CyTA - Journal of Food

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Potential of plantain peels flour (Musa paradisiaca

L.) as a source of dietary fiber and antioxidant
compound

E. Agama-Acevedo, J.A. Sañudo-Barajas, R. Vélez De La Rocha, G.A. González-

Aguilar & L.A. Bello-Peréz

To cite this article: E. Agama-Acevedo, J.A. Sañudo-Barajas, R. Vélez De La Rocha, G.A.

González-Aguilar & L.A. Bello-Peréz (2016) Potential of plantain peels flour (Musa paradisiaca L.)
as a source of dietary fiber and antioxidant compound, CyTA - Journal of Food, 14:1, 117-123, DOI:
10.1080/19476337.2015.1055306

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2015.1055306

© 2015 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Published online: 23 Jun 2015.
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CyTA – Journal of Food, 2016
Vol. 14, No. 1, 117–123, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2015.1055306

Potential of plantain peels flour (Musa paradisiaca L.) as a source of dietary fiber and
antioxidant compound
Potencial de la harina de cascara de platano (Musa paradisiaca L.) como fuente de fibra dietetica
y compuestos antioxidantes
E. Agama-Acevedoa*, J.A. Sañudo-Barajasb, R. Vélez De La Rochab, G.A. González-Aguilarc and L.A. Bello-Peréza
a
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CEPROBI, km 8.5 Carr. Yautepec-Jojutla, colonia San Isidro, Yautepec, Morelos, México; bCentro de
Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. Carr. a La Victoria km 0.6, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83304 México; cCentro de
Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, AC, Carr. a Eldorado km 5.5, Campo El Diez, Culiacán, Sinaloa, 80110 México
(Received 10 March 2015; final version received 20 May 2015)

Peel from unripe plantain is obtained when the pulp is used for the next production process as starch isolation or dry flour. Plantain peel
flour (PPF) was obtained and its chemical composition, composition of the dietary fiber (DF), polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity, and
functional properties were studied. PPF had more relevant amounts of protein, ash, total starch, and total dietary fiber (TDF). The main
component of DF was the insoluble fraction, with a higher level of cellulose than hemicellulose and lignin. In the insoluble fraction uronic
acid was the most predominant acidic monosaccharide, while mannose was in the soluble fraction. Extractable polyphenols were found in
the lowest amount, but showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Water- and oil-holding capacity values increased when the temperature of
the test increased. The PPF with high DF content, high antioxidant capacity, and functional characteristics could be used as a functional
ingredient for the elaboration of food products.
Keywords: banana peel; dietary fiber; polyphenols; antioxidant capacity

La cáscara de plátano verde se obtiene cuando la pulpa se utiliza en un proceso posterior tal como el aislamiento del almidón o la
producción de harina. Se determinó la composición química, las fracciones y composición de la fibra dietética, la cantidad de polifenoles y
su capacidad antioxidante, así como las propiedades funcionales de la harina de cáscara de plátano (HCP). El principal componente de la
fibra dietética fue la fracción insoluble con mayor contenido de celulosa) que hemicelulosa y lignina. El ácido urónico, de los
monosacáridos ácidos, predominó en la fracción insoluble, mientras que en la fracción soluble fue la manosa. Se encontró una cantidad
baja de polifenoles extraíbles, pero mostraron alta capacidad antioxidante. La capacidad de retención de agua y aceite incrementaron cuando
la temperatura del experimento incrementó. La HCP con mayor contenido de fibra dietética, alta capacidad antioxidante y características
funcionales, podría ser utilizada como ingrediente funcional para la elaboración de alimentos.
Palabras clave: cáscara de plátano; fibra dietaria; polifenoles; capacidad antioxidante

Introduction
Unripe plantain pulp is a good source of resistant starch (RS),
dietary fiber (DF), and polyphenols; hence, there is interest in its
production (Juarez-Garcia, Agama-Acevedo, Sáyago-Ayerdi,
Rodríguez-Ambriz, & Bello-Pérez, 2006; Ovando-Martinez,
Sáyago-Ayerdi, Agama-Acevedo, Goñi, & Bello-Pérez, 2009).
The production of unripe plantain flour to starch isolation or ingre-
dient generates an important amount of peel. The peel represents
around 35% of the fruit weight (wet basis) (Tchobanoglous,
Theisen, & Vigil, 1993). The current use of banana and plantain
peels is as compost or feed to cattle (Happi-Emaga et al., 2011). To
use the plantain peel, some attempts have been realized such as in
adsorption of heavy metals, biomass production, as an antioxidant
source, and in cellulose nanofibers (Annaduari, Juang, & Lee,
2004; Essien, Akpan, & Essien, 2005; Gomes-Rebello et al.,
2014; Pelissari, Amaral-Sobral, & Menegalli, 2014). Recently,
flour prepared from maturated plantain peels was used as a source
of antioxidant DF to prepare cookies (Arun et al., 2015).
The end-use of banana and plantain peel depends on its
chemical composition, which is affected by the fruit’s ripeness.
Peel from unripe fruit presents (on a dry basis) 6–10% protein,
6–12% ash, 2–6% lipids, 11–39% starch, and 33–43% total
dietary fiber (TDF); from the TDF, around 5–13% is soluble
dietary fiber (SDF) and 7–36% is insoluble dietary fiber (IDF)
(Happi-Emaga, Herinavalona-Adrianaivo, Wathelet, Tchango-
Tchango, & Paquot, 2007, 2008). Pectin and gums (xanthan,
arabic, guar, etc.) are present in the SDF, whereas cellulose,
hemicelluloses, and lignin are included in the IDF. From the
nutritional and health points of view, the type, level, and struc-
ture of the components in the SDF and IDF, as well as the ratio
of both fractions play and important role in the physiological
properties in the human body after consumption (Champ,
Langkilde, Brouns, Kettlitz, & Be Bail-Collet, 2003). There are
diverse sources of DF such as cereal grains, legumes, fruits,
vegetables, and nuts. Traditionally, DF from cereals is used in
food formulations. DF from citrus peel is a good alternative due
to the high level of these components as well as antioxidant
compounds. CitraFiberTM by Natural Citrus Products (LaBelle,
FL) is used in bakery products to increase the DF content. Fiber
concentrate from orange bagasse was produced and included in
muffins. The addition of orange bagasse decreased the predicted
glycemic index of muffin (Romero-Lopez, Osorio-Diaz, Bello-
Perez, Tovar, & Bernardino-Nicanor, 2011). Peel of banana
(Musa canvendish) presented a higher content of phenolic

*Corresponding author. Email: eagama@ipn.mx.

© 2015 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
118 E. Agama-Acevedo et al.
compounds and antioxidant capacity than the pulp extract
(Someya, Yoshiki, & Okubo, 2002). Extract of banana peel
flour (Musa cavendish) in a ripe stage (yellow with green tip)
showed high total phenolic content, mainly flavonoid type. The
phenolic compounds were responsible for the high antioxidant
activity. It has been suggested that banana peel is a profitable
source of bioactive compounds (Gomes-Rebello et al., 2014).
The chemical composition of the DF in the unripe plantain peels
has been analyzed in some studies, but the antioxidant capacity
as well as its functional properties has not yet been analyzed.
These issues are important from the nutritional approach of the
unripe plantain peel and the sensory features (texture) of the
foods where this ingredient can be included due to the high
level of starch and DF. The aim of this study was to analyze
the chemical and functional characteristics of unripe plantain
peel, as well as the components of the DF and its antioxidant
capacity.
Materials and methods
Materials
Commercial green plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) (Musa AAB)
was separated into pulp and peel, and the weight percentage was
calculated. Peel moisture content was determined according to
the AACC 44–15 method (AACC, 2000). The peel was dried at
40°C for 48 h in a convection oven, ground (mill Pulvex-200
México D.F. México) to pass a US 100 sieve (mean particle size
0.15 mm), and stored at 27°C in a sealed polypropylene plastic
bag until analysis.
Chemical analysis
Moisture, lipids, protein (N x 6.25), and ash content of the peel
were assessed according to AACC (2000). SDF, IDF, and TDF
were determined according to the AACC 32–05 method (AACC,
2000). Total starch was measured using the method 76.13
(AACC, 2000) using the K-TSTA kit Megazyme (Wicklow,
Ireland). All analyses were performed in triplicate.
Monosaccharide of the DF
The carbohydrate composition of the SDF and IDF was assayed
by derivatization of the non-cellulosic neutral sugar. Briefly,
from each recovered and dried (40°C) fraction, 2 mg of the
sample was hydrolyzed with 2 mol/L trifluoroacetic acid at
121°C for 1 h, and the resulting hydrolysates were recovered
in methanol and after solvent evaporation they were converted to
alditol acetates by reduction in NaBH4 and further acetylation
with acetic anhydride and methylimidazole as a catalyst
(Albersheim, Nevins, English, & Kar, 1967; Blakeney, Harris,
Henry, & Stone, 1983). Samples were injected into a gas chro-
matograph (Model 3800, Varian Inc) equipped with a flame
ionization detector (250°C) and a capillary column (210°C) of
30 m × 0.25 mm i.d. (model DB-23, J & W Scientific, Folsom,
CA) and helium as a carrier gas (3 mL/min). Results were
calculated using standards of rhamnose, fucose, arabinose,
xylose, mannose, galactose, glucose, and myo-inositol as internal
standards (Sigma®).
Hemicelluloses, cellulose, and lignin content
Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF)
were determined using the Association of Official Analytical
Chemist method (AOAC, 2005). Defatted plantain peel flour
(PPF) (500 mg) was incubated with α amylase that was
thermo-stable and pepsin. Residue was refluxed in an acid and
neutral detergent solution, separately for 1 h. The sample was
filtered and washed with hot water and ethanol. The residue was
oven dried at 40°C overnight. ADF and NDF contents were
calculated by difference of weight between the original sample
and the residue. To determinate the lignin content, 50 mL of
sulfuric acid (72%) was added to the dried residue (obtained
after reflux with acid detergent solution), the mix was stirred for
3 h, and then filtered. Dried and incinerate residues were weighed
(DR and IR, respectively). Cellulose and hemicellulose contents
were calculated by: Lignin = 100 (DR-IR)/starting sample weight;
Cellulose = ADF – Lignin; Hemicellulose = NDF – ADF.
Determination of polyphenols content
PPF was extracted with methanol-water acidified with HCl
(50:50 v/v, pH 2, 50 mL g−1 sample, 60 min) and acetone-
water (70:30 v/v, 50 mL g−1 sample, 60 min) at room tempera-
ture (25°C) under constant stirring. After centrifugation (15 min,
25°C, 3000 × g) supernatants were pooled and used to determine
extractable polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity.
Extractable polyphenols were determined by the Folin–
Ciocalteu procedure (Singleton, Orthofer, & Lamuela-Raventos,
1999). The sample (0.1 mL) was mixed with 0.5 mL of Folin–
Ciocalteu reagent and swirled. After 3 min, 1.5 mL of sodium
carbonate solution (70 g/kg) was added and mixed, and then it
was completed to 10 mL with distilled water. Determination was
performed at a wavelength of 765 nm in a spectrophotometer,
and total polyphenol content was expressed as mg of gallic acid
(GA)/g dry matter, using a calibration curve.
Condensed tannins and hydrolysable polyphenols
To obtain condensed tannins, residues from the methanol/acet-
one/water extraction were treated with 5 mL/L HCl-butanol for
3 h at 100°C (Reed, McDowell, Van Soest, & Horvarth, 1982)
and absorbance was measured at 550 nm. Condensed tannins
from Mediterranean carob pod (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were sup-
plied by Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland).
Hydrolysable polyphenols were released from the food
matrix by strong acidic hydrolysis (methanol/H2SO4 90:10
(v/v) at 85°C for 20 h) from the residues of methanol/acetone/
water extraction (Hartzfeld, Forkner, Hunter, & Hagerman,
2002). The sample was centrifuged for 15 min at 25°C and
3000 × g. The supernatant was used for the determination of
hydrolysable polyphenols by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The
result was expressed as GA equivalents.
Free radical scavenging assay (ABTS, 2,2’-azino-bis
(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)
The antioxidant capacity was estimated using the supernatants of
extractable polyphenols, condensed tannins, and hydrolysable tan-
nins, in terms of radical scavenging activity following the procedure
described by Pulido, Hernandez-Garcia, & Saura-Calixto (2003).
The antioxidant capacity was expressed in μmol Trolox eq/g.

Oil- and water-holding capacity
Twenty-five milliliters of distilled water or commercial olive oil
was added to 1 g of sample, stirred, and then incubated at 40°C,
60°C, 80°C, and 90°C for 1 h. After centrifugation (2000 × g for
10 min) the residue was weighed and water-holding capacity
(WHC) and oil-holding capacity (OHC) were calculated as g
water or oil per g of sample, respectively (Larrauri, Rupérez,
Borroto, & Saura-Calixto, 1996).
Results and discussion
Chemical composition
From 20.5 kg of unripe plantain fruit 6.35 kg of peel was
obtained. This amount represents 310 g/kg of fruit weight.
Another study with banana and plantain peels mentions that
the peel represents around 40% of the total weight of fresh
fruit (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007), but the peel amount from
each variety was not reported. Moisture content of the peel was
860 g/kg, and 0.89 kg of dry powder of peel was obtained (PPF).
The moisture content of the PPF was 58 g/kg (Table 1). Lipid
content in the PPF was 50 g/kg. In this component all substances
(including lipids and pigments) that are extracted with ether were
recorded. Banana and plantain peels in the green stage presented
crude fat between 220 and 630 g/kg dry sample (Happi-Emaga
et al., 2007). Differences may be due to the variety and geogra-
phical characteristics of each plantation. Powders from by-pro-
ducts from diverse fruits such as grape peel (77 g/kg, Bravo &
Saura-Calixto, 1998) and orange (222 g/kg, Chau & Huang,
2003) had higher lipid content. The protein content in PPF was
102 g/kg, higher than those reported in green banana and plan-
tain peels (63 and 98 g/kg dry sample, respectively) (Happi-
Emaga et al., 2007), and that reported in mango by-products
(40–50 g/kg) (Baquero & Bermudez, 1998) and passion fruit
(55–60 g/kg) (Tamayo & Bermúdez, 1998), but lower than that
obtained in grape peel (141 g/kg) (Bravo & Saura-Calixto,
1998). The proteins in the banana peel are enzymes involved
in the maturation of the fruit (Zhang, Feng, & Zhang, 2012).
PPF showed higher ash content (119 g/kg) than green
banana and plantain peels (64 and 104 g/kg dry sample, respec-
tively) (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). However, ash content is in
the range for Musa varieties. Grape peel (57–92 g/kg) (Bravo &
Saura-Calixto, 1998), pineapple by-products (30 g/kg), orange
by-products (32 g/kg) (Baquero & Bermudez, 1998), and mango
by-products (29 g/kg) (Larrauri et al., 1996) showed lower ash
content than plantain peel.
Starch content in the PPF was 380 g/kg, similar to that
reported for green plantain peels (393 g/kg dry sample), but
higher than that for green banana peels (111 g/kg dry sample)
(Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). There is a lack of reports on starch
content in other by-products from fruits, because they are
obtained from ripe peel or from other parts of the fruits where
starch and non-starch polysaccharides are not present. The starch
present in leaves and peel from unripe fruits is not for storage
(named transitory starch); it is not accumulated in the tissue for
long and is stored for a short period of time in the chloroplasts
during the day and degraded and mobilized during the night. The
transitory starch shows small granules and undefined shapes; its
amylose content is low (Taira, Uematsu, Nakano, & Morikawa,
1991) and the amylopectin has a higher degree of polymeriza-
tion; both starch components in the transitory starch present a
higher molecular weight than its counterpart stored in the amy-
loplasts (Tomlinson, Lloyd, & Smith, 1997). The high starch
CyTA – Journal of Food 119
Table 1. Chemical composition of plantain peels flour.
Tabla 1. Composición química de la harina de cáscara de plátano.
Component (g/kg)
Moisture 57.8 ± 2.0
Lipids 50.2 ± 0.7
Protein 102.9 ± 0.9
Ash 127 ± 1.0
Total starch 392.9 ± 15
Total dietary fiber 376.4 ± 15
Soluble dietary fiber 73 ± 7.0
Insoluble dietary fiber 303.4 ± 12
Note: Mean of triplicates ± SD, dry basis.
Promedio de tres repeticiones ± desviación estándar, base seca.
content in the PPF, as well as its morphological, molecular,
and structural characteristics, could provide more information
on determining the structure–function relationship and suggest
some applications of the PPF. It was reported that starch present
in the banana peel decreases during fruit ripening (Happi-Emaga
et al., 2007); this can explain the high starch content in the
unripe plantain peel.
The TDF content in the PPF was 376 g/kg (Table 1). TDF in
unripe banana and plantain peels from diverse varieties (dessert
banana, plantain, cooking banana, and hybrid) ranged between
320 and 499 g/kg (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). Unripe banana
and plantain peel presented an increase in the TDF in banana
peel during fruit ripening and in some cases there was a decrease
in the TDF (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). Flour prepared with
matured plantain cultivar peels showed the highest TDF content
(643 g/kg) reported to date (Arun et al., 2015). It was concluded
that the TDF in the peel depends on various factors such as
cultivar and ripening stage apparently due to the higher TDF
content in the banana group with respect to the plantain group
(Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). SDF in the PPF was 73 g/kg, a value
that is in the range for unripe banana and plantain peels (56–
136 g/kg) (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). The SDF in the PPF was
higher than those recorded in citric peel (12–17 g/kg) (Rincón,
Vásquez, Marina, & Padilla, 2005), a common source of DF.
IDF was the main component of the TDF in the PPF, with an
IDF:SDF ratio of 80:20. Unripe banana and plantain peels pre-
sented an IDF content from 270 to 360 g/kg (Happi-Emaga et al.,
2007), slightly lower in comparison to contents in mango (390 g/
kg), lemon (480 g/kg), and citric (460–510 g/kg) (Hassan,
Ismail, Hamid, Azlan, & Al-sheraji, 2011; Rincón et al., 2005;
Ubando, Navarro, & Valdivia, 2005) fruit peels. Nonetheless,
although TDF in the PPF was significantly lower than in other
reports in mango (720 g/kg) (Hassan et al., 2011), grape (704 g/
kg) (Saura-Calixto, 1998), and citric (orange 490, mandarin 520,
and grapefruit 480 g/kg) (Rincón et al., 2005) peels, the repre-
sentative amounts of SDF and starch in the PPF are important
evidences of its functional and nutritional value. Zhang,
Whistler, BeMiller, and Hamaker (2005) reported that peels of
banana and plantain could be a good source of DF of low cost
for use in foods, but the characterization of fiber components
from green banana and plantain peels should be determined
(Happi-Emaga et al., 2007).
Monosaccharide of the DF
The main individual components of the SDF were the uronic
acids (172 g/kg) and mannose (293 g/kg) (Table 2), while other
120 E. Agama-Acevedo et al.

Table 2. Individual monosaccharide composition of soluble and inso- Table 3. Concentration of neutral and acid detergent fiber, cellulose,
luble dietary fibers of plantain peels flour. hemicellulose, and lignin of plantain peel flour.
Tabla 2. Composición de monosacáridos de la fibra dietética soluble e Tabla 3. Concentración de la fibra detergente neutra y acida, celulosa,
insoluble de la harina de cáscara de plátano. hemicelulosa, y lignina de la harina de cáscara de plátano.

Soluble dietary fiber Insoluble dietary Component (g/kg)

Monosaccharides (g/kg) fiber (g/kg)
Neutral detergent fiber 194.9 ± 6.0
Rhamnose 1.9 ± 0.2 3.2 ± 0.6 Acid detergent fiber 148.8 ± 1.7
Fucose 0.5 ± 0.00 1.8 ± 0.3 Cellulose 131.7 ± 1.5
Arabinose 27 ± 2.0 75 ± 7.3 Hemicellulose 46.1 ± 7.6
Xylose 13 ± 1.0 57 ± 5.1 Lignin 17.1 ± 0.1
Mannose 293 ± 18.6 9 ± 1.3
Galactose 59 ± 3.9 34 ± 4.3 Note: Mean of triplicates ± SD, dry basis.
Glucose 45 ± 4.5 27 ± 5.3 Promedio de tres repeticiones ± desviación estándar, base seca
Uronic acids 172 ± 4.2 149 ± 4.8

Note: Mean of triplicates ± SD, dry basis.
Promedio de tres repeticiones ± desviación estándar, base seca.
neutral sugars were found in lower amounts in the following
order: galactose>glucose>arabinose>xylose>rhamnose>fucose.
The uronic acids and neutral sugars in the SDF of PPF have
been related to the mannan-rich pectin content (Morris, Ralet,
Bonnin, Thibault, & Harding, 2010). Total soluble sugars in
unripe banana and plantain peels ranged between 22 and
42 g/kg dry sample, with glucose content between 4 and
20 g/kg, fructose between 1 and 22 g/kg, and sucrose between 1
and 15 g/kg (Happi-Emaga et al., 2007). To date, mannose has not
been quantified in Musa peels, and it was found in high levels in
unripe plantain peel. These results agree with the reports on
mango peels, where uronic acids (120 g/kg) and mannose
(110 g/kg) were the main components in the SDF (Hassan et al.,
2011), although in a lower amount than in PPF. Other components
of SDF may derive from other glucans such as gums and/or latex
present in the PPF (Elleuch et al., 2011). In the IDF fraction of
PPF, uronic acid was the main component (149 g/kg), suggesting
the presence of protopectin in addition to hemicellulosic poly-
saccharides rich in arabinose and xylose. Other neutral sugars
were found in the following order: galactose>glucose>manno-
se>rhamnose>fucose. These monosaccharides are related to the
arabinoxylan-type hemicellulose structure. The glucose content
in the IDF (270 g/kg) is distinctive from the hemicellulosic
fraction. Different sugars were determined in water-soluble
pectin, chelating-soluble pectin, and acid-soluble pectin.
Unripe plantain peel presented a high level of galacturonic
acid in the three fractions (ranging from 250 to 310 g/kg dry
sample), followed by glucose (ranging from 190 to 240 g/kg).
Other sugars such as arabinose, xylose, mannose, and galactose
were determined and found in lower amounts (Happi-Emaga
et al., 2008).
NDF was 228 and ADF was 208 g/kg in the peel of unripe
plantain (Happi-Emaga et al., 2008). Cellulose content in PPF
was 132 g/kg; this value was higher than that determined in
unripe plantain peel (65 g/kg) (Happi-Emaga et al., 2008). The
cellulose content in PPF is lower than that determined in the
pseudo-stem (421 g/kg) and in the core of the pseudo-stem
(274 g/kg) (Aziz et al., 2010). Lignin content in PPF was
17 g/kg, whereas in unripe plantain peel it was 143 g/kg
(Happi-Emaga et al., 2008); the variety and the method used to
determine this component could be responsible for this differ-
ence in value. Lignin content increased during ripening of plan-
tain, but decreased in banana (Happi-Emaga et al., 2008).
Hemicellulose content in PPF was higher (46 g/kg) than in
unripe plantain peel (20 g/kg) (Happi-Emaga et al., 2008).
In general, the low cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin con-
tents in PPF could be attributed to the presence of other non-
starch polysaccharides, such as pectin and protopectins building
the cell wall structures of this immature fruit.
Polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity
The extractable polyphenols content in PPF was lower
(7.71 mg/g) than the non-extractable polyphenols content,
whereas condensed tannins (31.0 mg GAEs/g) and hydrolysable
tannins (20.1 mg GAEs/g) presented higher values (Table 4).
Previous studies reported that diverse tropical fruit peels pre-
sented extractable polyphenols content between 0.8 and 17 mg
GAEs/g (on a fresh weight basis), whereas banana peel the
content was between 2.4 and 2.9 mg GAEs/g (on a fresh weight
basis) (Contreras-Calderón, Calderón-Jaimes, Guerra-Hernández,
& García-Villanova, 2011). Polyphenols content in foods is
determined in aqueous extract (extractable polyphenols), but
important amounts of polyphenols (non-extractable) are present
in the residue and generally not quantified and they are

Polysaccharides and lignin Table 4. Polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity of plantain peels
Table 3 lists the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin contents in flour.
PPF. These components are present in the DF and as a part of the Tabla 4. Contenido de polifenoles y capacidad antioxidante de la harina
IDF they can be quantified through the NDF method. Lipids, de cáscara de plátano.
proteins, pectin, and single sugars are removed in a neutral
Content Antioxidant capacity
solution, and starch is hydrolyzed by α-amylase; hemicelluloses, Polyphenols (mg GAEs/g) (µmol Trolox eq/g)
cellulose, and lignin remained in the solid sample. On the other
hand, during determination of the ADF, lipids, proteins, single Extractable polyphenols 7.71 ± 0.20 84.73 ± 0.82
soluble sugars, pectin, starch, and hemicelluloses were also Condensed tannins 30.98 ± 1.01 67.64 ± 0.43
removed, with cellulose and lignin remaining. Lignin was Hydrolysable tannins 20.06 ± 1.21 49.65 ± 0.05
recorded and cellulose content was determined by difference. Note: Mean of triplicates ± SD, dry basis.
The NDF was 19.5 g/100 g and ADF was 14.9 g/100 g. The Promedio de tres repeticiones ± desviación estándar, base seca
 CyTA – Journal of Food 121

potentially available in the large intestine and provide some

advantages ((Saura-Calixto, Serrano, & Goñi, 2007).
Antioxidant compounds were determined in the peel and pulp
of banana (Musa cavendish), indicating gallocathequin was
found in the highest level in peel (158 mg/100 g of dry sample),
while in pulp it was 29.6 mg/100 g of dry sample (Someya et al.,
2002). The presence of higher levels of polyphenols in the fruit
peel has been related to the defense system that plant tissues
naturally have against different abiotic stresses. Extractable
polyphenols presented higher antioxidant capacity
(84.7 μmol Trolox eq/g dry sample) than condensable tannins
(67.6 μmol Trolox eq/g dry sample) and hydrolysable tannins
(49.7 μmol Trolox eq/g dry sample) (Table 4). The differences in
the antioxidant capacity of these extracts could be related to the
type and concentrations of the high extent of polyphenol present,
which could be responsible for this parameter. Banana peels
showed between 34 and 37 μmol Trolox eq/g (on a fresh weight
basis) (Contreras-Calderón et al., 2011), indicating an antioxi-
dant capacity lower than that found in PPF. Although banana did
not have high polyphenols content, these appear to contribute to
the high antioxidant capacity (Lim, Lim, & Tee, 2007). This is
an important issue in PPF due to which the polyphenols are
linked to DF components and they are released during gut Figure 1. Water (A) and oil (B) holding capacity of unripe plantain peel
fermentation that takes place in the colon (Arranz, Silván, & flour.
Saura-Calixto, 2010). These antioxidant environments produced
Figura 1. El agua (A) y Petróleo (B) capacidad tenencia de harina de
by microbiota have been reported to prevent against oxidative cáscara inmadura plátano.
process, preserve tissues, and reduce the development of colon
cancer. Recently, extracts of matured plantain flour peels using
methanol showed higher cupric ion reduction (2.36 μM TR/g dry considered during the use of PPF as raw material in food pro-
weight), followed by ethyl acetate extract (1.41 μM TR/g dry ducts development due to the possible decrease of glycemic
weight); however, when extracting with hexane, no antioxidant carbohydrates from starch. Alkarkhi et al. (2011) reported ORC
activity was observed (Arun et al., 2015). values in banana peel flour (Musa acuminata L., cv cavendish)
of 0.76 g oil/g dry sample at 40°C and 1.03 g oil/g sample at 60°
C, values that are lower than those observed in PPF.
Water retention capacity (WRC) and oil (ORC) retention
capacity
WRC of PPF increased with increase of test temperature Conclusions
(Figure 1). PPF retained 3.5 g water/g dry sample at 65°C until PPF presented a high amount of total dietary fiber (TDF) with a
8.8 g water/g dry sample at 90°C. An important increment in the higher level of insoluble than soluble fraction. The DF composi-
WRC was observed at 70°C. This behavior is related to protein tion showed that pectin is the main component of the PPF. This
(102 g/kg) and starch (393 g/kg) contents; protein present in the indicates that fermentable and non-fermentable carbohydrates are
wall-cell is denaturized, as well as starch and non-starch poly- present in PPF. PPF showed a lower amount of polyphenols than
saccharides are disorganized, indicating that these macromole- tannins, but it had the highest antioxidant capacity. The values of
cules capture water because their OH groups are free. Other WRC and ORC in PPF samples demonstrated the functionality
factors influence the WRC such as particle size, pH, ionic of the PPF in the development of functional foods.
force, and fiber microstructure (length and porosity) (Nelson,
2001). WRC of banana peel was evaluated at different tempera-
tures of 40°C, 60°C, and 80°C, obtaining a value of 5.2 g water/
Acknowledgements
g sample at 60°C and 5.9 g water/g sample at 80°C (Alkarkhi,
Ramli, Yong, & Easa, 2011); both values were lower than those We appreciate the technical support of Mariana Cesareo-Solis.
observed in PPF. The genotype in both Musa could be respon- The authors belong to the network “AlFaNutra” financed by the
Mexican Council CONACYT.
sible for the difference. An increase in ORC of PPF values was
observed with temperature (Figure 1B). A significant (p < 0.05)
increase in ORC was observed between 60°C and 70°C, but not
with the temperature increase. The ORC values determined in Disclosure statement
PPF (2.2–4.1 g oil/g dry sample) can be considered high accord-
ing to other fruits’ by-products and they are related to the starch No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
content present in this powder (Table 1), but even more to the
amylose content (360 g/kg) in the starch (Espinosa-Solis, Jane,
& Bello-Perez, 2009). It is well known the amylose–lipid com- Funding
plex formation during heating of starchy products, producing the We appreciate the financial support from SIP-IPN, COFAA-IPN,
formation of RS (Hasjim et al., 2010), is an issue that should be EDI-IPN, and CONACYT grant 131762.
122 E. Agama-Acevedo et al.

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