Effects of Traditional and Chemical Ripening Methods on the Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Quality of Banana and Pawpaw Fruits
Article Sidebar
March 25, 2024
April 11, 2025
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of traditional and chemical ripening methods on the physicochemical properties and microbial quality of banana and pawpaw fruits. The physicochemical properties and microbial load of the fruits were analyzed using standard analytical and microbiological methods. Unripe banana and pawpaw fruits served as control samples. Naturally ripened bananas had the highest protein (4.63%), fat (1.54%), sugar (9.33%), pH (4.47), and vitamin C (6.16 mg/100 g) contents after 72 hours. In contrast, bananas ripened with calcium carbide exhibited the highest moisture (97.55%), ash (3.00%), fiber (1.67%), carbohydrate (55.16%), and titratable acidity (0.20%) at 72 hours. For pawpaw, the sample placed in an airtight bag had the highest moisture (97.21%) and ash (0.50%) content, whereas the blanched sample had the highest fat (0.13%), carbohydrate (13.33%), and pH (7.77) values. Pawpaw ripened with calcium carbide showed the highest protein (0.96%), titratable acidity (1.20%), and vitamin C (0.98 mg/100 g) contents at 72 hours. Microbial analysis revealed that after 72 hours of ripening, bacterial and fungal isolates were present on the fruit surfaces. The identified bacterial isolates included Pseudomonas spp., Citrobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter spp., Micrococcus spp., and Escherichia coli. Fungal isolates included Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium spp. The results indicate that natural ripening methods, such as open-shelf ripening and airtight bag storage, led to a significant increase in nutrient content compared to chemical ripening with calcium carbide.
References
Muthal, T., Harini, R., Sunil, C. K. and Chidanand, D. V. (2019). Effect of artificial ripening techniques on physico-chemical properties of banana (Musa sp) variety poovan. Int J Pure App Biosci, 7, 482-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7453
Orisa, C. A. and Usoroh, C. I. (2020). Effects of accelerated ripening agents on the fruit quality of pawpaw (Carica papaya). ARC Journal of Nutrition and Growth, 6(2), 42-49. https://doi.org/10.20431/2455-2550.0602006 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.20431/2455-2550.0602006
Roy, M., Hazarika, J., Timung, B. and Basumatary, S. (2023). Effects of Various Indigenous Ripening Methods on Biochemical Characteristics of Banana Cv. Chenichampa. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change, 13(12), 173-177. https://doi.org/10.9734/IJECC/2023/v13i123672. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i123672
. Hussain, A., Kausar, T., Siddique, T., Kabir, K., An, Q. U., Rukhsar, F. and Mahdi, A. A. (2024). Physiological and biochemical variations of naturally ripened mango (Mangifera Indica L.) with synthetic calcium carbide and ethylene. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 2121. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52483-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52483-9
. Farouq, A. U. and Nwani, E. C. (2022). The Effects of Artificial Ripening (Calcium Carbide) on Pawpaw. American Journal of Food Science and Technology, 10(2), 84-88. https://doi.org/10.12691/ajfst-10-2-4.
.Association of Official Analytical Chemist, A.O.A.C. (2019). Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Chemist.
. Pearson D. Pearsons Chemical Analysis of Foods. 8th Edn., Churchill Livingston, Edinburgh, 1981, 591.
. Olubiyo, G. T., Obochi, V. U., Edogbanya, P. R. O., Olubiyo, C. K., Iyeh, V. A., Obaje, J. O. and Matthew, E. O. (2022). Evaluation of the Effect of Calcium Carbide as a Ripening Agent on the Nutritional Value and Heavy Metal Content of Banana and Orange. Nigeria Agricultural Journal, 53(3), 16-21.
. Oseghale, F. O., Fasina, K. A., Ohifueme, A. and Omoruyi, J. (2020). Biocontrol of Food Spoilage Microorganisms using Leaf extracts from Magnifera indica (Mango) and Psidium guajava (Guava). Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 45(4): 712-723. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46602/jcsn.v45i4.496
. Ugwuanyi, R. C., Chibuzor, C. A. and Onah, G. T. Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms Involved in the Spoilage of Pawpaw Fruit (Carica papaya) Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria. Journal of Science and Technology 4(1): 36-43
. Mailafia, S., Olabode, H. O. K. and Osanupin, R. (2017). Isolation and identification of fungi associated with spoilt fruits vended in Gwagwalada market, Abuja, Nigeria. Veterinary world, 10(4), 393. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2017.393-397 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2017.393-397
. Al-Garadi, M. A., Qaid, M. M., Alqhtani, A. H., Alhajj, M. S., Al-abdullatif, A. A. and Al Mufarrej, S. I. (2023). In Vitro antimicrobial efficacy assessment of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of cinnamon (Cinnamomum Verum) bark against selected microbes. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, 25(1), 001-016. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9061-2022-1682. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9061-2022-1682
. Nuhu, A. M., Rabi, A. and Tukur, H. R. (2020). Proximate and elemental analysis of banana fruits (Musa spp) ripened with various concentrations of calcium carbide. Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 45(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.46602/jcsn.v45i4.501
. Adeyemi, M. M., Bawa, M. H. and Muktar, B. (2018). Evaluation of the Effect of Calcium Carbide on Induce Ripening of Banana, Pawpaw and Mango cultivated within Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 43(2), 108-118.
. Abubakar, F., Eleke, P. N. and Bawa, M. H. (2020). Effect of calcium carbide on concentration of trace elements in fruits grown within kaduna metropolis. Int. J. Sci. Eng. Appl, 9(1), 8-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7753/IJSEA0901.1003
. Maduwanthi, S. D. T. and Marapana, R. A. U. J. (2019). Comparative study on aroma volatiles, organic acids, and sugars of Ambul banana (Musa acuminata, AAB) treated with induced ripening agents. Journal of Food Quality, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7653154 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7653154
.Sogo-Temi, C. M., Idowu, O. A. and Idowu, E. (2014). Effect of biological and chemical ripening agents on the nutritional and metal composition of banana (Musa spp). Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 18(2), 243-246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v18i2.14
.Palpandian, P., Shanmugam, H., Rani, E. A. and Prabu, G. T. V. (2019).Determination of fruit quality of calcium carbide induced ripening in mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Alphonso) by physiological, biochemical, bio-enzymatic and elemental composition analysis (EDX). Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), 56(3), 205-213.
.Tafinta, I. Y., Shehu, K., Abdulganiyyu, H., Rabe, A. M. and Usman, A. (2013). Isolation and identification of fungi associated with the spoilage of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) fruits in Sokoto State. Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 21(3), 193-196. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njbas.v21i3.4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/njbas.v21i3.4
. Oladipupo, A. R., Akinleye, M. O. and Coker, H. (2022). The use of calcium carbide in fruit ripening: Health risks and arsenic index as a quantitative marker for calcium carbide residue. Progress in Chemical and Biochemical research, 5(2), 125-132.
.Kifle, D. R., Bacha, K. B., Hora, R. N., & Likasa, L. L. (2024). Evaluation of microbiome and physico-chemical profiles of fresh fruits of Musa paradisiaca, Citrus sinensis and Carica papaya at different ripening stages: Implication to quality and safety management. Plos one, 19(1), e0297574. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297574
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
In a brief statement, the rights relate to the publication and distribution of research published in the journal of the University of Sebha where authors who have published their articles in the journal of the university of Sebha should how they can use or distribute their articles. They reserve all their rights to the published works, such as (but not limited to) the following rights:
- Copyright and other property rights related to the article, such as patent rights.
- Research published in the journal of the University of Sebha and used in its future works, including lectures and books, the right to reproduce articles for their own purposes, and the right to self-archive their articles.
- The right to enter a separate article, or for a non-exclusive distribution of their article with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in the journal of Sebha University.
Privacy Statement The names and e-mail addresses entered on the Sabha University Journal site will be used for the aforementioned purposes only and for which they were used.
