SUMMARY: The rhizome, pseudostem and the unripe fruit of the banana have a high starch content. Its concentration is higher in the middle fleshy leaf sheaths and increases gradually towards the rhizome downward along the length of the pseudostem. During the growth of the plant, starch accumulates in the pseudostem and reaches its maximum at the time of inflorescence and remains practically constant thereafter until the harvesting of the mature bunch. After the removal of the mature bunch, there is a gradual decrease in the accumulated starch, when the stem is allowed to stand in the field. If, however, it is felled and stored in the shade, the decrease in starch content is rapid and even after a period of two days, the starch content is reduced to such a great extent that its extraction becomes rather uneconomical. It is, therefore, necessary to utilize the pseudostem for processing soon after harvest of the bunch. This is a highly important consideration in the economic utilization of the pseudostem. Removal of the inflorescence, with a view to increase the starch content in the pseudostem by arresting its transfer to the fruit, is neither feasible nor economical.
SUMMARY: Starch was isolated from banana pseudostem and its properties were compared with those of potato, corn and tapioca. The starch granules are irregular in shape and are bigger in size than those of the fruit starch. At 60°C, the granules start to swell, gradually increase in size, attain their maximum size at 75°C and do not rupture even after heating to 100°C. The intrinsic viscosity of the starch (2.05) is similar to that of potato starch (2.00). The amylose content of the starch compares well with that of banana fruit and potato (tuber) starch (21%). In general, banana pseudostem starch resembles potato starch.
SUMMARY
The principal source of the dry chili of commerce in India is Capsicum annuum, variety acuminatum. The oleoresin capsaicin, which is the alcoholic fraction of the ether extract of chilies, is the active ingredient of several essences and medicinal preparations from chilies. In the local variety used, the pericarp, which constitutes nearly 40% of the whole chilies, contains nearly 89% of the capsaicin, while the seeds contain 11%, and the stems only traces of it. Ether is one of the best solvents for extraction of the oleoresin by the percolation method. Since the pericarp contains considerably less fatty oil than the seeds, use of the pericarp for extraction obviates the difficulty of separation of the fatty oil from the oleoresin. The fatty oils, obtained separately from whole chilies and from the seeds, which are bland in taste, have higher acid and iodine values, but lower saponification values, than mustard or groundnut oils. Physicochemical standards have been determined for the oleoresin, fatty oil from whole chilies and fatty oil from the seeds alone.
In the canning of jack fruit, pH plays an important part. Addition of 0.75 to 1% citric acid to the canning syrup has been found necessary for safe processing in boiling water. Canning of jack fruit in combination with more acidic fruits like Bangalora mango and pineapple achieves the same purpose and provides acceptable products.
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