CHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF DEVELOPING CULINARY BANANA (MUSA ABB) KACKKAL

The variations in chemical constituents and activities of acid phospha tase, alpha-glucan phosphorylase and polyphenol oxidase at five differ ent stages of development of a culinary banana were determined. Moistu re, crude fat, crude protein and most of the minerals were higher duri ng the earlier stages of development and declined towards maturity. Po tassium was the most abundant mineral with estimated values in the ran ge of 4.10-5.55 g per 100 g dry weight. An active synthesis of starch throughout the growth period occurred. During this period total solubl e sugar declined. The amylose:amylopectin ratio in the starch fraction remained constant. The activity of alpha-glucan phosphorylase in the direction of starch synthesis showed a synchronizing increase while th at of acid phosphatase declined throughout. There was a gradual decrea se in phenol content during development which did not show correlation with corresponding change in polyphenol oxidase activity.