Studies on minimizing the caking phenomenon in tatale mix, a plantain product

Abstract

Studies were conducted on dehydrated tatale mix ( a plantain product) to minimise caking phenomenon. The right level of ripeness of plantain samples for making tatale mix, the comparison of two methods for making the tatale mix as well as the use of anticaking behaviour of all the tatale mix samples were also determined fortnightly over the period. Calcium stearate and four starches (wheat, maize, potato, rice) were used as anticaking agents. The tatale samples were kept on the laboratory bench under room temperature conditions (29 ± 1ᵒC and 75 ± 3% RH) as well as in the refrigerator over eight months period. The right level of ripeness was found to be 60 hours after hard ripe plantain. The method of drying cylindrically sliced ripe plantain followed by milling to obtain the dehydrated tatale mix did not work because of difficulty in milling out. There was significant gain in moisture (between 1.0% and 10.6%) by all samples kept on the laboratory bench at the end of the eight months period leading to non-enzymatic browning whilst there was no browning in all samples kept in the refrigerator. Also, there was caking in all samples kept in the refrigerator over the eight months period. However, there was caking of between 0.5% and 6.8% in all samples kept on the laboratory bench over the eight months period