Selected Commercial Banana Cooking Varieties

Abstract

Bananas are a rich source of both macronutrients and micronutrients. The cooking types have starchy fruits and are used in their mature unripe form as vegetables, and mostly cooked before consumption.They are a rich source of carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin B6, which helps fight infection and is essential for the synthesis of ‘heme’, the iron containing pigment of hemoglobin. Additionally, bananas are an excellent source of fibre. Cooking bananas can also be converted to other products such as flour, wine, beerand weaning food products. Green (un-ripened) bananas also can be sliced. Low productivity of local banana varieties and low adoption of improved varieties has led to low banana supplies that cannot meet the demand occasioned by the increasing human population driven by a more nutritionally aware consumer base. Farmers are increasingly finding adoption of improved banana varieties with market driven traits necessary in order meet the market demands. Important cooking banana cultivars available in Kenya include Uganda green, Ngombe and FHIA 17, some of which are also dual purpose varieties to make chips and crisps.