Accumulation of Starch in Banana Pseudostem and Fruit

Abstract

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.

In vitro starch digestibility of bread with banana (Musa acuminata X balbisiana ABB cv. Awak) pseudo-stem flour and hydrocolloids

“…The glucose is then transferred through the central core, followed the outer sheath of the pseudo-stem for de novo synthesis in the developing fruit. In addition, Shantha and Siddappa (1970) reported that banana pseudostem has starch content of 25.50%. Hence, a dilution of the starch could have been created on using BPF, which is a material of low starch content.…”

“…This can be attributed to the BPF (28.26%) (Ho et al, 2012) has low total starch content as compared with CWF (83.04%) (unpublished data). According to Shantha and Siddappa (1970), the starch that accumulates in the rhizome until the onset of inflorescence can be degraded through the action of enzymatic hydrolysis to form glucose. The glucose is then transferred through the central core, followed the outer sheath of the pseudo-stem for de novo synthesis in the developing fruit.…”

Characterization of EDTA‐soluble polysaccharides from the scape of Musa paradisiaca (banana)

“…The scape (a long flower‐stalk coming directly from the root) of Musa paradisiaca (banana) contains easily extractable starch that was reported to be similar to potato starch [4]. We have reported the isolation of water‐soluble (WSP), EDTA‐soluble (EDTA‐SP), alkali‐soluble (ASP) and alkali‐insoluble (AISP) polysaccharide fractions from the scape of M. paradisiaca and shown that WSP is an amylopectin‐type highly branched α‐D‐glucan [5].…”

“…Polysaccharides are the major components of plants and they play many biological functions [1,2]. Starch and cellulose are the homopolysaccharides of D-glucose ; starch is an α-(1,4)-linked glucan whereas cellulose contains β- (1,4)-linked D-glucose residues. Starch is a storage polysaccharide and consists of two components, amylose and amylopectin.…”

“…Starch is also used as an inert material in pharmaceutical creams and tablets. Hydroxyalkyl starch is used as a cryoprotective agent and starch glycerite is used as a preservative for biological specimens [2][3][4].…”