Controlling enzymatic browning of banana bud in `ready to cook' vegetable pack

Ready-to-cook vegetable pack is becoming popular even in the Philippine produce market due to convenience and practicality of buying just the necessary amount. The bud of `Saba' banana (Musa BBB), a common ingredient in a pack of four dishes using banana bud usually reduces the saleability of the whole pack due to enzymatic browning right after cutting. Hence, the bud and its various parts (bract, male flower, peduncle) were characterized in terms of its respiration rate, ethylene production, total phenol content and poly-phenol oxidase (PPO) activity during holding at ambient and low temperatures. Initial respiration rate of intact bud (195 mg CO2/kg-hr) was higher than its cut parts (123-168 mg CO2/kg-hr) and dropped significantly 1 day after cutting. Ethylene was detected both in intact and cut parts but was way below 1 nl/g-hr. A difference in total phenol content of the various parts was also detected. One day after harvest, there was a significant increase in phenolics of all parts. To delay browning of the cut parts, different anti-browning agents at various concentrations and combinations were tested: ascorbic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, EDTA, oxalic acid, alum and sodium metabisulfite (SMS). Of the agents used, only SMS affectively delayed browning. However, packaging immediately the cut parts was necessary to take advantage of the initial inhibition of browning. Modified atmosphere packing using sealed polyethylene bag (PEB) proved better than PEB with holes or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wrap in controlling browning. Use of thicker PEB also resulted in longer delay of browning. When combined with low temperature storage, browning was further delayed by SMS for 40 days. The total phenol content and PPO activity of SMS treated banana parts were much lower than controls