title: Morphological, physicochemical, and antioxidant profile of noncommercial banana cultivars.
abstract: Banana cultivars--Luvhele (MusaABB), Mabonde (MusaAAA), and Muomva-red (Musa balbisiana) --were characterized for morphological, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties. All three cultivars varied significantly (P < 0.05) in their morphology, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids with no significant difference in their ash content. Individual cultivars showed variations in flour starch granule when observed using a scanning electron microscope. Characterization of cultivars for total polyphenols (TPs) and antioxidant activity upon pretreatment with ascorbic, citric, and lactic acid shows that the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay of samples varied significantly as Muomva-red cultivar (1.02 ± 0.01 mg GA/g) expressed the highest DPPH activity at lactic acid concentration of 20 g/L. Total polyphenol content was also highest for Muomva-red [1091.76 ± 122.81 mg GAE/100 g (d.w.)]. The high amount of TPs present in these cultivars make them suitable source of bio-nutrients with great medicinal and health functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, University of Venda Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Tonna A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Anyasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, University of Venda Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Afam Io
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Jideani
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticultural Sciences, School of Agriculture, University of Venda Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Godwin A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mchau
keywords: Antioxidant activity; banana cultivars; characterization; morphology; titratable acidity; total phenolic content