Biochemical and Phytochemical Characteristics of Instant Foutou Flours Based on Plantain (FHIA 21) and Cassava (Bonoua 2) Grown in Côte d’Ivoire

Aims: Plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) is an important starchy product for people living both village and city areas of Côte d'Ivoire. It is a highly perishable product. Because of its highly perishable nature, it is therefore necessary to transform plantain into instant foutou (pounded plantain with or without the addition of cassava) flour in order to reduce post-harvest losses. This study objective to determine the biochemical and phytochemical composition of instant flours foutou made from plantain with the addition of cassava grown in Côte d'Ivoire. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Tropical Products Technology at Nangui ABROGOUA University Abidjan - Côte d'Ivoire, between November 2016 and July 2020. Methodology: The fingers of the FHIA 21 variety, harvested 90 days after flowering, were processed into flour by additing cassava. The biochemical and phytochemical characteristics of the different composite foutou flours were determined using standardised and referenced tests. Results: The results of the five composite flours indicated that these flours have a high dry matter content above 92%, reflecting a low moisture content. The highest total sugar content was observed in flour FH2 (21.30 ± 0.03%) and the highest starch content was obtained in formulation FH1. The pH values of the flours are around 5, reflecting their low acidity. The values of total polyphenols are between 355.49 ± 0.57% and 582.34 ± 0.00%). The composite flour FH2 has the highest value of total tannins, oxalates and total phytates. Conclusion: These instant composite foutou flours made from plantains (FHIA 21) with added cassava (Bonoua 2) can be promoted to local people as an alternative solution for reducing post-harvest losses of plantains in Côte d'Ivoire.