Abstract:
To assess consumer acceptability of the new cooking banana hybrids, a study was conducted to compare consumer preference for Saba, Yangambi KM 5, FHIA 25, FHIA 03, BITA 3 and Apantu (control) for chips, Kakro, Ofam, Ampesi and fried ripe plantain. A total of twenty trained male and female taste panelists were involved in the study. Panelists were presented with coded samples of five recipes prepared from the hybrid cooking bananas. Plantain chips are deep-fried thin slices of fruits. Fried plantains are thick slices of peeled ripe fruits that are dipped into salted water and fried in vegetable oil. Ampesi is the local name for boiled green plantains. Kakro is made with blended over-ripe fruit of plantains mixed with corn flour (about 30%), powdered chilies, salt and other spices. The paste thus formed is molded into balls and fried in vegetable oil. Ofam is blended over-ripe fruits, mixed with powdered chilies, other spices, salt and palm oil and baked in an oven to form a cake. The results indicated that KM 5, BITA 3 and FHIA 25 were highly preferred when fried at stages 3 and 4 of ripening. Saba and FHIA 03 were also accepted though not as high as the other three accessions. All accessions were highly preferred when used as chips. BITA 3 was highly preferred for Ampesi whereas KM 5 and FHIA 25 were partially preferred as Ampesi. Saba and FHIA 03 were totally rejected. However when used for Ofam, all the varieties were highly preferred. Cooking bananas could be highly preferred by Ghanaian consumers when processed. The processing might have coated the banana characteristics of the varieties.
B.M. Dzomeku , M. Osei-Owusu , A.A. Ankomah , E. Akyeampong and S.K. Darkey , 2006. Sensory Evaluation of Some Cooking Bananas in Ghana. Journal of Applied Sciences, 6: 835-837.
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