Determination of Some Fruit Quality Characteristics of Azman Banana Cultivar at Different Ripening Stages

Banana (Musa cavendishii L.), a member of the Musaceae family, it is a tropical climate plant and an important fruit with high nutritional value that can only grow in the subtropical climate zone.Banana, widely consumed in the countries where it is cultivated, has recently been extensively grown in the coastal regions of our country as well. Due to its richness in bioactive phenols, antioxidants, and potassium, it is recognized as an excellent source of nutrition.mThis study investigated the effects of different ripening stages on the bioactive compounds in bananas of the Azman cultivar. The results revealed that bioactive compounds varied depending on the stages of ripening. The study determined that L*, a*, and b* color values increased proportionally with the ripening duration. It was found that green bananas had lower total phenolic and antioxidant contents compared to ripe fruits. Furthermore, the soluble sugar content (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) in Azman bananas increased during the ripening process. While the levels of citric, malic, and succinic acids increased with ripening, the content of oxalic acid decreased.