Potential use of shea nut (Vitteleria paradoxom) butter as skin coat for ripening and improved storage of banana

Abstract: The study was designed to assess the effect of locally produced butter from nuts of shea butter trees (Vitteleria paradoxom) on the ripening and storage of banana. A simple complete randomized experimental design was used to test the effect of coating matured banana fingers with shea butter oil before storage under three temperature conditions viz., 35, 25 and 10 ^oC. Each treatment was replicated three times. Results showed a significant effect of different storage temperatures. Days to ripening between coated and uncoated bananas, and the interaction with storage temperatures were not statistically different. A taste panel's results of assessing the effect of coating treatment on the textual quality of ripe bananas did not show any significant difference neither was there an effect on the appeal of ripened bananas. The result showed that banana fingers stored in the refrigerator at 10^oC lasted beyond 53 days of storage irrespective of the treatment. At 25 ^oC, the coated fingers took 15.7 days to ripen while the uncoated lasted 8 days. Coated banana fingers stored at 35 ^oC took 11.3 days to ripen but the uncoated ripened after 6 days. The use of shea butter for shelf life prolongation is discussed while the test is continuing.