Production Mapping and Description of the Organoleptic Qualities of Local Varieties of Plantain (Musa spp. AAB) Cultivated in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Aims: A field survey was carried to apprehend the full diversity of Ivorian’s plantain. The aim was to produce a reliable and up-to-date production map of the local varieties. This study was also intended to determine their level of appreciation by local consumers on the basis of their physical, technological and sensory characteristics.
 Place and Duration of Study: The enquiries data were collected in 87 villages distributed into 22 regions of Côte d'Ivoire, between September and December 2017.
 Methodology: During the survey, data on the production, description, processing and consumption of local plantains were collected by direct individual interviews using a structured questionnaire. This information was collected in a participatory manner from 1232 (14 producers/villages).
 Results: This study identified twenty-two (22) varieties of plantain, traditionally cultivated for several generations in Côte d'Ivoire. The greatest varietal diversity has been observed in the South-East and the East, notably in the regions of Sud-Comoé, Indénié-Djuablin, Mé and Agneby-Tiassa. These varieties are variously appreciated according to their physical and organoleptic characteristics. People used them to make the usual plantain-based dishes found in Côte d’Ivoire. However, for the most questioned people, cooking specific plantain dishes requires the using of specific varieties with particular characteristics. The Agnrin, Molegna, N'gretia, Molekotoba, Ameletia, Purple banana and Banadiè varieties have been designated to be the best for “foutou”. In addition, the Banadiè variety, even in the green state, gives a nice yellow “foutou”. The above varieties are said to be perfect to prepare “Aloco”, “Docklounou” and “Clacro” at advanced ripening stages. The Afoto, Spotted banana, Kpatrè-kou, Kpatragnon, Kpatrè-n'san varieties, were recommended for “foutou”, “foufou”, roasted or chips because of their volume.
 Conclusion: Further researches are underway to explain, scientifically, the sensory and technological differences usually observed between local plantains varieties.

Textural and physicochemical predictors of sensory texture and sweetness of boiled plantain

“…After washing and hand‐peeling, banana pulps were immediately cooked in a large volume of boiling water (100 °C at 50 m above sea level in Montpellier, France) in individual stainless‐steel pans (6:1 tap water‐to‐banana ratio), in a dedicated room. The cooking time was adapted to the stage of ripeness of the fruits, known traditional culinary habits (Gibert et al ., 2010; Kouassi et al ., 2020), and some preliminary cooking trials. Cooking time was set to 10 min for fully ripe, 20 min for half‐ripe and 30 min for mature green plantains.…”

“…More than 20 recipes are mentioned using plantains and other cooking bananas (Coulibaly, 2008). Irrespective of the continent, boiling in water is the most widely used method of preparing plantain for consumption (Dufour et al ., 2009; Kouassi et al ., 2020). Plantain can be consumed at different stages of ripeness: boiled at a green stage like other starchy food (e.g.…”

“…Household studies based on surveys and consumer tests have highlighted some preferences or the non‐acceptance of some plantain varieties at a given stage of ripeness, and for a given use (Ekesa et al ., 2012; Kouamé et al ., 2015). In eastern Ivory Coast, some local varieties including Olaya (French), Banadiè and Ameletia (False Horn) are very popular when ripe and boiled to make foutou (Kouassi et al ., 2020). Agronomic yield and technological performance (easy‐to‐peel, pulp‐to‐peel ratio and cooking ability) are considered as important criteria by producers and processors, but the main criterion for consumers is sensory quality.…”

Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Developed Instant Foutou (Fufu), Plantain-Based Dough in West Africa

“…The quality of foutou has been known to vary from one location to another and would be influenced by plantain and cassava varieties and proportions, plantain ripening stage, and cassava age. In Côte d'Ivoire, both Corn and French varieties are preferred for foutou, semiripe plantain at stage "more yellow than green" being the most used for this dish [13]. Moreover, it was noted that the color of fufu flour may be influenced by the variety of plantain and cassava and also by flour particle size [11].…”