Avaliação dos compostos fenólicos e do amido resistente em farinhas de banana verde (Musa spp.) com foco na bioacessibilidade do amido resistente.

Abstract

The banana (Musa spp.) is one of the most widely cultivated tropical fruits in the world. However, significant losses occur in the production of green bananas, which are rejected for consumption due to certain deficiencies and are not suitable for export. Green banana flour, which can be made using either the whole fruit or just the pulp, is a sustainable and functional alternative for consumption. Studies show that the high resistant starch content still present in the unripe fruit benefits colon health, lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the centesimal composition, resistant starch content, in vitro bioaccessibility, and phenolic compounds in flours containing only the pulp and whole fruit flour (containing both peel and pulp), produced at EMBRAPA - Empresa Mandioca e Fruticultura, which were compared to two brands of commercially available green banana flours purchased locally in Belo Horizonte/Minas Gerais. The pulp and whole fruit flours showed moisture content in line with regulations (15g/100g). The protein content in both pulp and whole fruit flours did not differ, in contrast to the commercial flours, which had higher protein content and lower fat content. The pulp flour had a higher resistant starch content (57.6g/100g) compared to the whole fruit flour (41.5g/100g). The commercial flours had lower resistant starch content. The total phenolic compound content was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, with higher content observed in commercial flour 2 and the whole fruit flour compared to the pulp flour. In the in vitro bioaccessibility test, it was noted that the values obtained for the whole fruit and pulp flours showed low in vitro bioaccessibility. These low levels can be explained by the high resistance of the starch, which is not digested in the stomach and is fermented in the colon. These results demonstrate the importance of evaluating green banana flours, as the high resistant starch content present in the flours can be used as a functional food due to its beneficial effects on the body. It can also be incorporated into recipes, especially for celiac individuals, as it is a gluten-free flour alternative, as well as for individuals with diabetes and dyslipidemias.