Quality assessment of plantain (<i>Musa paradisiaca</i> L.) as affected by different ripening methods

Abstract

There are increasing reports of food poisoning due to preservatives used for the processing of certain food items, especially in developing countries of Africa. Also, very scanty information is available on the effect of these preservatives on the nutritional status of the food being processed and preserved. This experiment therefore reports on the quality assessment of plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) as affected by different ripening agents used to accelerate the period of plantain ripening. The experiment consisted of 4 ripening agents, namely: calcium carbide, Irvingia gabonensis fruits, Newbouldia laevis leaves and control, where no ripening agents were applied to the blossoms of plantain. The unripe and ripened blossoms of plantain were analyzed for their physicochemical properties using standard methods. Ripened plantains without any ripening accelerator had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values of crude protein (3.51%), crude fat (0.33%), total ash (2.55%), crude fiber (0.42%) and reducing sugar (10.42%) when compared with other treatments. Least values of this proximate composition (crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fiber and reducing sugar) with no significant difference were obtained when calcium carbide (1.31, 0.04, 1.28, 0.04 and 7.07%) and Irvingia gabonensis (1.53, 0.06, 1.04, 0.03 and 9.17%) were applied, respectively. It was concluded that since these ripening agents have adverse affects on the nutritional status of plantains, an effective food safety program and control measures need be put in place to monitor various methods of plantain ripening with a view to ultimately safeguarding public health.

Key words: Calcium carbide, food poisoning, Irvingia gabonensis, Newbouldia laevis, plantain blossoms.