PROXIMATE ANALYSIS AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF A NAMED BANANA ON WHITE ALBINO RAT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to study
Bananas belongs to the genus Musa. It was Linnaeus that first gave the scientific name Musa sapientum for all sweet bananas, and the scientific name Musa sapientum for plantains (Simmonds, 1962). However, Linnaeus did not know that the two species he had described were in fact hybrids and not two distinct species (Zeller, 2005). Therefore, those two names could not be relevant in modern taxonomy.
Genetic studies have then demonstrated that all edible bananas and plantains come from a common ancestor, Musa acuminata. Plantains also carry genes from another ancestor, Musa balbisiana (Lejju et al., 2005). The genome of each ancestor could be represented respectively by the letter A and B. Then, further studies showed that edible bananas are mostly triploids and their genome would be described as AAA. This means that they carry three sets of chromosomes derived from M. acuminate (Simmonds, 1962). Different hybrid combinations have been observed, such as AAB, BBB, and tetraploid groups (AAAA) were also described.
Banana is one of the most important crops of the tropical plants. It belongs to the family Musaceae and the genus Musa. Musa sapientum , also known as banana (English), ‘Ogede agbagba’ (Yoruba), ‘Ayaba’ (Hausa) and ‘Ogadejioke’ (Igbo), is a tropical plant that is native to India. The plant consists of long, overlapping leafstalks and bears a stem which is 1.22 to 6.10 m high (Oladiji et al., 2010), with a life span of about 15 years (Philips, 1982). The fruits grow in clusters, each separate banana of the cluster being about 1 inch in diameter and somewhat longer than a banana fruit. Banana fruit requires about two and a half to four months after shooting before the fruit becomes ready for harvesting or a total of about eight to twelve months after planting (Swennen, 1990a).
The common Musa sapientum has broad, irregular oval leaves, abruptly contracted at the base into a long broad, channelled footstalk. The fully grown blade is 1.3–2.4 meters long and about two third as broad, usually smooth, with several parallel veins. It is wind pollinated and propagates primarily by seeds which are held on the long narrow spikes which rise well above the foliage (Zeller, 2005).
Musa x sapientum (M. acuminata x M. balbisiana) is a sterile (without seeds or viable pollen) triploid (2n=3x=33 chromosomes) that is cultivated in warm climates for its tasty yellow-skinned fruit (Nelson et al., 2006). This is a large, fast-growing, suckering, herbaceous perennial that produces huge oblong to paddle-shaped leaves that grow to as much as 8’ long with leaf sheaths overlapping to help form a trunk-like pseudo stem (false stem). The pseudo-stem can reach up to 2-9 m tall and with short underground stem (corm) with buds, from which short rhizomes grow to produce a clump of aerial shoots (suckers) close to the parent plant. The roots are adventitious, spreading 4-5 m laterally, descending to 75cm long, but mainly in the top of 15cm and form a dense mat. It develops from the underground rhizome (Gibert, 2009).
At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up along a smooth elongated unbranched stem piercing through the centre of the pseudo-stem, finally emerging out at the top in between the leaf cluster. Yellow flowers with purple-red bracts appear in summer on mature plants. The flower subsequently develops to plantain bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) (Zeller, 2005). The plant is also monocarpic, which means that a shoot can only flower once and will die after the fruit is produced. The leaf crown will be oriented downward due to gravity.
Raw green fruits are only eaten after cooking. Each fruit measures about 3 to 10 inches or more in length depending on the cultivar type. They tend to have coarse external features with prominent edges and flat surfaces. The flesh inside is starch rich with tiny edible black seeds concentrated at its core. Ripening process however enhances flavor and sweetness since the starch converts to sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose) (Phebe et al., 2007). The genus honors Antonia Musa, Roman physician of the 1st century B.C.
No serious insect or disease problems. In some cases, insects like aphids, mealy bugs, moths, scale, thrips, fruit flies and spider mites may attack the plant. Susceptible to anthracnose, wilt and mosaic virus (Scott et al., 1970).
Statement of problem
Banana contains a high fibre content, and thus is capable of lowering cholesterol and helps to relieve constipation and hence prevention of colon cancer. Besides this, its high potassium content is found to be useful in the prevention of raising blood pressure and muscle cramp (Ng and Fong, 2000). Various parts of the plant such as the leaves, root, fruit stalk, bract and fruit have been used for medicinal and domestic purposes. The fruit is consumed as food, the leaf juice is used in the treatment of fresh wounds, cuts and insect bites while the leaves act as an arbortifacient. Its sap is used as a remedy for diarrhoea, dysentery, hysteria and epilepsy. A cold infusion of the root is used to treat venereal diseases and anaemia. In addition, the fruit has been reportedly used as antiscorbutic, aphrodisiac and diuretic (Gill, 54 Afr. J. Food Sci. Technol 1992). Adeniji, et al., (2006) reported 100g edible portion of banana to contain 67.30 g moisture, 0.4 g crude fat, 31.15 g carbohydrate, 0.95 mg potassium, 35.1 mg sodium, 71.5 mg calcium, 28 mg phosphorus, 2.4 mg iron, and yielded 116 kcal of energy.
. Omole et al (2008) reported that the peel has the potentials of replacing corn starch in the diet of snail, while the bracts, fruit stalk and leaf at times are left in the farm as wastes. Leaves, pseudostems, fruit stalks and peels, after chopping, fermentation, and drying, yield a meal somewhat more nutritious than alfalfa press-cake. These waste materials have been considered for use as organic fertilizer in Somalia. In Malaya, pigs fed with pseudostems are less prone to liver and kidney parasites than those on other diets.
In view of the their increasing demand, this study was conducted to determine the proximate and mineral composition of Musa sapientum (bracts, fruit stalk, leaf and peel) flour for possible utilization as livestock feeds.
Significance of the study
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the importance or the usefulness of this study:
This research work will also be helpful to individuals who will want to evaluate the nutritional composition of other musa species. The research would also help guide members of the public on the relevance of this and how to optimize its nutritional content.
Objective of study
The broad objective of the study is to provide a proximate analysis and determine the nutritive value of a banana (bracts, fruit stalk, leaf and peel) on white albino rat. Specifically the study would:
