Extraction of soluble sugars from banana puree to obtain a matrix rich in non-starch polysaccharides.

Banana has non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in its cell wall similar to dietary fiber from cereals like oats. These NSP could be used as potential functional ingredient due to their prebiotic action and potential food immunomodulators. However, NSP purification is limited due to high quantities of soluble sugars accumulate during banana ripening. The aim of this study was to extract soluble sugars from ripe banana (Musa cavendishii var. Nanicao) to obtain a purified NSP matrix. Two different extraction methodologies (solid-liquid extraction SLE and ultrasound-assisted extraction UAE) were tested using ethanol (99.5 mL/100 mL) as solvent. Soluble sugars were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). SLE and UAE showed to be effective in extraction process of soluble sugars. Best results were obtained with SLE at sample/solvent ratio of 1:5, 65 degrees C and 30 min of extraction time. A solid residue with NSP was obtained, that could be used as a functional ingredient.