Textural properties of East African highland cooking bananas

Abstract

This study was to observe the change in textural properties of plantain (genus Musa) from maturation to onset of ripening. The textural properties studied were hardness, cohesiveness (positive area under curve) and adhesiveness/stickiness (negative area under curve) the study also monitored other aspects of the plantain like potential of hydrogen(pH) and change in total soluble solids of the samples. The specimen were acquired on the exact day of harvest and in pairs. Four varieties of plantain were collected which were locally known as KIBUZI, MPOLOGOMA, NAKITEMBE and KISANSA. They were stored in an open area at room temperature and pressure throughout the study and data collection of each variety was done in replicates of two and samples were analyzed in peeled and non-peeled versions, analysis stopped when the samples started to show signs of ripening and the data collection lasted for 8 days. There was a gradual average decrease in hardness in all the varieties and the samples in the study, the pH became more acidic throughout the days of the study. The varieties showed a slow increase in the Total soluble solids (TSS) and the overall area under curve of peeled was lower than that of the samples with the peel and this was attributed to the presence of the peel and its structure which increased the resistance of the probe of the textural analyzer