Nutritive Value of three varieties of banana and plantain blossoms from Cameroon

Background: The by-products of banana and plantain shrubs, especially banana blossom (banana male bud) are usually thrown away by producers in plantations, and produce important quantities of post harvest waste. The nutritional composition of three varieties of banana and plantain blossomsgrown in Cameroon; dessert banana (Musa AAA), plantain (Musa AAB) and cooking banana (Musa ABB), was assessed for their potential applications.

Methods: The contents in water, ash, lipids, protids, carbohydrates and crude fibres were determined using standard A.O.A.C methods. The sugar levels were assayed using colorimetric methods, dietary fibres by enzymatic digestion, amino acids by HPLC, fatty acids by gas chromatography and minerals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results: The results showed that the water content varies from 92.29 (AAA) to 93.73 % F.W. (AAB). The ash content varies from 9.88 (AAB) to 12.25 % D.W. (AAA). The lipid content varies from 4.95 (AAA) to 15.69 % D.W. (ABB) and contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (33.80 - 41.50 g/100g FM), particularly linoleic and gamma linolenic acids. The total protein content varies from 8.89 (AAB) to 10.35 % D.W. (AAA). Leucine, phenylalanine + tyrosine, valine, lysine and threonine are the main essential amino acids (2.75 - 3.30 %). The total carbohydrate content varies from 22.36 (AAA) to 62.19 % D.W. (AAB) and glucose, fructose and sucrose are dominant in the AAB genotype with values of (8.15; 3.04 and 1.35 % respectively). The AAA genotype is rich in total dietary fibres (50.09 %). These banana and plantain flowers are rich in macrominerals. Potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus levels are high in the AAA genotype, with values of (6480; 687; 273; 211 mg/100g D.W., respectively).

Conclusions: These blossoms could be considered as a source of dietary fibres for the control of obesity and diabetes. Further investigations on the composition and the physiological functions (using animal-feeding experiments) of these dietary fibres are to be considered.