Effect of Peeling Method on the Absorption of Aqueous Bisulfite by Green Bananas

Abstract

Peeling of green bananas is facilitated by heating the fruit in steam or hot water. When fruit peeled with hot water and steam was sulfited in an aqueous K₂S₂O₅ solution at room temperature, sulfite uptake increased with the concentration of the sulfiting solution and the length of the dip, but decreased when the pH of the sulfiting solution was lowered by the addition of citric acid. Lowering the pH of the sulfiting solution lowered the pH and increased the acidity of the fruit, but these changes had no effect on flavor. When steam-peeled fruit blanched in hot water at 200° F (93° C) was sulfited, sulfite uptake increased with length of the treatment; when fruit was blanched in steam, sulfite uptake decreased as time of blanching increased.