PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND STORAGE STABILITY ASSESSMENT OF DIETARY FIBRE-ENRICHED FOOD PRODUCTS DEVELOPED FROM BANANA PSEUDOSTEM POWDER

Abstract

The increasing demand for functional foods with enhanced nutritional profiles has prompted investigation of novel ingredients derived from agricultural byproducts. Banana pseudostem, traditionally discarded after fruit harvest, represents an underutilized biomass resource with potential applications in food fortification. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and storage stability of three food product categories (biscuits, crisps, and sweets) fortified with banana pseudostem powder at substitution levels of 10%, 20%, and 30%. The study proposed the objectives, to comprehensively characterize the physicochemical properties of banana pseudostem powder and evaluate the impact of varying substitution levels on functional properties, quality parameters, and storage stability of developed food products over a 28-day period under ambient conditions (25 ± 2°C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity). In the study, banana pseudostem powder was characterized for water absorption capacity (WAC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), bulk density, and pH. Three product types were developed using composite flours with 0% (control), 10%, 20%, and 30% banana pseudostem powder substitution. Products were evaluated for moisture content, peroxide value, free fatty acid content, and microbiological quality (total plate count) at 7-day intervals during storage. Physicochemical changes were analyzed using standard AOAC methods, and statistical significance was determined using ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (p < 0.05). The result indicated that banana pseudostem powder exhibited high water absorption capacity (4.50 ± 0.12 g/g), moderate oil absorption capacity (1.20 ± 0.08 g/g), bulk density of 0.42 ± 0.03 g/mL, and pH of 5.8 ± 0.2. Moisture uptake during storage increased proportionally with substitution level across all products, with biscuits showing increases from 3.0% (day 0) to 4.6% (day 28) for control and 4.5% to 7.3% for 30% substitution. Peroxide values remained below 5 meq/kg for all formulations throughout storage, indicating adequate oxidative stability. Free fatty acid content increased marginally but remained within acceptable limits (<2.0%). Total plate counts remained below 4 log CFU/g for all products. Crisps demonstrated higher moisture uptake rates (5.8% to 10.2% at 30% substitution) compared to biscuits and sweets due to higher surface-to-volume ratio and oil content. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) between substitution levels for all quality parameters. The study concluded that banana pseudostem powder incorporation significantly influences physicochemical properties and storage stability of food products in a dose-dependent manner. While all substitution levels maintained microbiological safety and oxidative stability within acceptable limits during 28-day ambient storage, higher fibre content increased hygroscopic nature, necessitating appropriate packaging solutions. The 10% substitution level demonstrated optimal balance between functional property modifications and storage stability maintenance. Enhanced packaging materials or modified atmosphere packaging may enable successful commercialization of products with higher substitution levels (20-30%) offering superior nutritional benefits.