Processing of banana mangará: Microbiological evaluation and development of preserves and appetizers with a focus on sensory qualities and gastronomic applications

Banana inflorescences, known as mangará, are non-conventional edible plants (NCEP) found in banana cultivation. Despite their nutritional potential, they are underutilized due to rapid oxidation and tannins, which cause unpleasant sensory characteristics. This research aimed to process mangará to maintain its microbiological, physical, and sensory quality for food applications. Initially, mangará was physically characterized and treated to reduce oxidation and tannin taste. Three types of preserves were developed: water-based (WMP), vinegar-based (VMP), and pickle-based (PMP). These preserves underwent physicochemical and microbiological characterization and sensory evaluation by gastronomy professionals. WMP was also used to prepare appetizers (mangará caponata and relish antipasti), subjected to sensory analysis. PMP showed higher titratable acidity, soluble solids, and protein content (2.76 mg; 4.0 ± 0.1 °Brix; 0.45 ± 0.01%). Only VMP and PMP met the pH requirement (below 4.5). All formulations had low lipid content and were microbiologically safe. Microbiological evaluations confirmed the absence of pathogenic bacteria. Colorimetric analysis showed no difference in the b∗ value between samples. Similar antioxidant activity was observed for VMP (10.01 μmol TE/mL) and PMP (7.87 μmol TE/mL). Sensory evaluation indicated that all samples were accepted, with scores ranging from “slightly liked” to “liked very much”. Mangará caponata was the most preferred appetizer. The study demonstrated the feasibility of processing mangará into microbiologically safe and sensory-pleasing preserves and appetizers, highlighting their potential for innovative culinary uses. Further research should explore processing methods' scalability and preserve long-term stability.