Effect of Some Selected Production Variables on the Proximate Composition of Plantain Flour

摘要

Plantain flour in the recent time is gaining more importance as food, feed and industrial raw material because of its high food value and low sugar content. Understanding the effect of processing methods on the proximate composition of the flour is an important parameter in determining the quality and usability of the flour. The effect of some selected variables like, size reduction (longitudinal and transverse), blanching temperature (45° C and 80° C), soaking concentration (soaked in 0.1% and 0.2% Sodium metabisulphate) and drying method (sun drying and oven drying) on the proximate values of the resulting flour was investigated using a 24 factorial experimental design. The results of this study showed that oven drying method has the highest iron (0.0391%), carbohydrate (84%), protein (6.47%), amylase (19.38%) and fibre (1.68%) while the sun drying produced the flour with the highest ash (2.62%) and moisture content (12.38% db). The statistical analysis of the results show that drying method had significant (p<0.01) effect on the carbohydrate, amylase, fat, fibre and moisture content. Blanching temperature was found to be significant (p<0.05) on amylase, fat, and moisture content. Also the soaking concentration was significant (p<0.01) on amylase, and moisture content. The result also showed that size reduction was significant on amylase (p<0.01), carbohydrate (p<0.01) and moisture content (p<0.05).In conclusion, it of opinion that the results of this experiment will be of great help in providing useful information on the effect of production variables on the proximate composition of plantain flour so as to guide the industrial production and utilization of the product.