Chemical evaluation of Musa 'Bhimkol' as a baby food
1990
Barthakur, N.N. | Arnold, N.P.
The edible pulp of Musa 'Bhimkol' was analysed for certain organic compounds and mineral nutrients at two stages of development of the fruit to evaluate it as a baby food. Energy value and carbohydrate concentration increased substantially as the fruit ripened so that 16.8% of the energy requirement (recommended daily allowance, RDA) for six-month-old infants would be met by 100 g of the fresh pulp. Although vitamin C content decreased at maturation, 7% of the RDA would be provided by 100 g fresh pulp. The fruit was found to be very rich in macro- and micronutrients, and 100% of the six-month infants RDA for K, Mn, Zn and Se would be satisfied with 100 g of fresh pulp. This amount of pulp would also provide 86%, 57%, 24% and 12% respectively of the Mg, Cu, Fe and P RDA. P and Mg were found to be more highly concentrated in the ripe than in the unripe fruit whereas the reverse was the case for Ca and Se. Aspartic acid, glutamic acid and leucine were the major amino acids in the ripe fruit and respectively constituted 13.1, 12.5 and 7.9%, of the total. The concentration of essential and non-essential amino acids was much higher than that in a commercial banana. Twelve of the 17 amino acids analysed were more concentrated in the mature compared with the green fruit, and 11 of these were an order of magnitude higher than in M paradisiaca L banana. The results of the present study demonstrate that Musa 'Bhimkol' is a nutritious baby food.
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