A study on the morphological, physicochemical, nutritional and functional properties of commercially grown banana cultivars in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka
Keywords:
Antioxidant content, banana, chemical property, functional property, nutrient contentAbstract
Banana (Musa spp.) is a commercially grown fruit crop in Sri Lanka, with 29 different cultivars grown in the country. This study aimed to compare the morphological, physical, chemical, nutritional, and functional properties of eight different banana cultivars (Seeni, Ambul, Kolikutu, Puwalu, Rath kesel, Anamalu, Cavendish, and Ambon) commonly grown in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. All the selected banana cultivars exhibited significant differences in morphology. The Rath kesel cultivar exhibited the highest total soluble solids (18.4 ± 1.13), while the Ambul cultivar recorded the highest sugar content (36.4 ± 1.69 g/100 g). Regarding functional properties, the Kolikutu cultivar recorded the highest phenolic content (55.13 ± 0.6 mg/100 g) and total antioxidant content (948.00 ± 4.24%). The highest flavonoid content was recorded in the Ambon cultivar (2.52 ± 0.34). The study indicates that the tested banana cultivars are a rich source of nutrients and that their other properties differ from each other.
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