[Chemical and biological evaluation of ripe banana peel]

Chemical and biological evaluation of ripe banana peel was conducted, aiming its potential use as a source of dietary fiber in human nutrition. Two types of flour were prepared from banana peel: a) untreated (UT), using washed and dried peel; b) treated (SMB), using peel treated with sodium metabisulfite and citric acid, in attempt to minimize the darkening of the flour. As expected, banana peel flour revealed to be an important source of fiber (NDF), corresponding about 32% of its dried weight. The addition of this flour to a basal casein diet lowered its protein digestibility and increased the fecal bulk of the rats, which are the known effects of dietary fiber. However, it did not alter the protein quality, since there was no difference in the PER values of the diets studied; in addition, the growth of the rats fed diets containing banana peel did not differ from those fed control diet. These results suggest the feasibility of technological studies aiming the development of food products with banana peel. Besides, biological assays should be realized in the elucidation of its effects in food intake and biochemical parameters.