Jornal de Química Física e Biofísica
Acesso livre

Abstrato

Food and Health Value Potentials of Unripe Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) from its Chemical and Nutritional Compositions

Blessing Dominic Peter1, Fehintola Etim Umo1*, Ozioma Udochukwu Akakuru2*

Unripe plantain fruit (Musa paradisiaca) has immense potential as an excellent nutritive source for diabetic patients. Evaluation of its chemical and nutritional properties was carried out as a first step in realizing its food value. Alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phlobatannins, anthraquinones, flavonoids, polyphenols, cardiac glycosides, anthranoids, and reducing sugar in the fruit were assessed by analytical methods. The fruit contained 20%, 4%, 10%, 12.25%, and 65.75% of moisture, ash content, crude fat, protein content, and carbohydrate content, respectively. Additionally, carbohydrate and moisture contents in it were much higher than other parameters studied. The result obtained showed that cardiac glycoside, polyphenols, and reducing sugars were present while alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phlobatannins, anthraquinones, flavonoids and anthranoids were absent. The presence of polyphenols and other medicinal components point to the potential health value of the fruit, while its high carbohydrate composition and appreciable crude fat and protein contents reveal its food value. It is expected also that the phytochemicals can be extracted and successfully encapsulated in diabetic drug formulations to alleviate diabetic conditions.