Formulation and Evaluation of Quality Characteristics of Complementary Food

Background: Banana (Genus Musa) cultivars have been farmed for a long time all over the world. Various parts of this plant have nutritional and therapeutic applications. According to research, various components of the banana can be used to cure ailments, such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, ulcers, diarrhea, urolithiasis, Alzheimer's, and infections. Despite such vast knowledge about bananas, there is a lacuna in exploring the different varieties with their nutritional value and suitability. Objective: The present study was carried out to analyze the nutritional composition of different varieties of bananas and their consumption. Methods: Robusta, Rasakadali, and Red banana varieties were studied for their chemical and nutrient composition and wide consumption. Results: Among the observed varieties, Robusta was found to have high protein (1.99 ± 0.10), fat (0.18 ± 0.01), carbohydrates (78.76 ± 0.01), ash (1.23 ± 0.1), fiber (1.00 ± 0.10), and energy (316.81 ± 0.00) as compared to other varieties. Minerals like calcium (6.25 ± 0.77), manganese (0.81 ± 0.00), and iron (0.10 ± 0.00) were found to be slightly high in Robusta. Furthermore, sensory acceptability results revealed that the cakes prepared by Robusta had the highest acceptability scores. Conclusion: Robusta had better nutrient and chemical composition along with a good sensory profile compared to the other two varieties and thus preferred for cake preparation.