PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF VALUE ADDED BANANA PRODUCTS.

The present research was conducted at the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Crop Production, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan during the year 2015 to study physico-chemical and sensorial qualities of value added banana products. In this regard unripe fruits of Cavendish variety of banana were collected from local banana orchard of Tandojam and processed for making banana flour. Banana flour was used to make different products viz. dough, chapati and banana kheer. Chappati was also explored by adding rice and basin flour. Unripe banana fruit, banana flour and their products were analysed for pH, titratable acidity, moisture (%), TSS (Brix) and vitamin C. The results showed that physico-chemical and sensorial qualities of banana flour and their products were significantly affected by value added banana products. Maximum pH (7.68) and TSS (26.30 brix) were recorded from banana kheer. However, ash (0.8260) and vitamin C (18.35) remained highest in chapatti that was made by adding banana and rice flours. However, results of vitamin C (18.3) in chapatti were nonsignificant with those obtained from unripe banana fruit (17.54) and banana kheer (15.79). Unripe banana fruits had maximum moisture (72.08%) in comparison to banana products. Minimum pH (6.79) and titratable acidity (0.02) were observed in unripe banana fruit, while banana flour had minimum moisture (7.47%) and ash (0.2363%). Minimum vitamin C (12.83) and TSS (5.30) were observed in chapati and banana and basin flour, respectively. It is clear from the results that processing of banana for value added products altered the physico-chemical qualities of banana flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]