Production and Evaluation of Flour from Whole Fruit and Pulp of Green Saba (Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana) Banana Pretreated with Organic Acids

Abstract

Banana is a widely cultivated and consumed fruit in the Philippines. Because it is climacteric and highly perishable, there is a need to process it into a commodity with an extended shelf life, to add value, reduce fruit waste, and minimize crop losses. This study evaluated the physicochemical and microbiological properties of green banana flour (GBF) from ‘Saba’ (Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana) cultivar, using the whole fruit (pulp + peel) and pulp-only, pre-treated with kalamansi juice and citric acid (CA). Pulp-only flours (PF) yielded more flour than the whole fruit flours (WF), suggesting that the moisture-rich peel may not convert efficiently to flour. The pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) of CA-pretreated and untreated flours showed no significant difference (p > 0.05), indicating the low CA concentration was insufficient to alter acidity. In contrast, kalamansi-pretreated flours were highly acidic due to the high concentration of organic acids in the juice. Color measurements indicated light-colored flours, with neutral red-green tonality, and more yellow hue than blue. Proximate analysis for the CA-pretreated groups showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) %moisture and %ash in WF compared to the PF due to the peel. All microbial counts were within acceptable limits, confirming microbiological stability. Acid pretreatment minimized enzymatic browning, and inclusion of banana peel improved the nutritional profile of GBF. These findings demonstrate the potential of GBF as a functional, shelf-stable ingredient for food applications.