PHYSICOCHEMICAL, MICROBIOLOGICAL AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF GREEN BANANA CHIPS (Musa spp.)

Abstract

Green banana presents many nutritional and technological attributes and Brazil is an important producer and exporter. The present work aimed to develop a green banana chips with and without peel fried in three diferent oils. Green banana is rich in minerals, presents low sugars levels and high levels of resistant starch, that acting as fiber in the gut improving the digestion and contributing to microbiota development. Six green banana chips treatments were prepared, being two treatments with peel and without peel fried in three different oils (soybean oil, hidrogenate oil and sunflower oil). The samples were analyzed to determinate physico-chemical composition (pH, titritable acidity, humidity and ash), the microbiological contamination by total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms and sensory analysis to verify the acceptance (texture, aroma, color, taste and global aspect). The results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's Test to verify the interaction between the averages at 5% of significance using Assistat software. The ressults of microbiological analysis were negative for all treatments showing that the good manufacte practices were well done. To physico-chemical analysis were observed an increase of humidity level for tretaments with peel compared to without peel samples. The pH values presented higher in the with peel samples and consequent lower acidity. Similar effect was observed to titritable acidity, where the treatments without peel presented lower values of total acidity. To ash, it was observed the with peel treatments presented higher levels compared to the peeled ones. The all green banana chips treatments presented a good acceptance , varying between 62.22 and 81.33%. It was observed the higher acceptance for hidrogenate oil treatments, mainly due to crispness characteristics and the lowest acceptance for sunflower oil treaments. The obtained results showed green banana chips tretaments has technological potential, presented good acceptance and are according to Brazilian legislation.

KEYWORDS: Resistant starch; Functional food; Fruit growing; Banana tree.