"EATING QUALITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF FLAVORED SABA BANANA (Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana) ABB GROUP AS FRIES AT DIFFERENT MATURITY STAGE "

The study was conducted to evaluate the potential of Saba Banana (Masa acuminata x Musa balbisiana) ABB group, as fries made from different stages of maturity, in terms of its taste, color, texture, appearance and overall acceptability and to determine which maturity and flavoring is the finest to be used
A two factor experiment in a completely randomized design was used in this study. This factorial study, are as follows. A; Maturity at harvest, B, flavoring, Three age level was considered with ten respondents per level, resulting to firty respondents as evaluators.
The result revealed that the saba banana maturity at harvest on fruit weight after peeling shows a highly significant difference between treatment, 130 days maturity recorded highest with an average weight of 70.31 grams, however, the average weight, of peeled fruit at 120 and 125 days maturity were comparatively similar. A significant result, was also obtained on fries recovery, 125 days of maturity with 79.20% were comparable to 120 days and 130 days of maturity. In brix analysis a highly significant difference was observed, the 130 days of maturity was recorded highest with 5.13% of sugar content due to breakdown of starch to sugars as part of the ripening process.
The result on acceptability of saba banana fries was finest at 125 days maturity during harvest. Further, the respondents has positive acceptance in terms of texture and weight as excellent among other maturity, due to its crunchiness, and moderate fluffiness which blended well with additional flavor in such banana fries