Desenvolvimento e caracterização de farinha de brácteas do coração de bananeira

Abstract

Agricultural residues represent an environmental problem due to disposal, loss of raw materials, and energy. However, they are materials with a nutritive potential to be explored in by-products in the food industry, especially for special diets. The banana flower heart (Musa paradisiaca) is an unconventional food plant (UFP) that represents part of the waste from banana cultivation. The bracts of the banana flower heart are leaves that protect the flowers that give rise to bananas and can be used in food in their natural form, with preparation similar to that of eggplant, as well as in flour form in formulations. This study aimed to utilize the bracts of the banana flower heart through the development of nutritious flour incorporated into a pesto-type sauce as a sustainable alternative for food complementation. The samples were collected, subjected to the drying process, and ground to obtain the flour. The results of the centesimal composition analyses of the bract flour presented percentages within the expected range for moisture (5.87% ± 0.67) and crude protein (7.28% ± 0.16), in addition to high percentages for ash (12.40% ± 0.03), total lipids (7.44% ± 0.21), and total carbohydrates (67.01% ± 1.37). As for the physicochemical characteristics, average values were obtained of 6.70 ± 0.01 for pH; 0.92% ± 0.05 for total titratable acidity (TTA); 17.86 mg/100g ± 1.2 for vitamin C; 1.2 °Brix ± 0.01 for total soluble solids (TSS); 67.01% ± 1.37 for solubility; 13.32% ± 2.26 for hygroscopicity; as well as 172.34 mg/100g ± 2.45 for total phenolics, with n = 17 for toxicity, characterizing it as non-toxic and highlighting its antioxidant potential. The bract flour demonstrated physical, chemical, and nutritional properties that allow for its application in the formulation of new products as a food supplement, adding value and reducing the environmental impact of the losses from this UFP.