Nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of flour made from plantain and banana hybrid pulp and peel mixture

The nutritional and anti-nutritional constituents of flour made from the entire fruit (pulp and peel) of new plantain and banana hybrids were appraised. Result shows that both PITA 14 (2.96%) and PITA 26 (2.79%) differed significantly (p<0.05) from other cultivars in moisture. PITA 24 was significantly different from other cultivars in protein (5.46%), sugar (5.39%) and ash (5.19%). Both PITA 17 (72.79%) and BITA 3 (72.38%) differed significantly (p<0.05) from other cultivars (p<0.05) in starch. The reference, Agbagba, was significantly different (p<0.05) from all the hybrids (28.59%) in amylose. Two plantain hybrids, PITA 17 (1.65%) and PITA 26 (1.62%) differed significantly(p<0.05)from other cultivars in fat. Blanching had a significant effect on the nutrients as protein in control (4.61%) differed significantly (p<0.05) from treated fingers. Cold-water treatment (73.29%) and fingers blanched at 100oC for 10 min (73.15%) had a significant (p<0.05) effect on the starch content of new Musa flour. Cold-water treatment also had significant effect on sugar (2.49%) and fat (1.49) content of Musa flour. The amylose obtained in blanched fruit (5 min), differed significantly (p<0.05) from those treated for 10 min, but similar to cold water treated fingers and the control. The ash content of 5-min blanched fingers, cold water and that of control were significantly different (p<0.05) from 10-min blanched fingers. PITA17 differed significantly (p<0.05) from other cultivars in saponin (2.9%). Tannin and oxalate contents of various cultivars ranged from 0.09-0.36% and 0.64-0.88%, respectively. PITA 24 differed significantly (p<0.05) in phytate (9.3x10-5%) compared to other cultivars. PITA 24 and Agbagba are significantly different (p<0.05) incyanide (8.0x10-5%) compared to the rest of the varieties. Phenolics found in the new hybrids and landrace ranged between 0.04-0.06%. Lead and cadmium content of different varieties ranged from 0.03-0.14% and 0.02-0.04%, respectively, but no significant difference (p>0.05) was found among the cultivars in mercury (<0.01%). This new data suggests that whole flour from new cultivars of plantain and banana hybrid may constitute an important food or feeding stuff from the point of view of their nutritional potentials and low levels of anti-nutrient and heavy metals.