Effect of calcium carbide induced ripening on the vitamin C and mineral composition of banana (Musa acuminata) and papaya (Carica papaya) fruits sourced from Benin city, Nigeria.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Due to increase in demand of banana fruits, vendors have resulted to hastening the ripening process by subjecting unripe fruits to the action of calcium carbide.
Objectives: The study sought to investigate the possible effect of calcium carbide induced fruit ripening on the vitamin C and mineral composition of banana and papaya fruits.
Methods: Two types of fruits (banana and papaya) were ripened using calcium carbide, while fruits in the control group were allowed to ripen naturally. The vitamin C content of the fruits was determined by iodometric titration; Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and Flame Spectrophotometry were used in the determination of mineral elements (sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium).
Results: The vitamin C content of calcium carbide ripened banana and papaya fruits was found to be 4.5mg/ml and 2.78mg/ml respectively. Vitamin C content was lower in the calcium carbide ripened fruits than in the fruits that were allowed to ripen naturally. The sodium, potassium and magnesium concentrations in the calcium carbide ripened banana and papaya fruits were found to be lower than those of the control. The concentration of calcium in the calcium carbide ripened banana and papaya fruits was found to be lower (5.30±0.01) in the case of papaya and higher (3.05±0.35) in banana fruit when compared with those of the control which ripened naturally.
Conclusion: Artificial ripening causes harmful effects on the body and also affects the nutritional quality of fruits. Thus the use of artificial ripening agents must be strictly monitored and controlled.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Zahir E, Naqui II. and Uddin SM (2009). Market Basket Survey of Selected Metals in Fruits from Karachi City (Pakistan), Journal of Basic Applied Science 5(2): 47-52.
Slavin JL and Lloyd B. (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 3(4):506-516.
Altemimi A, Lakhssassi N, Baharlouei A, Watson DG, Lightfoot DA. (2017). Phytochemicals: Extraction, Isolation, and Identification of Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extracts. Plants (Basel), 6(4):42.
Kumar KPS, Bhowmik D, Duraivel, S, Umadevi, M (2012). Traditional and Medicinal Uses of Banana. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 1(3):51-63
Stone MS, Martyn L and Weaver CM (2016). Potassium Intake, Bioavailability, Hypertension, and Glucose Control. Nutrients 8 (7):444.
PinnamaneniR (2017). Nutritional and Medicinal Value of Papaya (Carica papaya Linn.). World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 6(8): 2559-2578
Aravind, G, Bhowmik, D, Duraivel S, Harish G (2013). Traditional and medicinal uses of Carica papaya. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 1(1):7-15
Joshi, H, Kuna, A., Lakshmi, MN, Shreedhar M and Kumar AK. (2017). Effect of Stage of Maturity, Ripening and Storage on Antioxidant Content and Activity of Mangifera Indica L. var. Manjira 2(3): 1-9
Maduwanthi SDT and Marapana RA (2019). Induced Ripening Agents and their Effects on Fruit Quality of Banana. International Journal of Food. 1-8.
Fattah, SA, Ali MY (2010). Carbide ripened fruits - A recent health hazard. Faridpur Medical College Journal, 5(2), 37.
Rahim MD. (2012). Indiscriminate Use of Chemical in Fruits and Their Health Effects. Journal of Food Science and Engineering. 10.17265/2159-5828/2012.09.004.
Siddiqui MW and Dhua RS. (2010). Eating artificial ripened fruits is harmful. Current Science, 99(12), 1664-1668.
Igbinaduwa PO and Aikpitanyi-Iduitua RO (2016). Calcium Carbide-induced Alterations of Hematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Wistar Rats. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences 6(1):1396-1400
Ikewuchi CJ, Ikewuchi CC (2010). Iodometric Determination of the Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Content of Some Fruits Consumed in a University Community in Nigeria. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 17(1):47-49
AOAC (2002). Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 15th ed., Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington VA, 1058-1059.
Adeyemi MM, Bawa MH 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 Chemical Society Nigeria 43(2)108-118.
Lee SK and Kader AA (2000). Preharvest and Postharvest Factors Influencing Vitamin C Content of Horticultural Crops. Postharvest Biology and Technology.20; 207-220.
Iroka CF, Akachukwu EE, Adimonyemma RN, Okereke NC, Nwogiji CO (2016). Effects of Induced Ripening and Mineral Composition of Carica papaya (Pawpaw Fruit). European Journal of Medicinal Plants 15(3):1-10.
Myat HH, Tun NK and May TTW (2016).Comparative Studies on the Nutritive Values of Natural Ripened and Artificial Ripened Carica papaya L (papaya). 1-13.
Adeyeye EI (2002). Determination of the chemical composition of the nutritionally valuable parts of male and female common West African fresh water crab Sudananautes africanus africanus. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition 53:189-196.
Arinathan V, Mohan VR, John De Britto A (2003). Chemical composition of certain tribal pulses in South India. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition 54:209-217.