Abstract

PACHECO-DELAHAYE, Emperatríz; MALDONADO, Ronald; PEREZ, Elevina  and  SCHROEDER, Mily. Production and characterization of unripe plantain (musa paradisiaca l.) Flours.. INCI [online]. 2008, vol.33, n.4, pp.290-296. ISSN 0378-1844.

Four dehydration methods were employed to produce and, then, characterize and compare flours elaborated from commercial unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca L subsp. normalis), variety Harton/Horn. Dehydration of the unripe edible portion of the plantains was completed using tray chamber and double drum dryers, lyophilization (freeze-drying) and microwave oven. The flours obtained were evaluated in their proximate composition, physical characteristics, and rheological and functional properties. The results indicate that the dehydration processes affected significantly (p£0.05) the proximate composition and physical properties of the flours. The rheological and functional properties were different in each of the flours obtained, showing a non Newtonian pseudo-plastic fluid behavior. Since the plantain fruits are important crops in tropical and subtropical regions, the elaboration of flours with differences in their functional properties from the perishable fruit validates these flours as ingredients for different food elaborations, such as the drum dried flour for of instant or quick cooking food.

Keywords : Flour; Musa paradisiaca; Non Conventional Flours; Plantain Flour; Precooked Flours.