Comparative Analysis of Starch Extracted from Banana (Musa spp.) Corms: Evaluation of Antioxidant Properties and Other Nutritional Properties

Abstract

Banana corms are frequently regarded as agricultural waste globally, in contrast to the other parts of the banana plant. This study focuses on developing an optimal procedure for extracting starch from the banana corm and evaluating its antioxidant activity and nutritional composition to determine whether it has the potential to be used in food products. Starch was extracted from the banana corm using the wet milling method, and 1% Ascorbic acid was used to prevent browning. Three Sri Lankan banana varieties, Embul, Ambun, and Alukesel were used in the study. The starch yield ranged between 2.11% to 7.2%, with the highest obtained from Ascorbic acid-treated Embul (Embul-As). Ascorbic acid treatment significantly improved both starch yield and color (p < 0.05). The highest DPPH radical scavenging activity for Ascorbic free samples was given by Embul, which is 1.96 mg AAE/g. Nutritional profiling of Embul-As revealed favorable macronutrient content, including carbohydrate 82.2% and an energy value of 337 kcal/100g. These findings highlight banana corm-starch as a sustainable, underutilized resource with strong potential for innovative applications in food product development.