Bananas of six different varieties, marmelo, ouro, maçã, nanica, prata and YB 42-03 were dried in an upward air-circulated drier after pre-treatment in antioxidant solution prepared with citric and ascorbic acids. Ripe bananas of five varieties usually found in the local market and one variety resistant to Sigatoka Negra disease (YB 42-03) were tested. Control fruits compared to those completely submerged under the antioxidant solution had similar physico-chemical composition and drying curves. The dried products showed peculiar characteristics of size, color, titrable acidity, pH and reducing and non reducing sugars. This work shows that it is possible to prepare a standard quality product based on know-how easy to be applied and to make good use of natural characteristics of the fruits to obtain final products with distinct quality.
Musa spp.; cultivars; dehydration; antioxidant; quality
