Genotype and ripening method affect carotenoid content and bio-accessibility in banana

Authors: MUNOZ, BRIAN - North Carolina State University; HAYES, MICEALA - North Carolina State University; PERKINS-VEAZIE, PENELOPE - North Carolina State University; GILLET, NICOLAS - Dole Food Company; MUNOZ, MIGUEL - Dole Food Company; KAY, COLIN - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); LILA, MARY ANN - North Carolina State University; FERRUZZI, MARIO - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); IORIZZO, MASSIMO - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Food & Function
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2024
Publication Date: 3/4/2024
Citation: Munoz, B., Hayes, M., Perkins-Veazie, P., Gillet, N., Munoz, M., Kay, C., Lila, M., Ferruzzi, M.G., Iorizzo, M. 2024. Genotype and ripening method affect carotenoid content and bio-accessibility in banana. Food & Function. 15:3433-3445. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo04632j.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo04632j

Interpretive Summary: Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for human health supporting vision, immunity and healthy growth and development. Individuals with vitamin A deficiency (VAD) are typically more susceptible to infections than those with adequate vitamin A levels. VAD is also a leading cause of blindness in children worldwide. Among staple foods, including main staples for children, banana has been explored as a target crop for carotenoid biofortification as some banana accessions are a rich source of carotenoids. This study is the first to compare carotenoid and starch content relative to the carotenoid bioaccessibility (a predictor of absorption in humans) across multiple ripeness stages and ripening methods in a large set of banana accessions. Our findings suggest that carotenoid, content and carotenoid bioaccessibility vary significantly across genetic accessions. Moreover, applying ethylene during ripening affects all traits, including the provitamin A bioacessible content that can be derived. This knowledge will be used to enhance banana biofortification efforts for the public programs.

Technical Abstract: Bananas (Musa spp.) are a target crop for provitamin A carotenoids (pVACs) biofortification programs aiming at reducing the negative impact on health caused by vitamin A deficiency in vulnerable populations. However, studies to understand the effect of ripening methods and stages and the genotype on carotenoid content and bioaccessibility in the banana germplasm are scarce. This study evaluated carotenoid content and bioaccessibility in 27 different banana accessions at three maturation stages and two ripening methods (natural ripening and ethylene ripening). Across most accessions, total carotenoid content (TCC) increased from unripe to ripe fruit, only two accessions showed a marginal decrease. The ripening method affected carotenoid accumulation; 18 accessions had lower TCC when naturally ripened compared with the ethylene ripening group, while nine accessions showed higher TCC when ripened with exogenous ethylene, suggesting that treating bananas with exogenous ethylene might directly affect TCC accumulation, but the response is accession dependent. Additionally, carotenoid bioaccessibility varied across genotypes and was correlated with the amount of soluble starch and resistant starch. These findings highlight the importance of ripening methods and genotypes in maximizing banana carotenoid content and bioaccessibility, which could contribute to improving pVACs delivery in biofortification programs.