Content uploaded by Joseph Adubofuor
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Joseph Adubofuor on Oct 05, 2016
Content may be subject to copyright.
American Journal of Food and Nutrition, 2016, Vol. 4, No. 4, 103-111
Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajfn/4/4/3
© Science and Education Publishing
DOI:10.12691/ajfn-4-4-3
Nutrient Composition and Sensory Evaluation of Ripe
Banana Slices and Bread Prepared from Ripe Banana
and Wheat Composite Flours
Joseph Adubofuor1,*, Isaac Amoah2, Vida Batsa1, Pearl Boamah Agyekum1, Josephine Akuba Buah1
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
2Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
*Corresponding author: jadubofuor@gmail.com
Abstract There is a need to search for alternate uses for ripe banana to help reduce its post-harvest losses as well
as increase its utilization in food product development. Despite its rich content of vitamins and minerals, ripe banana
continues to remain one of the highly perishable foods with a short shelf life of about 4-7 days. The objective of this
work was to evaluate the qualities of ripe banana slices and bread substituted with ripe banana flour. Two varieties
of ripe banana (Gros Michel and Medium Cavendish) were sliced, pre-treated with 2% citric acid for 2 minutes and
dried at 60°C for 72 hours using an oven dryer to obtain dry banana slices. Part of the oven-dried ripe banana slices
were milled using a hammer mill and sieved through a 250 microns mesh sieve to obtain flour. The ripe banana flour
were incorporated into bread at different formulations of 0, 10, 20 and 30% with wheat flour and studied. Sensory
properties such as colour, aroma, mouthfeel and overall acceptability of the oven-dried ripe banana slices and the
bread substituted with flour from the two banana varieties were determined. Proximate analysis was carried out on
the oven-dried ripe banana slices as well as on the control and the two most preferred bread samples. Mineral
analysis was also carried out on the oven-dried ripe banana slices. Results from the study revealed that, apart from
colour, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the other sensory attributes of the oven-dried ripe
banana. The 30% banana flour composited bread was the most preferred among the substitutions. Mineral analysis
showed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the two oven-dried banana samples. Proximate
analysis of the slices from Medium Cavendish and Gros Michel showed that, moisture contents were (17.20 and
20.10%), ash (3.00 and 3.30%), fat (1.0 and 0.5%), protein (3.5 and 4.8%), fibre (0.9%), carbohydrate (74.40 and
70.30%) and energy content (320.70 and 305.10 kcal/100g) respectively. Apart from fat and fibre, there were
significant differences (p<0.05) in the other components of the proximate composition of the sliced banana. With
regards to the bread samples, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the fat, crude fibre, ash, moisture and
energy contents. The 30% bread substitution was significantly higher (p<0.05) in terms of ash, fat, crude fibre,
moisture and energy than the control. In conclusion, bread formulated from ripe banana and wheat flour had a higher
nutritional value when compared with bread from all-purpose flour.
Keywords: Gros Michel flour, Medium Cavendish flour, sensory evaluation, banana-wheat flour bread, ripe
banana slices
Cite This Article: Joseph Adubofuor, Isaac Amoah, Vida Batsa, Pearl Boamah Agyekum, and Josephine
AkubaBuah, “Nutrient Composition and Sensory Evaluation of Ripe Banana Slices and Bread Prepared from
Ripe Banana and Wheat Composite Flours.” American Journal of Food and Nutrition, vol.4, no. 4 (2016):
103-111.doi:10.12691/ajfn-4-4-3.
1. Introduction
Banana is the common name used for the herbaceous
plants of the genus Musa (family Musaceae). The banana
fruit originated from the tropics in Southern Asia and is
classified as the second largest produced fruit in the world
after citrus. The fruit is cultivated in more than 100
countries throughout the tropics and subtropics with an
annual world production of about 98 million tonnes, of
which around a third is produced in each of the African,
Asia-Pacific, Latin American and Caribbean regions [1,2].
Four main varieties of banana have been reported to be
grown in Ghana. These are Mysore (locally called
“Alatakwadu”), Gros Michel, apple banana and red
banana belonging to the Cavendish group [3]. According
to [4], about 25% of the total food energy for about 60
million people in Africa comes from bananas and
plantains. In Ghana, bananas are the most exported fruits
in terms of volume and they rank second after citrus fruit
in terms of value. In 2010, Ghana exported 52,000 tonnes
of banana to mostly European countries, representing one
percent of the total export from around the world. Local
producers in Ghana exported 62,000 tonnes of bananas to
the Eurozone in the year 2011 [5].
Ripe banana fruit contains fat, natural sugars, protein,
potassium and vitamins A, B complex and C which are
104 American Journal of Food and Nutrition
essential for a balanced diet. Banana is also known to have
a lot of health benefits. It has been reported by [6] that
banana can help solve constipation without necessarily
resorting to laxatives due to its fibre content and in
addition its pulp helps in preventing anaemia by
stimulating the production of haemoglobin due to its iron
content. The high content of potassium in banana help in
regulating blood pressure [7].
Banana is not only eaten as a dessert but research has
shown that it can be used for the preparation of drinks,
wines, beers, gins, flours, juices and jams [8]. It is also
utilized in a multitude of ways in the human diet from
simply being peeled and eaten to being sliced and served
in fruit cups and salads, sandwiches, custards and gelatins
as well as being mashed and incorporated into ice cream,
bread, muffins and cream pies [9,10]. New economic
strategy to increase utilization of banana includes the
production of banana flour when the fruit is unripe and to
incorporate the flour into various innovative products such
as slowly digestible cookies [11], high-fibre bread [12]
and edible films [13]. The preparation of banana flour
from unripe banana has been reported and the flour has
been shown to possess thickening and cooking properties
nearly identical to those of isolated starch [14,15].
Bananas are often sliced lengthwise, baked or boiled and
served as an accompaniment for ham or other meats. Ripe
bananas may also be thinly sliced and cooked with lemon
juice and sugar to make jam or sauce. Whole, peeled
bananas can be spiced by adding them to a mixture of
vinegar, sugar, cloves and cinnamon [16]. Usually, fully
ripened banana has a short shelf life of about 4-7 days
making the fruit susceptible to deterioration and wastage.
Huge postharvest losses are recorded due to poor handling
and lack of appropriate processing methods to preserve the
fruit [17]. The introduction of ripe banana flour in product
development can offer new products with standardized
nutrient composition for industrial and domestic uses. The
advantages of banana flour prepared from ripe banana
include high sugar content which is suitable for
incorporation into food products requiring solubility,
sweetness and high energy content [18]. The objectives of
this research work were to evaluate the qualities of dried
ripe banana slices and bread from wheat flour substituted
with ripe banana flour from two banana varieties.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Source of Raw Materials
Ripe and matured banana fruits of Medium Cavendish
(Musa acuminata) and the exotic variety, Gros Michel
(Musa balbisiana) were purchased from the Kumasi
Central Market in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
2.2. Preparation of Oven-Dried Ripe Banana
Slices and Flour
The ripe bananas were peeled and sliced into pieces
(approximately 2 mm thickness) with a kitchen knife. Two
per cent (2%) citric acid solution was prepared by dissolving
20 grams of citric acid in 1000 ml of distilled water. The
sliced pieces of banana (with mean weight of 3.79 kg)
were soaked in 200 ml of citric acid solution for 2 minutes
to prevent browning after which they were drained. The
banana slices were dried using a Memmert oven dryer
(Beschickung – Loading Model 100-800, Germany) at
60°C for 72 hours to obtain dried banana slices which
were packed in an airtight container and then stored at room
temperature prior to use. Part of the oven-dried banana
slices were milled with a hammer mill and sieved using a
250 microns mesh sieve. The banana flour was packed in an
airtight container and prior to use, stored at room temperature.
2.3. Preparation of Bread from Banana
Flours from the Two Banana Varieties.
Bread was prepared from the two different flours
according to the formulations in Table 1 below. The bread
was prepared by first mixing the appropriate portions of
banana and wheat flour in a bowl. The flours were then
thoroughly mixed with table salt (3g), nutmeg (2g) and
margarine (50g). Yeast (2g) was activated in 215 ml of
warm water and was then added to the mixture with 125
ml of water. Kneading was done manually for 5 to 10
minutes until the mixture became smooth and stretchy.
They were then moulded and placed in baking pans. The
moulded dough was left overnight to facilitate rising of
the dough. The pans were then placed in a gas oven.
Baking was done at 200ºC for 45 minutes. The baked
bread was allowed to cool down at room temperature,
packaged in low density polyethylene bags and stored at
room temperature for a day.
Table 1. Compositions used in formulation of dough for bread baking
Wheat flour (g) 400 360 320 280
Ripe banana flour(g) 0 40 80 120
2.4. Sensory Evaluation of Oven-Dried
Banana Slices and Bread Prepared from the
Two Composite Flours
Acceptability test was used to assess the sensory
attributes of the prepared oven-dried banana slices using a
nine point hedonic scale with nine (9) representing like
extremely and one (1) representing dislike extremely [19].
Serving of samples to panellists was randomized and each
panellist was served with a half slice of the baked bread sample.
2.4.1. Acceptability Test on Oven-Dried Banana Slices
Fifty (50) untrained panellists, comprising thirty two
females (32) and eighteen (18) males were provided with
two coded samples 602 (Medium Cavendish) and 610
(Gros Michel). They were asked to assess the acceptance
of the product in terms of colour, aroma, mouthfeel,
chewiness and aftertaste. Water was used as the palate
cleanser after evaluating a sample. Panellists were asked
to indicate which of the samples they preferred giving
reasons for their choice. The mean scores of the attributes
were then calculated.
2.4.2. Acceptability Test on Bread from Wheat and
Ripe Banana Flours
Forty (40) untrained panellists, consisting of seventeen
(17) males and twenty-three females (23) were provided
with four coded samples of bread to evaluate them based
on colour, aroma, taste, texture, mouthfeel and the overall
acceptability, which was determined as the overall mean
American Journal of Food and Nutrition 105
score of the individual attributes. Water was also used as
the palate cleanser after evaluating a sample. Panellists
were then asked to indicate the most preferred sample and
rank the samples from the most preferred to the least
preferred giving reasons.
2.5. Proximate Composition of Ripe Banana
Slices and Bread Samples
The moisture, ash, protein, fibre and fat contents were
determined using [20].
The carbohydrate content was calculated by difference.
This was done by subtracting the %ash, %protein,
%moisture, %fibre and the %fat from 100. The energy
content was calculated using the Atwater factors, by
multiplying the protein content by 4 kcal/g, carbohydrate
content by 4 kcal/g and the fat content by 9 kcal/g.
2.6. Determination of Mineral Composition of
Banana Slices
The mineral content of the samples of banana slices
was determined by first preparing an aqua regia solution
by mixing Hydrochloric acid and Nitric acid in a ratio of
3:1.The mixture was used in the digestion of samples for
the determination of minerals. A 0.5g of the milled banana
sample was weighed into 250 ml kjeldahl flasks and 20 ml
of the prepared aqua regia solution was added to the
samples in the kjeldahl flasks. The mixture was digested
on a digestion block till a decrease in volume below 5 ml
was observed. It was allowed to cool to room temperature
after which a small amount of distilled water was added,
shaken and was filtered using a filter paper (Whatman No.
42) into a 100 ml volumetric flask. The filtrate was diluted
to the mark on the volumetric flask with distilled water.
The readings were read using Buck Scientific Atomic
Absorption Spectrophotometer (VGP Model 210, East
Norwalk, CT, USA) at different wavelengths using each
minerals lamp. Minerals which were Potassium, Phosphorus,
Magnesium, Sodium and Iron were read at 766.50, 178,
285.21, 589.60 and 248.33 nm respectively [21,22].
Plate 1. VGP AAS
Plate 2. Lamps for each mineral determination
2.7. Statistical Analyses
Results on banana slices were analyzed using
independent-samples t-test at 95% confidence interval
with the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS)
version 20.0.The sensory results of the bread samples
were subjected to one way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
using Statgraphics Centurion at 95% confidence interval.
The results of the proximate composition were analyzed
using the (SPSS) for analysis of variance (ANOVA) and
Tukey’s test was used to compare the mean values and
establish significance differences at p<0.05. All analyses
were performed in triplicates.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Sensory Evaluation of Oven-Dried
Banana Slices
The sensory results from the panellists based on the 9
point hedonic scale are shown in Table 2. Sample 602
(Medium Cavendish) had an overall acceptability score of
6.30 compared to that of sample 610 (Gros Michel) which
was scored a mean value of 6.18. However, there was no
significant difference (p>0.05) between the overall
acceptability of both samples. The panellists preferred the
colour, aroma and aftertaste of the Medium Cavendish
compared to that of the Gros Michel. With respect to
mouthfeel and chewiness, the Gros Michel was preferred
over the Medium Cavendish.
Colour is a very important attribute that influences the
initial acceptability of a product by a consumer [23]. For
colour evaluation, Medium Cavendish and Gros
Michelhad a mean score of 6.94 and 4.98 respectively
indicating that the colour of the Medium Cavendish was
more accepted compared to that of the Gros Michel. The
panellists commented that the Medium Cavendish had an
attractive colour which was more appealing to the eye
compared to that of the Gros Michel which looked darker.
There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the
colours of both banana varieties. The colour differences
observed between the Medium Cavendish sample and the
Gros Michel sample could be due to the different sugar
content in the different banana varieties or cultivars. This
agrees with the findings of [24] who worked on the colour,
chemical and functional properties of plantain cultivars
and cooking banana flour as affected by drying method
and maturity. They reported that different cultivars of
plantain and cooking banana had different total sugar
contents. The sugar content of the Gros Michel could
probably be higher compared to that of the Medium
Cavendish thereby causing the browning observed in the
Gros Michel to be more pronounced than that of the
Medium Cavendish. [25] reported that dark brown-coloured
bread was observed when wheat flour was substituted with
ripe banana flour which had high sugar content. They
explained that it was due to caramelization reaction which
involves thermal degradation of sugars at high
temperatures causing browning or discolouration in
products.
In the case of aroma, the mean scores for Medium
Cavendish and Gros Michel were 6.26 and 6.00
respectively indicating that the aroma of both varieties
was liked slightly. However there was no significant
106 American Journal of Food and Nutrition
difference (p>0.05) between the samples in terms of their
aroma.
The mean scores for aftertaste of Medium Cavendish
and Gros Michel were 6.10 and 6.04 respectively. This
indicated that both samples were liked slightly. There was
no significant difference (p>0.05) between the two
varieties.
In terms of mouthfeel and chewiness, the Gros Michel
had a mean score of 5.98 and 5.50 compared to that of the
Medium Cavendish which had 5.64 and 5.32 respectively.
These values indicated that the panellists neither liked nor
disliked the samples. Generally the softness of both
samples in terms of the texture made both samples sticky
during chewing and this influenced their acceptability.
There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between
Medium Cavendish (MC) and Gros Michel (GM) in terms
of mouthfeel and chewiness.
Table 2. Sensory evaluation of oven-dried ripe banana slices
Sample Colour Aroma Mouthfeel Chewiness Aftertaste Overall Acceptability
602 (MC) 6.94± 1.35a 6.20± 1.14a 5.64± 1.83a 5.32± 2.14a 6.10± 1.75a 6.30± 1.42a
610 (GM) 4.98± 1.76b 6.00± 1.55a 5.98± 1.81a 5.50± 1.88a 6.04± 1.81a 6.18± 1.51a
Mean values in the same column with different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05).
3.2. Sensory Evaluation of Bread from Ripe
Banana Flour and Wheat Flour
The mean scores of the individual attributes of the bread
from the Gros Michel variety indicated in Table 3 below,
shows that the panellists liked the products slightly and
neither liked nor disliked them. A significant difference
(p<0.05) was established among the samples in terms of
the colour, aroma and texture. However, no significant
difference (p>0.05) existed in the taste, mouthfeel and the
overall acceptability. This shows that the ripe banana flour
had an impact on the colour, aroma and texture of the
bread samples from the composite flours.
Plate 3.
Plate 4.
The ripe banana flour imparted a brownish colour to the
bread which was not really liked by the panellists. As the
substitution increased from 10 to 30%, the intensity of the
brown colour also increased. This influenced the panellists
choice with most of them preferring bread with 100%
wheat flour. In terms of colour, the control sample had the
highest mean score among the four products. [26] reported
that the brown colour of the bread with banana flour
resulted from a Maillard reaction which occurs between
reducing sugars and protein in the dough. Thus the ripe
banana flour contributed more sugars in the dough thereby
enhancing the browning process. Below are plates
showing the colour of the bread with different
substitutions. Plate 3, Plate 4, Plate 5 and Plate 6 represent
the 10, 20, 30 and 0% substitution respectively.
Plate 5.
Plate 6.
In terms of aroma, the sample with the highest
substitution of ripe banana flour, the 30% substitution,
was the most accepted since it had the highest mean score
of 6.43. The mean scores indicate that the acceptance of
the samples increased with an increase in substitution of
the ripe banana flour. The 30% substitution was followed
by the 20 and 10% substitutions, with the control having
the least acceptance. The ripe banana flour imparted a
pleasant aroma on the bread samples which were produced.
This was consistent with the research findings of [24] in
which a similar observation occurred when they
substituted banana flour into wheat bread and studied its
physicochemical properties. This shows that incorporating
American Journal of Food and Nutrition 107
ripe banana flour in bread imparts a pleasant aroma
making it appealing to consumers.
With regards to the taste attribute of the bread samples,
the bread with the highest substitution of 30% of banana
flour had the highest mean score of 6.08 among the four
products indicating that the panellists slightly liked the
sample. This was followed by the 20% substitution with a
score of 5.65 and then the 10% substitution with a score of
5.57. The least preferred sample was the control with a
mean score of 5.12. There was no significant difference
(p>0.05) between the control sample, the 10% substituted
bread and the 20% substituted bread. However, there was
a significant difference (p<0.05) between the control
sample and the 30% substitution. This indicates there was
an add-on taste from the ripe banana flour which was liked
by the assessors when compared to the control sample.
The acceptability increased with increasing content of the
banana flour from 10 to 30%.Research work shows that
ripe banana flour adds sweetness to products due its high
sugar content from its starch breakdown [27]. The
acceptance for the taste attribute by the panellists could be
attributed to the sweetness that the banana flour added to
the samples since all the bread samples were prepared
without the addition of sugar.
Panellists also assessed samples based on their texture.
This was done to determine the smoothness or roughness
of the crust and the tenderness of the crumb of the bread.
From the mean values obtained, most of the panellists
slightly liked the bread with the highest banana flour
substitution of 30% with a mean score of 6.03. This was
followed by the control sample, the 20 and 10%
substitutions with mean values of 5.80, 5.70 and 5.20
respectively. The bread samples produced from the ripe
banana flour were relatively denser and had compact
structures.
In evaluating mouthfeel as an attribute, most of the
assessors liked the bread with the highest substitution of
banana flour (30%) with a mean score of 6.0, followed by
the 20%, the control and then the bread with the 10%
substitution. There was no significant difference (p>0.05)
between the mean values of the bread samples.
With the overall acceptability of the different bread
samples, the bread with the highest substitution of ripe
banana flour was liked slightly with a mean score of 6.09.
This was followed by the 20% substitution and the control
samples with mean score of 6.00 and 5.78 respectively.
The 10% banana flour substitution was the least preferred
with a mean score of 5.54. There was no significant
difference (p>0.05) between the control sample, the 10
and 20% substituted bread. There was however a
significant difference (p<0.05) between the control sample
and the 30% banana flour substituted bread.
In considering the overall acceptability, the sample
with the highest substituted banana flour of 30% was
selected as the most preferred sample, since it had the
highest mean score of 6.09. As shown in Table 4, a higher
percentage of assessors (33.35%) evaluated Product
(70:30) as the most preferred among the four samples.
Consequently, this bread sample was selected for
proximate analysis as shown in Table 8.
Table 3. Sensory evaluation of bread prepared from the Gros Michel
Sample Colour Aroma Taste Texture Mouthfeel Overall Acceptability
100:0 6.65±1.55a 5.65±1.54a 5.13±1.54a 5.80±1.29a 5.68±1.72a 5.78±0.99b
30:70 5.78±1.39b 6.43±1.62c 6.03±1.83b 6.03±1.40a 6.13±1.50a 6.09±1.15a
20:80 5.58±1.51b 5.90±1.30b 5.65±1.56b 5.78±1.05a 6.00±1.52a 5.78±1.02b
10:90 5.93±1.54b 5.53±1.20a 5.58±1.58c 5.20±1.11b 5.45±1.52a 5.54±1.01c
Mean values in the same column with different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05).
Table 4. Preference scores of bread samples from Gros Michel
Sample % Preference
100: 0 27.70
90:10 27.70
80:20 11.15
70:30 33.35
3.3. Sensory Evaluation of Bread Prepared
from the Medium Cavendish flour.
The results of the sensory evaluation of the bread
prepared from the Medium Cavendish flour is shown in
Table 5 below. The mean values of the individual
attributes from the sensory evaluation indicates that the
panellists liked the products slightly and neither liked nor
disliked them. A significant difference (p<0.05) existed
among the samples in terms of colour. However, there was
no significant difference (p>0.05) among the four
different samples in terms of aroma, taste, mouthfeel,
texture and overall acceptability. It can be inferred that the
banana flour from the Medium Cavendish only had an
impact on the colour of the bread.
Plate 7.
With respect to the colour, the panellists liked the
control sample which had the highest mean score of
6.58.This was followed by the sample with the 10, 20 and
30% substitution with mean scores of 5.83, 5.55 and 5.40
respectively. This shows that as the substitution increased
from 10 to 30%, the preference for the samples also
decreased. Addition of banana flour imparted a dark
brown colour to the bread. The brown colour of the bread
with banana flour as reported by [25], resulted from a
Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and proteins.
Browning can also be attributed to caramelization of
sugars in the ripe banana flour since most of the starches
108 American Journal of Food and Nutrition
in banana are converted to sugars in the process of
ripening [27]. Below are plates showing the colour of the
bread at different substitutions. Plate 7, Plate 8, Plate 9
and Plate 10 representing the 10, 20, 30 and 0%
substitution respectively.
Plate8.
Plate9.
Plate10.
In terms of aroma, there was no significant difference
(p>0.05) between the four bread samples. However the
bread with the highest banana flour substitution of 30%
had the highest mean score of 5.93 indicating that most of
the panellists liked this bread sample. From other research
works, aroma increases with increasing banana flour
content. This is because, banana as a fruit possesses a
distinct aroma which is usually imparted into foods they
are incorporated [28].
In terms of taste, there was no significant difference
(p>0.05) between the samples. The control sample, 10, 20
and 30% substitutions had mean scores of 6.03, 5.33, 5.88
and 5.70 respectively. These values indicate that the
panellists liked slightly and neither liked nor disliked the
products.
Table 5. Sensory evaluation of bread prepared from the Medium Cavendish.
Sample Colour Aroma Taste Texture Mouthfeel Overall Acceptability
100:0 6.58±1.30a 5.73±1.10a 6.03±1.40a 5.65±1.19a 6.00±1.47a 5.99±0.95a
30:70 5.40±1.19b 5.93±1.30a 5.70±1.84a 5.98±1.64a 6.00±1.63a 5.87±1.06a
20:80 5.55±1.00b 5.48±0.80a 5.88±1.20a 5.93±1.14a 6.30±0.80a 5.83±0.64a
10:90 5.83±1.70b 5.40±0.90a 5.33±1.40a 5.95±0.93a 5.90±0.80a 5.68±0.76a
Mean values in the same column with different letters are significantly different (p<0.05)
With regards to the texture of the bread samples, there
was no significant difference (p<0.05) between the
samples. The bread with the 30, 20 and 10% banana
substitution and the control sample had mean scores of
5.98, 5.95, 5.93 and 5.65 respectively. The crust of the
samples with banana flour was rougher than that of the
control. Banana is known to contain a high amount of
resistant starches making it have a higher hydration ability
giving a more compact and dense bread when
incorporated into bread and making the bread heavier [29].
With respect to mouthfeel, no significant difference
(p>0.05) was established among the four bread samples.
The bread with the 30, 20 and 10% banana flour
substitution and control had mean values of 6.00, 6.03,
5.90 and 6.00 respectively. From these values, the
mouthfeel of the products was assessed as liked slightly
and neither liked nor disliked.
The mean values of the overall acceptability of the
samples showed that no significant difference (p>0.05)
existed between the four different samples. The control
sample had the highest mean score of 5.99. This was
followed by the sample with 30% banana flour substitution
with a score of 5.87 and then the 10%. With regards to the
preference scores, the control sample had the highest
percentage of 37.50% as shown in Table 6. This indicated
that the control was the most preferred sample. However,
since the 30% banana flour substituted bread was the
second highest (25.50%) in terms of preference it was
selected for comparative analyses on the proximate
composition.
Table 6. Preference scores of bread samples from Medium
Cavendish
Sample % Preference
100: 0 37.50
90:10 18.50
80:20 18.50
70:30 25.50
3.4. Mineral Composition of Oven-Dried
Banana Slices
The results of the mineral composition of the oven-dried
banana slices shown in Table 7 indicate that the
phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium
(Mg) and iron (Fe) contents were 44.40, 727.90, 480.50,
272.80 and 21.90 mg/100g for Medium Cavendish and
42.10, 607.90, 360.50, 281.70 and 13.80 mg/100g for
Gros Michel respectively. Comparing the mineral
composition of the Medium Cavendish to that of the Gros
Michel, the results showed that the phosphorus, potassium,
sodium and iron contents of Medium Cavendish were
significantly higher (p<0.05) than the corresponding
American Journal of Food and Nutrition 109
values of the Gros Michel. The Gros Michel had a mean
value of 281.70 mg/100g for magnesium which was also
significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of the Medium
Cavendish with a mean value of 272.80 mg/100g.
The differences in the amounts of the minerals present
in the banana products could be attributed to several
factors which include the differences in the banana variety
used, geographical location differences, different soil
properties, stage of ripening of the banana used, and
differences in the pre-treatment method used as well as the
duration of the drying process [30].
Table 7. Mineral composition of banana slices from Medium
Cavendish and Gros Michel banana varieties
Type of Mineral
(mg/100 g)
Medium Cavendish Gros Michel
P 44.40±0.50a 42.10±0.10b
K 727.90±0.20a 607.90±0.20b
Na 480.50±0.30a 360.50±0.40b
Mg 272.80±0.20a 281.70±0.30b
Fe 21.90±0.40a 13.80±0.20b
Mean values in the same row with different letters as superscripts are
significantly different (p<0.05).
3.5. Proximate Composition of Preferred
Bread Samples
The proximate composition of the preferred bread
samples is shown in Table 8. There were significance
differences (P<0.05) among the bread samples in terms of
moisture, ash, fat, fibre, and energy. However, no
significant difference (P>0.05) existed among the samples
in terms of carbohydrate and protein.
With regards to the moisture content, the control
sample (27.47%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than
bread samples from Medium Cavendish and Gros Michel
varieties which had mean values of 24.53 and 25.43%
respectively. Lower moisture content depicts that the
bread with banana flour would be more microbiologically
stable and can therefore stay on the shelf for a longer time
when compared to the control sample [31].
In terms of the ash content, higher ash content was
observed in the bread substituted with flour from the
Medium Cavendish with a mean value of 1.48% whereas
the control and the foreign variety had a mean value of
0.49 and 0.50% respectively. A significant difference
(p<0.05) existed among the samples. This compares well
with research work by [29] who reported that bread
substituted with the banana flour also had a higher ash
content of 0.94% compared to the control sample with ash
content of 0.82%. It has been reported that the ash content
of plantains and bananas are high due to their high mineral
content. A high ash content in a food sample implies that
the mineral content of such a food is seemingly high [32].
Concerning the fat contents, there was a significant
difference (p<0.05) among the samples. The banana flour
substituted breads had the highest fat contents of 7.74 and
7.20%. The control sample had the lowest fat of 7.19%.
There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the
control sample and the bread substituted with Gros Michel
flour. There was however a significant difference (p<0.05)
between the control sample and bread from Medium
Cavendish.
With regards to the crude fibre content, there was a
significant difference (p<0.05) among the samples. The
samples substituted with ripe banana flour had a higher
fibre content of 2.20 and 1.99% whereas the control had a
mean value of 0.89%. This confirms research by [29] in
which the fibre content of bread incorporated with banana
flour increased.
The protein contents of the control and the banana flour
substituted samples were 5.96 and 5.03% respectively.
There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the
samples. This observation agrees with research works in
which non-wheat flours were substituted into bread [32].
The presence of gluten that forms a larger portion of
wheat accounts for the relatively high protein content
observed in the control sample.
The carbohydrate contents were seen to be high in the
breads substituted with ripe banana flour with values of
59.97 and 58.89% for the Gros Michel and Medium
Cavendish varieties respectively. The control sample had
the lowest carbohydrate content of 57.71%. A similar
observation was seen in other research works where the
bread from 100% wheat flour had the lowest carbohydrate
content. The higher carbohydrate content of the bread
substituted with ripe banana flour is due the high levels of
sugar and dietary fibre present in the ripe banana [14].
There was however no significant difference (p>0.05)
among the samples in terms of carbohydrate.
The energy contents were higher in the breads
substituted with ripe banana flour and can therefore be
concluded that such bread samples can help provide more
energy than the control when consumed. There was a
significant difference (p<0.05) between the samples in
terms of energy with the Gros Michel banana bread
providing the highest energy. Thus banana bread
substituted with the Gros Michel flour would be more
energy dense.
Table 8. Proximate composition of bread from Medium Cavendish
(MC) and Gros Michel (GM) varieties
Component Control(100:0) GM (70:30) MC (70:30)
Moisture (%) 27.47±0.10a 24.53±0.01b 25.43±0.08c
Ash (%) 0.49±0.01a 0.50±.0.01a 1.48±0.01b
Crude fat (%) 7.19±0.01a 7.74±0.11b 7.20±0.02a
Crude fibre (%) 0.89±0.03a 2.19±0.02b 1.99±0.03c
Protein (%) 5.96±0.25a 5.03±0.31a 5.03±0.31a
Carbohydrate (%) 57.71±0.77a 59.97±0.35a 58.89±0.40a
Energy kcal/100g 322.09±1.92a 329.62±0.78b 320.81±0.00a
Mean values with different superscripts in the same row are significantly
different (p<0.05).
3.6. Proximate Composition of Oven-Dried
Banana Slices
Proximate composition results of the oven-dried ripe
banana slices shown in Table 9 indicates that the mean
values with respect to moisture, ash, fat, crude protein,
fiber and carbohydrate were 17.20, 3.00, 1.00, 3.50, 0.90
and 74.40% for Medium Cavendish and 20.10, 3.30, 0.50,
4.80, 0.90 and 70.30% for Gros Michel respectively.
Comparing the Medium Cavendish with that of the Gros
Michel in terms of their individual proximate composition,
the moisture (20.1%), ash (3.3%) and crude protein
contents (4.80%) of the Gros Michel were significantly
110 American Journal of Food and Nutrition
higher (p<0.05) than the moisture (17.20%), ash (3.00%)
and crude protein contents (3.50%) of the Medium
Cavendish. The carbohydrate (74.4%) and the energy
contents (320.70 kcal/100g) of the Medium Cavendish
were also significantly higher (p<0.05) than the
corresponding amounts in the Gros Michel. The Medium
Cavendish and the Gros Michel had the same mean value
of 0.90% for fiber content.
Table 9.Proximate Composition of oven-dried slices from Medium
Cavendish and Gros Michel banana varieties
Component Medium Cavendish Gros Michel
Moisture (%) 17.20±0.6a 20.10±0.1b
Ash (%) 3.00±0.0a 3.30±0.0b
CrudeFat (%) 1.00±0.0a 0.50±0.0a
Crude Protein (%) 3.50±0.0a 4.80±0.0b
Crude Fibre (%) 0.90±0.0a 0.90±0.0a
Carbohydrate (%) 74.4±0.6a 70.30±0.1b
Energy Content (kcal/100g) 320.7±2.1a 305.10±0.7b
Mean values in the same row with different letters as superscripts are
significantly different (p<0.05)
4. Conclusion
Sensory evaluation showed that oven dried banana
slices from the Medium Cavendish was more preferred
compared to that of the Gros Michel. Proximate
composition of the oven-dried banana slices showed that
the Gros Michel banana slices had significantly (p<0.05)
higher contents of moisture, ash and protein whereas the
carbohydrate and energy contents of the Medium
Cavendish were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the
amounts in Gros Michel. The fibre content of both
varieties was the same. Potassium was the predominant
mineral in the banana slices from both varieties. The
Medium Cavendish significantly (p<0.05) showed a high
amounts of P, K, Na and Fe than the Gros Michel. The
(70:30) bread sample was seen to be preferred by the
panellists in both banana varieties. The banana flours
incorporated into wheat flour had an impact on the bread
samples by imparting a pleasant aroma and taste as well as
yielding a more compact bread. The bread samples from
banana-wheat flour composite had higher contents of ash,
fat, fibre, carbohydrate, and energy. However, they were
lower in terms of protein and moisture when compared to
the control bread sample from wheat flour.
References
[1] Frison, E.A and Sharrock, S.L.Introduction: the economic, social
and nutritional importance of banana in the world. In: Bananas
and Food Security (edited by C. Picq, E. Foure´ and E.A. Frison).
pp. 21-35. International Symposium, Douala, Cameroon, 10-14
November, 1998. France: INIBAP.
[2] Debabandya, M., Sabyasachi, M., and Namrata S. Banana and its
by-product utilisation: an overview, Journal of Scientific &
Industrial Research Vol. 69, May 2010, pp. 323-329. 2010.
[3] Blay, A.K (2004). Key constraints to ensuring an adequate and
affordable supply of safe, high quality bananas for local
consumers in Ghana. FRI Report. Food Research Institute, Accra
cited in Idun, I., Adzraku, H., Appiah, F., Kumah, P., Adjei, P.Y
and Daaku D.Y.A. Consumer Preference, Quality and Shelf Life
of Three Popular Varieties of Banana (Musa spp. AAA) in Ghana.
Ghana Journal of Horticulture, Vol. 7. pp. 96-102. 2009.
[4] Arisa, N. U., Adelekan A. O., Alamu A. E. and Ogunfowora, J. E.
The Effect of Pre-treatment of Plantain (Musa Paradisiacal) Flour
on the Pasting and Sensory Characteristics of Biscuit.
International Journal of Food and Nutrition Science volume 2. p.
45. 2013.
[5] http://business.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201202/81152.php
Accessed: April, 10th, 2016.
[6] Ahwange, B.A., Ugye, T.J, and Nyiaatagher, T.D. Chemical
composition of Musa sapientum (banana) peels. Electronic
Journal of Environmental. Agriculture and Food Chemistry. pp.
430-436. 2009.
[7] Akinyosoye, V.O. Tropical Agriculture, Macmillan Publishers
limited, Ibadan. 1991. pp. 65-68.
[8] Mohapatra, D., Mishra, S. and Sutar, N. Banana and it’s by
product utilisation. Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research.
pp. 324-329. 2010.
[9] Adeniji, T.A., Barimalaa, I.S., and Achinewhu, S.C. Evaluation of
bunch characteristics and flour yield potential in black Sigatoka
resistant plantain and banana hybrids. Global Journal of Pure and
Applied Science, 12, pp. 41-43. 2006.
[10] Amer, B.M.A., Hossain, M.A. and Gottschalk, K. Design and
performance evaluation of a new hybrid solar dryer for banana,
Energy conversion and management, 51: 820-831. 2010.
[11] Aparicio-Saguilan, A., Sayago-Ayerdi, S.G.Vargas- Torres, A.,
Tovar, J., Ascencio-Otero, T. E. and Bello-Perez, L. A. Slowly
digestible cookies prepared from resistant starch-rich linearized
banana starch. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 20:
175-181. 2007.
[12] Juarez-Garcia, E, Agama-Acevedo, E., Sáyago-Ayerdi, S. G.,
Rodríguez-Ambriz, S. L. and Bello-Pérez, L. A. Composition,
Digestibility and application in breadmaking of banana flour.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 61: 131-137. 2006.
[13] Sothornvit, S. and Pitak, N. Oxygen permeability and mechanical
properties of banana films. Food Research International 40. pp.
365-370. 2007.
[14] Rodriguez-Ambriz, S.L, Islas-Hernandez J.J, Agama- Acevedo E.,
Tovar J. and Bello-Pérez L.A. Characterization of a fibre-rich
powder prepared by liquefaction of unripe banana flour. Food
Chemistry 107: pp. 1515-1523. 2008.
[15] Suntharalingam S. and Ravindran, G. Physical and biochemical
properties of green banana flour. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition
43.pp. 19-27. 1993.
[16] Chandler, S. The nutritional value of bananas. In: Bananas and
plantains; Gowen, S. Edition, Chapman and Hall, UK, 1995.
p: 597.
[17] Abano, E.E. Assessments of drying characteristics and physio-
organoleptic properties of dried pineapple slices under different
pre-treatments. Asian Journal of Agricultural Research, 4(3):
155-161. 2010.
[18] Abbas F. M. A., Saifullah, R. and Azhar, M. E. Differentiation of
ripe banana flour using mineral composition and logistic
regression model. International Food Research Journal 16: 83-87.
2009.
[19] Peryam, D. R. and Pilgrim, F. J. Hedonic scale method of
measuring food preferences Food Technology, Vol 11, Suppl., 9-
14. 1957.
[20] Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC). Official
Methods of Analysis, 15th Edition, Washington D.C, U.S.A, 1990.
[21] Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC). Official
Methods of Analysis, 11th Edition, Washington D.C, U.S.A, 1970
[22] Perkin-Elmer Corporation. Analytical Methods for Atomic
Absorption Spectrometry, Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Norwalk,
Connecticut, 1968.
[23] Zuwariah I and Noor Aziah. Physicochemical properties of wheat
breads substituted with banana flour and modified banana flour.
Journal of tropical agricultural and Foodscience. pp. 63-66. 2009.
[24] Falade, K.O. and Oyeyinka, S.A. Colour, chemical and functional
properties of plantain cultivars and cooking banana flour as
affected by drying method and maturity. Journal of Food
Processing and Preservation, pp: 1-13. 2014.
[25] Kent, N.L. and Evers, A.D. Bread made with gluten substitutes. In:
Technology of Cereals. Oxford, Pergamon Press. 1994. p. 215.
[26] Mohamed, A., Xu, J. and Singh M. Yeast leavened banana-bread:
Formulation, processing, colour and texture analysis. Food
Chemistry 118: 620-626. 2009.
[27] Egbebi A.O. and Bademosi T.A. Chemical compositions of ripe
and unripe banana and plaintain. International Journal of Tropical
Medicine and Public Health, Volume 1, Issue 1. pp. 1-5. 2011.
American Journal of Food and Nutrition 111
[28] Jordan, M.J, Tandon, K, Shaw, P.E and Goodner, K.L, “Aromatic
profile of aqueous banana essence and banana fruit by gas
chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas
chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O),” Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry, vol. 49, pp. 4813-4817, 2001.
[29] Noor Azariah, A.A., Ho, L.H., Noor Shazliana, A.A. and Rajeev B.
Quality evaluation of steamed wheat bread substituted with green
banana flour. International Food Research Journal 19 (13):869-
876. 2012.
[30] Wall, M.W. Ascorbic acid, vitamin A, and mineral composition of
banana (Musa sp.) and papaya (Carica papaya) cultivars grown in
Hawaii. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 19, pp: 434 –
445. 2006.
[31] Sanful R. E. and Darko S.Utilization of Soybean Flour in the
Production of Bread. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 9 (8): 815-818.
2010.
[32] Asiedu, J. J. Processing Tropical crops. McMillan Education Ltd.
London. 1989.1st edn. p.21.
