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Effect of Different Harvesting Regimes on the Pasting Properties of Selected Varieties of Banana - A Response Surface Study

Maduebibisi O Iwe and Ann N Agiriga

Banana fruits from three banana varieties – M. Cavendish AAA, M. paradisiaca AAB, and M. acuminata AAA were harvested at 11, 13 and 15 weeks of maturity to determine the effect of different harvesting regimes on the pasting properties of the banana varieties. Flour was prepared from the banana fruits at the different harvesting regimes and the pasting properties of the flour samples were determined. A response surface, central composite for faced central composite design (K=2), was used to study the effect of the experimental variables - banana variety and time of harvesting on the pasting properties of banana flour. Regression models developed showed that the experimental variables had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the peak, trough, breakdown, final and setback viscosities of flour processed from banana varieties. They also had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the peak time and pasting temperature of the flour samples. The large range of values obtained in the pasting profile of the cassava roots studied is indicative of the wide genetic variations existing in the cassava clones analyzed and hence, the flour from the various clones will find wide applications for household and industrial uses.