Abstract:
Banana fingers were prepared with matured unripe Ash banana (Musa acuminata) to be
used as a supplement to potato fingers. Ash plantains were hand peeled and cut into
rectangular shape strips (1/2 x 1/2 x 5 cm) and dipped in a 800 ppm solution of sodium
metabisulphite for 5 mins. Banana strips were subjected separately to 8 treatment
combinations in a two-factor factorial design with three variables at two levels: i.e. blanching
process, chemical leavening and edible coating with Cinnamomum verum leaf extract.
Fresh mature cinnamon leaves with petioles were washed, dehumidifying dried and
blanched in hot water at 100 °C for 10 mins and rapidy cooled with cold water. 2 g of leaves
were macerated by blender with 50 ml of cold water and filtered through to extract a viscous
solution of leaf extract/gum. The raw banana strips were divided into two portions and one
portion was blanched in boiling water for 2 mins. The other portion was untreated. The
blanched portion was divided into four portions in order to prepare four treatment
combinations by dipping two of them in a sodium bicarbonate solution at 500 ppm and the
rest in pure water. Two of them from each treatment were coated with viscous cinnamon
leaf extract. The same procedure was adopted for the unblanched portion of banana
fingers. All eight treatments were replicated thrice and were partially fried at 150 °C and
frozen at 0 °C - (-18 °C) for 6 h in order to form ice crystals in the banana fingers. These
eight treatments were fully fried at 180 °C for 90 sec in vegetable oil and the organoleptic
properties were measured against potato fingers using an untrained sensory panel of 30
individuals to select the best combination of treatments. Proximate analysis, shelf life tests
and a consumer survey to evaluate the acceptance were also carried out. Commercially
available potato fingers were used as the control. The blanched, NaHCO3 treated and leaf
gum coated sample was found as the organoleptically acceptable sample. The selected
banana finger sample contained 48% moisture, 18.40% total fat, 1.23% protein, 1.30%
crude fibre and 2.27% ash. The potato finger samples showed 58% moisture, 15.14% total
fat, 2.57% protein, 1.30% crude fiber and 1.8% ash. During the shelf life analysis of two
months, undesirable change in colour, taste, smell and crispiness were not detected in the
fried product prepared from partially fried frozen banana fingers. Consumers rated the
taste, smell, crispiness and mouth feel of the newly developed banana fingers as better
than those of potato fingers. Consumers preferred the colour and appearance of potato
fingers than the newly developed banana fingers. However, banana fingers have a high
potential to be a substitute for imported potato fingers in the fast food industry.
Keywords: Banana
