Profiles of carotenoids during post-climacteric ripening of some important cultivars of banana and development of a dry product from a high carotenoid yielding variety

- Studied textural and biochemical changes in four Indian cultivars of banana fruit.
- High total carotenoids and provitamin A carotenoids were observed in Red banana.
- Dry grits (Red banana pulp + whole/skimmed milk/starch) retained 70% carotenoids.
- Grits retained high palatability with good sensorial attributes.
- Carotenoids including β-carotene remain stable even during post-climacteric ripening.

Since vitamin A deficiency is prevalent in many developing countries, we sought to focus research on local, affordable and well-accepted sources of provitamin A carotenoids. As dessert bananas are consumed fresh round the year and processed as products, this study investigated whether post-climacteric biochemical changes are linked to carotenoid degradation in four Indian varieties, one commercial (Cavendish, AAA), one Red banana (genome AAA) and two locally-important ones (genome AAB). Despite large differences in their ripening characteristics, textural loss was lesser in AABs than AAAs. High levels of carotenoids (21.0 μg/g FW), β-carotene (9.14 μg/g FW) and α-carotene (9.32 μg/g FW) were found in Red banana accounting for retinol activity equivalent of 114 μg/100 g FW. The carotenoid levels were lower in two local varieties and lowest in Cavendish, with no post-climacteric loss. Dry grits, prepared using Red banana pulp, milk powder and sugar, retained about 70% carotenoids and appeared useful in confectionaries.