Fermented Unripe Banana Flour Utilization as a Functional Ingredient in Biscuits

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Science
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Rapid ripening of bananas leads to pre-consumption losses.
• Unripe bananas can be processed into flour for bakery products, adding value and improving product functionality.
• Fermentation is explored as a method to further enhance the properties of unripe banana flour (UBF).

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the functional properties of unripe banana flour (UBF) through fermentation.
• To investigate the potential of fermented unripe banana flour (FUBF) in producing healthy snack biscuits.
• To evaluate the impact of UBF and FUBF on the physical, textural, and functional characteristics of biscuits.

Main Methods:

• Biscuits were prepared with varying percentages (0%, 15%, 30%) of UBF and FUBF.
• Physical properties (color, diameter, thickness, spread ratio) were assessed.
• Textural properties (hardness) and functional properties (total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, dietary fiber, glycemic index) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• FUBF positively affected biscuit spread ratio compared to UBF (p < 0.05).
• UBF and FUBF significantly increased total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05), with 30% FUBF yielding the highest TPC.
• Biscuit hardness decreased with UBF/FUBF addition (p < 0.05), while fermentation had no significant impact on hardness or antioxidant activity.

Conclusions:

• Unripe banana flour (UBF) and fermented unripe banana flour (FUBF) can be used to produce biscuits with improved functional properties.
• Fermentation enhances the nutritional profile, particularly total phenolic content, of banana flour for bakery applications.
• These findings highlight the potential for creating healthier snack options by incorporating UBF or FUBF into food products.