Crude anthocyanin-rich extract from banana bracts (Musa cavendish) and its application as an antioxidant in Birz

The bract, a byproduct of banana cultivation, is rich in anthocyanin content and it can be used as an antioxidant. In the current study, anthocyanin-rich extract prepared from banana bracts (Musa cavendish) was incorporated in Birz (local Ethiopian beverage). The total anthocyanin content in the extracts was determined by spectrophotometry and the antioxidant activity was measured by the DPPH assay method. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize key operational parameters like temperature, pH, and liquid-solid ratio on the anthocyanin extraction from banana bracts. An empirical regression quadratic model was established to relate the anthocyanin extraction with the above three parameters and analysis of variance showed the significance of the model with R-2 > 0.95. The extraction was found to be optimum at the temperature of 50 degrees C, pH at 4.0, and solid/solvent ratio of 1:10 (W/V) using Box-Behnken design. The crude anthocyanin extract at concentrations ranging from 0 to 25% was incorporated into Birz and its physicochemical properties were analyzed. Results showed that 15% anthocyanin crude extract was well accepted by sensory panelists and the juice can be stored for up to 7 days under refrigeration without much loss of anthocyanin.