Mysore green banana starch for the food industry

Given the importance of the Brazilian banana production and considering that these fruits represent a potential alternative source of starch, technicians from the Universidade Federal de Campina Grande characterised the Mysore green banana variety (Musa AAB - Mysore), used as raw material for starch extraction.

For the innovative development of food products with starch in their formulation, banana starch can be taken into consideration, especially when the fruit is green. Starch and its byproducts can be used as ingredients or base additives in small quantities to improve production, presentation and conservation. The objective is to characterise the Mysore green banana variety as regards its functional properties and use in the food industry.

"The starch extracted from green bananas was subjected to chemical and physical studies and functional properties were also analysed. Yield amounted to a starch quality with characteristics similar to other banana species. Results revealed a lower tendency to starch retrogradation. It can be used in many areas (refrigerated products, soups, creams) and especially for sauces and jellies. The extraction of starch from Mysore bananas can therefore be an alternative technology for the development of food products," explained the technologists.

Source: Sabrina de Medeiros Fontes, Mônica Tejo Cavalcanti, Roberlúcia Araújo Candeia, Eveline Lopes Almeida, 'Characterization and study of functional properties of banana starch green variety of Mysore (Musa AAB - Mysore)', Aprile-Giugno 2017, Food Science and Technology, Campinas, 37(2): 224-231.