Assessment of phytochemical and mineral composition of unripe and ripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) peels

Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) fruit constitutes a staple food widely consumed predominantly in Africa. The peel, major by-product, of plantain is largely viewed to be little or no significance and consequently discarded, thereby constituting threat the environment. It on account foregoing that this study was designed investigate phytochemical mineral components both unripe ripe peels, possibly suggest ways for its proper utilization. This conducted using standard assay procedures atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. result screening showed presence alkaloids (3.53 ± 0.64 3.4 0.38 g/100 g), flavonoids (0.16 0.05 0.13 0.02 tannins (2.18 0.63 3.22 0.82 g) terpenoids (1.88 0.24 1.83 0.19 respectively. More so, considerable levels Ca (176.30 8.77 176.42 8.94 mg/100 Na (47.37 5.82 47.34 5.72 K (787.70 6.20 787.73 6.29 Mg (81.60 0.12 81.31 0.31 Fe (40.95 15.61 26.25 14.80 were detected peel samples investigated, respectively, with however possessing significantly higher level Fe. amount Pb (0.4 (0.023 0.01 ripe, low (P < 0.05) engender any deleterious consequences. therefore demonstrates that, often undervalued peels contain substantial elements, phytochemicals an infinitesimal toxicants. as result, could further processed utilized nutraceuticals animal feeds.   Key words: Mineral phytochemicals, peels.