Evaluation of The Effect of Processing On The Observed Profile of Ripe and Unripe Plantain
Evaluation of The Effect of Processing On The Observed Profile of Ripe and Unripe Plantain
Evaluation of The Effect of Processing On The Observed Profile of Ripe and Unripe Plantain
Introduction
Modern method of analysis makes it possible for scientist to determine individual nutrient content of food. Proximate
analysis of food divides nutrient into protein, carbohydrate, lipid, moisture, fibre, vitamins, minerals, ash (Ketiku, 1973;
Atinmo et a., 1988).
Plantain belongs to the musacace family and is cultivated in many tropical and sub tropical zones of Africa, Asia,
Central and South America and is an important staple food in Africa although some cultivars are not identified by
morphological characteristics alone (Shaibu et al.,2003).
In west and central Africa, plantain tends to be cooked or otherwise processed and are used either when green or
unripe (and therefore less starchy) or ripe and (therefore sweet). These cooking or processing method employed, influences the
biochemical and nutritional composition of plantain. Plantain is found all over the world, and is one of the most abundant and
accessible medicinal herbs (Greeen, 2001).
It contains many bioactive compounds, including allantoin, aucubin, ursolic acid, flavonoids, and asperuloside
(Duke, 2001). Scientific studies have shown that plantain extract has a wide range of biological effects, including "wound
healing activity, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, weak antibiotic, immuno modulating and antiulcerogenic
activity"(Duke, 2001; Agoreyo et al., 2008). For millennia, poultices of plantain leaves have been applied to wounds, sores,
and stings to promote healing (Duke, 2001). The active constituents are the anti-microbial compound aucubin, the cell-growth
promoter allantoin, a large amount of soothing mucilage, flavonoids, caffeic acid derivatives, and alcohols in the wax on the
leaf surface. Scientific studies have shown that plantain extract has a wide range of biological effects, including "wound
healing activity, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, weak antibiotic, immuno modulating and antiulcerogenic
activity"(Duke, 2001). When ingested, the aucubin in plantain leaves leads to increased uric acid excretion from the kidneys,
and may be useful in treating gout (Meuninck, 2008). A patient suffering from diarrhoea losses much potassium through
excess loss of fluid (Ketiku, 1973;).This result in weakness and in an acute case which can cause paralysis. By eating plantain
the patient recovers the potassium because plantain is a rich source of potassium (Ketiku, 1973).
Sci. Agri. 5 (1), 2014: 15-18
Plantain can be processed into different food for human consumption; itcan be used for cooking at any stage of
ripeness, and very ripe plantain can be eaten raw. As the plantain ripens it becomes sweeter and the colour changes from green
to yellow to black. In Nigeria, plantain is eaten boiled, fried or roasted; roasted plantain, called boli is usually eaten with palm
oil or groundnut. Plantains are also dried and ground into flour. When an unripe plantain is cooked, peeled, and pounded a
meal (fufu type dish) is obtained which can be eaten with any of the popular soup. The rapid softening which occurs during
ripening is presumed to depend on interconversion of pectic substance which is accomplished enzymatically (Ketiku, 1973).
The significance of the study stems from the popularity (in consumption) among the people of the Niger Delta. This study
therefore seeks to evaluate the proximate profile, vitamins and minerals content of ripe and unripe plantain and the effect of
processing on the observed profile.
Analytical procedure
Proximate (Moisture content, Fibre content, Fat content, Protein content, Carbohydrate, and Ash content), vitamins
and minerals were assayed.
Moisture content: Air oven method which involved placing a weighed sample wrapped in foil paper in the oven at
1000C for 8hrs. On cooling in a desiccator, the final weights were taken thereafter.
Protein content: Digestion of 0.1g sample with 15ml cH 2SO4 placed on a digestion box and heated at 130 0C until the digest
was colourless and then cooled and diluted to 100ml with distilled water, was done. Kjeldahl method was then followed.
Crude fibre content: 2g of the sample in 150ml of preheated 0.128M H 2SO4 heated to boiling while covered for 30mins,then
washed thrice with hot water. 150ml of preheated 0.225M KOH was added and heated to boil. Few drops of antifoaming
agents was added then boiled for 30mins, filtered, washed thrice with hot acetone then dried at 1300c for 1hrs and then
weighed.
Fat content: 5g of the sample was placed in the soxhlet apparatus connected to a weighed flask containing 100ml
petroleum ether. The extractor was connected to the liebig condenser and the sample extracted under reflux in water bath for
about 3hrs. The petroleum ether extract were then evaporated to dryness, 2ml acetone was added and air was gently blown into
the flask to remove the last traces of solvent. The flask containing the fat residue was dried in an air oven for about 5mins.
After cooling in a desiccator, the flask with its content was weighed.
Ash content: 2g of the sample was weighed into a clean dry crucible and was transferred to the muffle furnance and
ashed at 7000c for 3hrs and then cooled in a desiccator.
Carbohydrate content: This was done by difference.
%Carbohydrate =100 - [% fat - % ash - % moisture - % fibre - % protein]
Minerals: The minerals analyzed for in the plantain samples were Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium and
Phosphorus. Ashing of 5g sample (in a crucible) in the furnace was done at 700 0C for 4 hours, then cooled. The sample was
transferred to a 100ml volumetric and 5ml of 30% HCl was added, then made up to mark with distilled water. The sample
solution was ready for the analyses of the minerals.
Ca: 25ml of distilled water was added to 10ml of the sample solution in a conical flask. 25ml of 10% KOH was added
followed by a pinch of calceine indicator. The solution was titrated with 0.01N EDTA.
Mg: 25ml of distilled water was added to 10ml of the sample solution in a conical flask. 25ml of ammonium buffer
was added followed by 2 drops of Erichrome Black-T indicator and the solution was titrated with 0.01N EDTA.
Na: The sample solution was put into a vial and placed in a flame photometer and the meter reading was set at 100%E
(Emission), the reading of 0% and 100% E were recorded of both the blank and top standard.
K: The flame photometer procedure was also used for potassium.
Vitamins
The vitamins analyzed in the plantain samples were Vitamin B 2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Β-
Carotene.
Vitamin B2: 50ml distilled water was added to massarate suspension of 1g sample in a conical flask. This was filtered
into another conical and 6.5ml of distilled water was added to the solution and then 2mls of Denigees’ reagent was added.
After 15mins the resulting solution was put into a vial and the absorbance was measured at a wavelength of 525nm using a
spectrophotometer.
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Sci. Agri. 5 (1), 2014: 15-18
Vitamin B3: 50ml of 1N H2SO4 was added to massarate 1g sample in a conical flask. Weighing balance was used to measure
1g of the sample and It was allowed to stand for 30mins; 3drops of ammonia solution was added and then filtered into another
conical flask. 10ml of the filtrate (sample solution) was put into a 50ml volumetric flask and 5ml of potassium cyanide added
and was acidified with 5ml of 0.02N H2SO4. The resulting solution was put into a vial and the absorbance was measured at
430nm using a spectrophotometer.
Vitamin B12: 50ml of distilled water was added to massarate 1g of sample in a conical flask. The pH of the solution
was adjusted to 10 using 10% NAOH. 0.1g of sodium cyanide was added to the solution and it was allowed to stand for 5hrs
after which 1g of sodium sulphate was added and the pH adjusted again to between 11.5. 2ml of benzyl alcohol was added and
the aqueous layer discarded leaving behind the benzyl layer. 3ml each of chloroform and distilled water was added to the
benzyl layer and the solution rocked for 5min. Again aqueous layer resulting from the solution was discarded living behind an
organic layer. 10ml of distilled water was added to the organic layer and 5ml of the solution was transferred to a conical flask
and 1ml of sodium cyanide solution was added and the pH was finally adjusted to between 6 using 12.5% potassium
dihydrogen Phosphate. Absorbance of the solution was measured at wavelength of 528nm using the spectrophotometer.
Vitamin C: 20ml of 0.4% oxalic acid was added to masarate 1g sample in a conical flask and was filtered. 1ml of the filtrate
was measured into another conical flask and 9ml of indolephenol reagent was added. The absorbance was measured at a
wavelength of 520nm using a spectrophotometer.
Β - Carotene: The same procedure and method used in vitamin c was also used. The absorbance was measured at a
wavelength of 430nm.
Statistical analysis
Means of triplicate determinations were subjected to ANOVA using SPSS vs 10 at 95% confidence level.
Conclusion
From this study, plantain was found to be a good source of carbohydrate. It can be used as supplement for the
increasing inadequate animal feed. It showed that the pulp is essentially composed of moisture and carbohydrate. Plantain is
not a rich source of protein, so it is usually supplemented with food rich in protein, fat, vitamins and minerals because of their
low concentration. Also, from the results obtained it could be seen that starch hydrolysis occurred during ripening hence
elevated fibre, fat and protein levels and decreased carbohydrate content.
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