ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Abstract. The processing of tropical fruits is featured among the various sectors of the Brazilian agribusiness, and the great importance of banana production for the national agriculture. The high consumption and the popularity of this fruit are related to its high nutritional value and low cost. The early maturation of the fruit has been considered as limiting factor for consumption. Therefore, the dehydration of the bananas becomes an alternative to delay the enzymatic browning and to minimize the loss of the fruit. The aim of this study was characterizing the physical aspects of banana "in natura", and comparing the physical and chemical characteristics of bananas (Musa sp.) submitted to two drying treatments, the first process using biomass energy via gasification as an alternative process, and the other was the conventional drying process using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as heat source for heating the drying air at 70 °C in both cases. The analysis utilized for physico-chemical characterization of dehydrated banana was pH analysis, total acidity, reducing sugars and ascorbic acid. It was found that the physico-chemical characterization of dried banana, pH and total acidity for both drying methods were similar. The amount of ascorbic acid to the drying method using LPG for heating the drying air was higher than drying method via charcoal gasification, while the amount of reducing sugars was higher for dehydrated bananas by drying method via charcoal gasification.