity of banana peel material is up to 75.10% with 0.5 grams of adsorbent, which is more significant than in the banana peel, which is 68.04% with 0.2 grams.

The gastrointestinal and microbiome impact of a resistant starch blend from potato, banana, and apple fibers: A randomized clinical trial using smart caps.

The gastrointestinal (GI) impact of fibers including resistant starch (RS) consumption depends on various types and amounts of fibers, the initial microbiome states, and accurate intake measurements. A randomized clinical trial evaluated the GI impact of varying doses of a novel resistant starch blend (RSB) with smart cap monitoring. RSB contained at least 50% RS and was a proprietary mixture of a potato starch, green banana flour, and apple fiber powder (a source of apple pectin, not resistant starch). The study design randomized participants to one of four arms: 10 g/day of potato starch (0 RSB), 10 g/day of RSB, 10 to 20 to 20 g/day of RSB or 10 to 20 to 30 g/day RSB for two-week intervals over 6 weeks. Results confirmed that while resistant starch of approximately 5 g per day improves GI symptoms at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, it did not demonstrate a detectable effect on short chain fatty acids. Increasing doses of the blend (RSB) led to a decrease in the diarrhea score. Using an estimate of total consumption of RSB based on smart cap recordings of container openings and protocol-specified doses of RSB, a reduction in the sleep disturbance score was associated with higher RSB dose. The exploratory microbiome evaluation demonstrated that among the 16S rRNA gene sequences most associated with the consumption of the novel blend RSB, two belong to taxa of notable interest to human health: Faecalibacterium and Akkermansia.

Development of a complete meal from underutilized indigenous and exotic foods

A complete meal is a food served and eaten in one sitting whose nutrient variety has been optimized. Green bananas are a good source of resistant starch and dietary fibre while Irish potatoes are rich in starch and dietary fibre. Moringa leaves are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins while being low calorific value. Fig gourd leaves are mainly rich in vitamins. However, many people prefer ripe bananas as snacks/fruit to cooked green ones. Moringa leaves are mainly used for medicinal purposes hence rarely used as a food item. Exotic vegetables are mostly preferred in food processing to indigenous ones hence making the indigenous vegetables underutilized. Development of a complete meal using these neglected food items would improve their utilization. The bananas, fig gourd leaves and Moringa leaves were oven dried at 60 C and ground into powder using a blender. A composite powder was prepared that could be reconstituted at the time of need. The flours were blended into a paste and a pellet as the final product in a ratio of Moringa: potato flour: fig gourd leaves (1:10:1). The paste and pellets were subjected to proximate analysis and sensory evaluation. The proximate composition of the paste was 3.22±0.5, 12.83±0.8 2.86±0.2, 11.32±0.6% for protein, fat, fibre and ash. The product was formulated to provide the RDA for an average adult of 62kg. The overall acceptability of the product by sensory panelist was liked moderately by 70% of the panelists making it viable food product.

Delaying ripening using 1-MCP reveals chilling injury symptom development at the putative chilling threshold temperature for mature green banana.

Storage at the putative chilling threshold temperature (CTT) to avoid chilling injury still limits postharvest handling of tropical fruit like banana in that ripening may occur at the CTT. To determine whether chilling injury (CI) symptoms would develop in mature green (MG) banana fruit if the CTT exposure was extended by inhibiting ethylene action and thus ripening, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was applied. Individual ‘fingers’ from multiple ‘clusters’ of MG bananas were either immersed in water or 50 μg L−1 1-MCP (a.i.) solution and each treatment was divided into three subgroups for storage at 5.0°C (severe CI), 13.0°C (mild CI), or 14.0°C (CTT) ± 0.1°C. 1-MCP delayed ripening in terms of color change for 10 days for fruit stored at the CTT. Ethylene production by fruit at 5.0°C remained around 0.04 ng kg−1 s−1 with no obvious increase during 31-day storage. Ethylene production at 14.0°C (−1-MCP/+1-MCP) increased on Day 33 while increasing on Day 38 for 13.0°C fruit without 1-MCP and on Day 39 for fruit with 1-MCP. Peak climacteric ethylene occurred on Days 44 and 39 for 13.0 and 14.0°C fruit without 1-MCP, respectively, and on Days 59 and 51 for 13.0°C and 14.0°C 1-MCP-treated fruit, respectively. As hypothesized, longer exposure of MG banana fruit to the CTT of 14.0°C without onset of ripening as was allowed by prior 1-MCP treatment allowed CI to develop at that normally non-chilling temperature. Vascular browning was the first visual and most sensitive CI symptom in the experiment and was observed on Day 4 at 5.0°C, Day 10 at 13.0°C, Day 19 at 14.0°C without 1-MCP, and on Day 28 at 14.0°C with 1-MCP. Using a 1-MCP pre-treatment to remove the influence of ethylene from bananas stored at 13°C or 14°C also resulted in slight reduction in vascular browning severity. In conclusion, a putative safe temperature may become a CI temperature if the shelf-life-limiting factor is removed, allowing longer exposure. Chilling at the CTT caused relatively mild injury on fruit, and vascular browning is a sensitive indicator of CI status, while the light-adapted quantum yield of photosystem II [Y(II)] could be a non-destructive indicator of early CI stress in MG banana. Fruit at 13.0/14.0°C developed CI symptoms slightly later with 1-MCP than without 1-MCP. This suggests that ethylene might be involved in early CI symptom development.

Selective detection of starch in banana fruit with Raman spectroscopy

To develop an analytical method for rapid quantification of starch in agricultural produce, we measured the Raman spectra of ripening banana fruit and compared the obtained data to those of standard starch, sugar, and fiber chemical samples. Standard starches exhibited distinctive Raman bands, which were similar to the spectral features in green banana before ripening. Moreover, these banana-derived Raman bands gradually weakened during 10 d of storage. Standard sugars (glucose, sucrose, and fructose) exhibited Raman bands in both solid and liquid states, whereas standard fibers exhibited broad spectra and no such bands. Although the sugar content increased, no sugar bands were observed in the banana fruit even after ripening. A correlation was found between the Raman bands and starch content obtained by chemical analysis. These results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy can selectively provide information regarding starch in banana fruit and be applied as an analytical method for rapid starch quantification.

Impact of drying methods on banana flour in the gluten-free bread quality

Green banana flour (GBF) is considered a functional ingredient that could improve banana world's production sustainability. The banana drying method might influence the physicochemical and nutritional properties of GBF, affecting its performance in bread-making. The study aims to determine the impact of freeze-drying and oven-drying on gluten-free banana bread's quality. Freeze-dried banana flour (FDBF) bread had higher specific volume, resilience, and less brown coloration than oven-dried banana flour (ODBF) bread. Also, FDBF bread presented higher resistant starch (RS). The slowly digested starch (SDS) was similar in both types of bread. In contrast, rapidly digested starch (RDS) was significantly higher in FDBF bread, which led to higher expected glycemic index. Even though the nutritional fractions (RS and SDS) of both gluten-free banana bread exceeded 20 g/100 g bread (db), with no significant difference concerning the drying type, the FDBF bread presented improved characteristic.

The effects of green banana flour fortification on volatiles compounds of bread: A fingerprinting approach

• Green banana flour preparation affects volatile profile of fortified bread • Significant changes in volatile compounds occurs above 20% of fortification • Furans and Strecker aldehydes were the most abundant volatiles in bread crust • Esters and alcohol were more observed in breadcrumb • Majority of volatile compounds can be linked with the Maillard reaction This study investigated the effects of whole green banana flour (GBF) fortification on volatiles compounds of bread. The volatiles were determined in the bread crumb and crust using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. The GC-MS fingerprinting method enabled the detection of more than 100 volatiles, including alcohol and ester in crumb and furan and aldehyde in the crust. After data analysis using chemometrics, an apparent effect of the GBF fortification on the volatile compounds of bread was observed. In particular, the amounts of furans and Strecker aldehydes increased due to GBF fortification. These volatile compounds are known end products of the Maillard reaction and Strecker degradation, indicating the level of the fortification influenced the concentration of precursors available for these reactions. This work demonstrated that GBF fortification level could modify the volatiles composition of bread, possibly leading toa unique volatile flavor profile.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction of resistant starch from green banana peels and its structural characterization.

The global consumption of a large quantity of banana generates a huge quantity of banana peels which creates the problem of its disposal and proper management. The utilization of banana peels for the extraction of resistant starch can be a valuable strategy of waste valorization with economic viability at the industrial level. Green techniques like ultrasound can be efficacious in terms of increasing the extraction efficiency and yield of resistant starch. In this study, ultrasound assisted enzymatic extraction of resistant starch was optimized using response surface methodology. The optimum yield (60.6%) of resistant starch was obtained at 35°Ctemperature, 30:1 liquid to solid ratio after a treatment time of 9min. The results showed that a combination of ultrasound treatment with enzymatic extraction of resistant starch can be an efficient approach for the valorization of banana peels. Resistant starch holds application as a valuable supplement in functional food development in the fields of dairy, bakery, beverages, etc.

FABRICATION OF SAWDUST BRIQUETTES USING LOCAL BANANA PULP AS A BINDER

Sawdust is generated in large quantities in sawmills in Manicaland province in Zimbabwe, posing an environmental threat if incinerated or left to accumulate. This presents an opportunity for valorising the waste into briquettes. To make the briquettes cost effective, a cheap and locally available binder is needed. Hence, the use of banana waste pulp (green banana, ripe banana, pseudo-stem pith and fruit-bunch-stem) as a sawdust briquettes binder was investigated in this study. The quality of fabricated briquettes was evaluated based on relative density, shatter index, ignition time, burning rate, and time taken to boil a constant amount of water. The briquettes showed improved qualities with the increase in binder ratios. The sawdust-binder ratio of 1:4 showed the best briquettes qualities. Factor rating method was done in order to obtain the best scored (scale 0-100) briquettes reflecting weightier factors (scale 0-1). The weightiest factors were time taken to boil water (0.25) and shatter index (0.25), with three other factors weighing 0.5. The best five binder formulations in their order were; banana-pseudo stem-pith (pith) and ripe banana (RB) in the ratio of 3:1 respectively (score weight of 68.75), fruit-bunch-stem, banana-pseudo-stem-pith (pith), green banana (GB) and ripe banana (RB) in the ratio of 2:2:1:1 respectively (score weight of 68.3), banana-pseudo-stem-pith (pith), ripe banana (RB) and green banana (GB) 2:1:1 respectively (score weight of 66.95), banana-pseudo-stem-pith, ripe banana and green banana in the ratios of 2,5:1,5:1 respectively (score weight of 66.05) and banana-pseudo-stem-pith and ripe banana in the ratios of 1:1 (score weight 65.55).

THE IMPACT OF OPEN-FIELD AND PROTECTED CULTIVATION ON BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BANANAS (Musa spp. AAA)

Bananas have been grown in both open-field and protected cultivation in the subtropics. There are a very limited number of publications focusing on the impact of cultivation systems on the physico-chemical characteristics of bananas. For this reason, we assessed these fruit characteristics including sugars, malic acid, L-ascorbic acid, macro and micro nutrients well as fat and fatty acids of green and ripe bananas (Musa spp. AAA) in both cultivation systems. Experimental results have showed that many parameters affected the fruit ripening stage more than the cultivation system. Sucrose was the most abundant sugar followed by fructose and glucose in both the unripe and the ripe fruit stages. Sugar content, malic acid and L-ascorbic acid were higher in the ripe stage compared to the green stage. The cultivation system affected only glucose content, however, malic acid and L-ascorbic acid were not affected by the cultivation system. The most abundant macro and micro elements found were potassium and iron respectively. Cultivation system affected only potassium, zinc and manganese contents. Nitrogen and phosphorous, were found to be higher in the ripe stage. However, calcium, zinc, manganese and cupper were higher in the unripe stage. The fatty acid showed low value in the unripe stage for both cultivation systems. The concentration of MUFAs were found to be higher in the unripe stage for open-field condition while SFAs and PUFAs percentage were found to be higher in both cultivation systems. Experimental results clearly showed that physico-chemical characteristics of bananas were mainly affected by the ripening stage while the cultivation systems only affected a few characteristics.

Lead (Pb) Contamination in Agricultural Products and Human Health Risk Assessment in Bangladesh

Lead (Pb) is a widely occurring heavy metal employed in industrial products and hence released into the environment, causing several environmental health risk concerns. This study comprehensively surveyed the literature on Pb contamination in different agricultural foods and food products commonly consumed by Bangladeshi inhabitants and assessed associated cancer and non-cancer health risks. Cereals (i.e., rice, wheat and maize) contained very high concentrations of Pb among the selected food items, the highest was found in wheat (4.04 µg g−1), while rice and maize were 2.22 and 1.43 µg g−1, respectively, that exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC, 0.20 µg g−1) for cereals. Vegetables contained higher Pb than the MAC of 0.01 µg g−1, except for mushroom, green banana, cauliflower and arum. In addition, pulses also contained a moderate amount of Pb; however, fruits contained a low level of Pb, except for mangoes. When examining spatial differences in Pb contamination, most districts exhibited high Pb content in cereals; however, vegetables of the Tangail district exhibited the highest Pb concentrations (2.17 µg g−1), originating from industrial operations and vehicular emissions. In terms of human health risk assessment, it was observed that consumption of rice, zucchini, tesla gourd, sponge gourd, okra, drumstick lib, chili and cabbage might pose non-cancer health risks (THQs > 1); however, fruits and pulses do not pose any non-cancer health risks to Bangladeshi residents. Most of the cereals and vegetables showed a higher value than 10−6, indicating a potential cancer risk; however, fruits and pulses showed lower risk only marginally exceeding the lower allowable limit (i.e., 10−6).Graphical abstract

Replacing a part of wheat flour with starchy food containing high levels of resistant starch in noodles processing

Resistant starch has been shown to be associated with many health benefits. The study was conducted to analyze amylose and resistant starch content in selected starchy materials (black beans, red beans, green Xiem bananas, and potatoes) and investigate the influence of their flour/starch mixing ratio on the quality of noodles. The microstructure of noodles was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that potato starch had the highest resistant starch content (56.70%), followed by green Xiem banana flour (41.55%), black bean flour (16.51%), and red bean flour (15.55%). The raw materials with higher resistant starch also had higher amylose content. Amylose content, resistant starch content, and hardness of noodles increased when partly replacing wheat flour with the high level of RS flours/starches in the formulation. The data rank some tests revealed that formula A3 (replacing 50% of wheat flour with other starchy food containing high levels of resistant starch) was chosen due to the product containing relatively high RS content (14.78%), well structured and well accepted by panellists. The texture of the cooked noodles was assessed to be similar to that of the control sample (100% wheat flour). This study proved that it is possible to elaborate noodles to replace a part of wheat flour with starchy food containing high levels of the well-accepted formulation.

Isotopes Don’t Lie, differentiating organic from conventional banana (Musa AAA, Cavendish subgroup) fruits using C and N stable isotopes

With the dramatic increase of organic banana production worldwide, it is essential to be able to monitor compliance with organic specifications. While the detection of pesticide fraud is routinely controlled by detecting pesticide residues in organic bananas, the detection of fertilizer fraud is much more complex. We compared the δ13C and δ15N isotopic values of green bananas from organic and conventional farms at seven sites around the world. In our whole dataset, the δ15N values of banana fruits ranged between −1.25 and + 8.91‰. In all sites, δ15N values of organic banana were significantly higher than conventional fruits (mean value of + 5.24‰ and + 2.342‰, respectively). Conversely, the type of fertilization did not significantly alter δ13C values. Our results suggest that it is possible, upon arrival in importing countries, to differentiate bananas grown with synthetic fertilizer from those grown with organic fertilizer.

Development of Aloe Vera-Green Banana Saba-Curcumin Composite Film for Colorimetric Detection of Ferrum (II).

This study was performed to develop and characterize a bio-film composed of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), green banana Saba (Musa acuminata x balbisiana), and curcumin for the detection of Fe2+ ions. Cross-linking interaction between banana starch-aloe vera gel and banana starch-curcumin enhanced l the sensing performance of the composite film towards divalent metal ions of Fe2+. The morphological structure of the Aloe vera-banana starch-curcumin composite revealed a smooth and compact surface without cracks and some heterogeneity when observed under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The thickness, density, color property, opacity, biodegradation, moisture content, water-solubility, water absorption, swelling degree, and water vapor permeability of bio-films were measured. The incorporation of aloe vera gel and curcumin particles onto the banana starch film has successfully improved the film properties. The formation of the curcumin-ferrum (II) complex has triggered the film to transform color from yellow to greenish-brown after interaction with Fe2+ ions that exhibit an accuracy of 101.11% within a swift reaction time. Good linearity (R2 = 0.9845) of response on colorimetric analysis was also obtained in Fe2+ ions concentration that ranges from 0 to 100 ppm, with a limit of detection and quantification found at 27.84 ppm and 92.81 ppm, respectively. In this context, the film was highly selective towards Fe2+ ions because no changes of color occur through naked eye observation when films interact with other metal ions, including Fe3+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+. Thus, these findings encourage curcumin-based starch films as sensing materials to detect Fe2+ ions in the field of food and agriculture.

Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Unripe Green and Ripened Yellow Banana (Musa sp.) Peel and Pulp Oil Extracts

Background: Banana peel (Musa Sp.) is more nutritional and rich in phytochemical compounds than its pulp. All parts of the banana plant have medicinal applications. Damage from free radicals at the cellular level causes cell inflammation, increasing the risk of damage from sunlight, radiation, and related development of skin cancer. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the physicochemical properties, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of unripe green and yellow ripened banana fruit peels and pulp oil extracts. Methods: The oil extraction was done in Soxhelt apparatus using petroleum ether as a solvent. Then, the oil extracts were assessed based on the determination of oil yield, acid value, percent free fatty acid, peroxide value, and free radical scavenging activity using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide, and ascorbic acid. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were determined based on ascorbic acid content, DPPH and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities. The antimicrobial experiment was arranged in completely randomized factorial design with three replications. Results: The result indicated that significantly the highest oil yield (2.60±0.21%), acid value (2.66±0.20%), and free fatty acids (1.34±0.10%) were recorded for green peel oil extract. Significantly, the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity was recorded for green peel (5.85%) followed by green pulp (4.80) and the least for yellow peel (4.50). Ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity were significantly higher for yellow peel and green pulp oil extract extracts than for green peel oil extract. The strongest antibacterial activity with the maximum zone of inhibition (15.5mm), minimum inhibitory concentration (0.125μg/ml), and corresponding minimum bactericidal concentration (0.25 μg/ml) was recorded for ripened peel oil extract against Staphylococcus aureus. The antifungal activity of the oil extract presented the highest zone of inhibition (15.67mm), minimum inhibitory concentration (0.125 μg/ml) and corresponding minimum fungicidal concentration (0.25 μg/ml) were recorded for unripe green banana fruit pulp oil extract against Aspergillus versicolor. Conclusion: The result indicated that the banana fruit peel oil extracts demonstrated differential antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials. Thus, the banana peel waste oil extracts proved to have potential sustainable applications in nutritional and drug development technologies.

836-P: A Prebiotic Fiber Blend Improved Postprandial Glucose (PPG) and Time in Range (TIR) as Evaluated by Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in Healthy Subjects with Normal Glucose Tolerance

This open-label, pre-post, pilot study evaluated the impact of a prebiotic fiber blend (including green banana resistant starch & oat beta-glucan) on PPG and TIR measured by CGM (Abbott Freestyle Libre Pro) . Five healthy subjects (3M/2F; 41±7y, fasting glucose 92.2±10.9 mg/dL, BMI 23.9±3.2 kg/m2, mean+/-SD) consumed high glycemic index foods (e.g. cornflakes & rice milk) as the first meal of the day for 6 consecutive days followed by identical meals for 6 consecutive days with 7.5 grams of the prebiotic fiber blend. Addition of the prebiotic blend resulted in a significant 26.4% reduction in the baseline-adjusted 2-hr PP interstitial glucose (IG) area-under-the curve (Fig. 1a; 4125.9 ± 2468.9 vs. 3038.1 ± 1701.8 mg/dL, p=0.043) . Pooled subject 6-day % TIR (IG = 70-140 mg/dL) , % time above range (TAR, IG>140 mg/dL) , and % time below range (TBR, IG<70 mg/dL) showed a significantly higher % TIR (p=0.043) and lower % TBR (p=0.043) with the prebiotic blend (Fig. 1b) . This exploratory pilot study suggests the potential impact of a prebiotic fiber supplement as a complement to other dietary and pharmaceutical interventions for glycemic control. A randomized placebo controlled trial is currently underway to evaluate the impact of a full nutrition meal replacement shake with and without a similar fiber blend in persons with type 2 diabetes. Disclosure C.J.Damman: Advisory Panel; Evolve Biosystems, Employee; Uplifting Results Labs. J.Frias: Advisory Panel; Altimmune, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Sanofi, Consultant; 89bio, Inc., Akero Therapeutics, Inc., Altimmune, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Carmot Therapeutics, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi, Research Support; Afimmune Limited, Akero Therapeutics, Inc., AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Carmot Therapeutics, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer Inc., Poxel SA, Sanofi, Speaker's Bureau; Eli Lilly and Company, Merck & Co., Inc., Novo Nordisk, Sanofi. M.L.Lee: Consultant; UR Labs. L.Rikse: Employee; Uplifting Results Labs. W.Lam: Employee; UR Labs. R.Lai: Employee; UR Labs. M.Washington: Employee; UR Labs (Uplifting Results) .

Chemical, technological and sensory quality of pasta and bakery products made with biomass and green banana flour

SummaryBanana is a highly nutritive food, low cost, easy to find and can be fully consumed. In its green maturation, the nutritive value is also interesting. This paper aimed to investigate studies that elaborated pasta and bakery products using biomass and green banana flour, and evaluate chemical, technology and sensory quality, besides whether these products could be considered gluten‐free alternatives. Among the included studies, cakes (35%), bread (25%) and pasta (20%) were the most studied products. In general, they succeeded in evaluating chemical, technological and sensory parameters. In terms of technological quality, breads were considered the most challenging foods to be prepared with green banana derivatives, possibly due to the lack of gluten network, extensibility, viscoelasticity, water and gas‐holding capacity. Only 45% of the papers made gluten‐free products. Green banana added to these products could be widely consumed by people, since it is a versatile alternative for many food possibilities, adding nutritional quality to the final product and helping on the prevention of food waste.

In‐vitro digestibility, textural and quality characteristics of ditalini pasta fortified with green banana flour and its type ‐IV modified starch

SummaryResistant starch in unripe banana offers a possibility to alter the glycemic properties in convenience foods, such as pasta. In this study, pasta formulations were tried by replacing 30% semolina with varying proportions of green banana flour (GBF) and banana‐modified starch (MS). The effect of substitution on physicochemical and functional properties, including in‐vitro starch digestibility, antioxidant property and consumer acceptability, was evaluated. Among the composite flours, MS recorded higher swelling power and water holding capacity. The replacement of semolina with GBF resulted in higher resistant starch, 4–5 times enhanced indigestible fraction, phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity in pasta. Pronounced increment was also observed in potassium, calcium and magnesium content in blended pasta. Optimal cooking time was reduced with the addition of GBF, whereas it was enhanced with MS. GBF and MS in the blends, decreased the hydrolysis rate (up to 24%) and glycemic index (up to 17%) of pasta. However, the addition of MS beyond 10% negatively influenced springiness and chewiness. Microstructural studies explained the positive structural changes with the addition of GBF and MS. Sensory attributes disclosed that the addition of 25% GBF and 5% MS is a desirable proportion for pasta with a functional characteristics.

Short-term intestinal effects of water intake in fibre supplementation in healthy, low-habitual fibre consumers: a phase 2 clinical trial

A randomised clinical trial was conducted on 20 healthy, low-habitual fibre consumers to assess the short-term effects of water intake (2 l/day) on fibre supplementation with wheat bran, pectin, and green banana flour. During the 14-days trial, fibre intake doubled in both fibre (n = 10) and fibre/water (n = 10) interventions (p < 0.001), whereas daily water intake increased from 538 to 1990 ml in the fibre/water group (p < 0.001). Weekly bowel movements increased similarly in both interventions (fibre: 6.8–8.8; fibre/water: 8.6–10; p < 0.01), while faecal weight (71–126 g; p = 0.009) increased in the fibre/water group. This group showed higher counts of faecal Bacteroides and Prevotella, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Bifidobacterium, whereas both interventions decreased the count of Desulfovibrio. Transient abdominal symptoms occurred less frequently in the fibre/water than in the fibre group (3 vs. 9 participants; p = 0.020). In healthy, low-habitual fibre consumers, short-term water intake helps the intestinal adaptation to fibre supplementation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02838849