Enhancing ripening of 'Saba' banana (Musa, BBB

group) fruits with gliricidia leaves as ethylene source.

[1991]
Acedo A.L. Jr.; Bautista O.K.; Visayas State Coll. of Agriculture, Baybay, Leyte (Philippines)
[Corporate Author]
'Saba' bananas normally ripen in 5-16 days from harvest. Treatment with gliricidia leaves at 5% of
fruit weight for one day in a polyethylene bag uniformly ripened the fruits 2 days later. This
treatment, however, was less effective by one day than CaC2 at 25g/100 fruits and ethephon at
1,000 ppm as 5-min dip due to lower C2H4 levels during the first 12 hr of treatment (1 ppm). CaC2
treatment resulted in 10,000 ppm acetylene after 6 hr of treatment while ethephon increased C2H4
in fruits to about 4 ppm immediately. Ripening of gliricidia-treated fruits was initiated within 24 hr as
shown by the marked changes in C2H4, CO2 and O2 of the fruits. Ethylene rise was due to
increased activity of the ethylene-forming enzymes (EFE) in the pulp accompanied by increased
synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in both peel and pulp. Peel EFE
increased when the fruit started to yellow. The pulp was more responsive to exogenous ethylene.
Gliricidia-treated fruits had normal physico-chemical and sensory characteristics and had better
visual quality than untreated fruits.

Saba Bananas

Description/Taste
Saba bananas grow in large bunches weighing 26 to 38 kilograms per bunch, and each bunch
can hold up to 16 hands. A hand can contain anywhere from 12 to 20 angled fruits, and Saba
bananas are distinct from other varieties as they are shorter, thicker, and blockier in shape with
sharply angled edges. One Saba banana averages 7 to 13 centimeters in length and is cylindrical
with a subtle curve. The peels are tough, smooth, and leathery with a rubbery feel and ripen
from green to golden yellow at maturity. Underneath the peel, the cream-colored to ivory flesh is
firm, dense, and starchy, encasing a few tiny, undeveloped seeds that are unnoticeable when
eaten. The flesh is meaty, moist, and chewy, with a slightly sturdier mouthfeel than dessert
bananas, but it is still softer in texture than a plantain. When cooked, Saba bananas become soft
and tender, similar to the texture of a potato. Saba bananas are typically selected for cooked
preparations when the peels are still green and are turning yellow. For raw consumption, choose
bananas that have ripened and have a golden yellow-brown peel. Saba bananas have a sweet,
tangy, and starchy taste when raw, developing richer, savory, and sweet flavor notes with a
subtle fruitiness when cooked.

Seasons/Availability
Saba bananas are available year-round.
Current Facts
Saba bananas, botanically classified as Musa acuminata x balbisiana, are a triploid hybrid ABB
variety belonging to the Musaceae family. The short, thick, and angular bananas grow in dense
bunches and are native to the Philippines, where they are cultivated as a food source for
domestic consumption. It is important to note that the term Saba is used for the specific banana
variety grown in the Philippines as well as a banana subgroup that includes several varieties
found worldwide, such as Praying Hands, Ripping, Benedetta, Uht Kapakap, and Inabaniko
bananas. Saba bananas grow on pseudostems reaching 6 to 9 meters in height and are generally
harvested 150 to 180 days after flowering. The variety is slower-maturing than other banana
cultivars, but it has the ability to be produced year-round, providing a steady supply of fruits for
consumption and as a source of income. The cultivar has also expanded beyond its native region
and is grown on a small scale in other countries throughout Southeast Asia. Saba bananas are
known as Kluai Hin in Thailand, Pisang Abu and Pisang Nipah in Malaysia, Biu Gedang Saba in
Java, Pisang Kepok in Indonesia, and Dippig and Opo'ulu in Hawaii. They are also sometimes
referred to as Sweet plantains, Cardaba bananas, Compact bananas, Sab-a, and Kardaba
bananas. In the modern day, Saba bananas are the most popular cooking banana in the
Philippines, and the variety is versatile, able to be eaten fresh or incorporated into an array of
sweet or savory preparations.

Nutritional Value
Saba bananas are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, iron to develop the protein
hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and vitamin C to strengthen the
immune system while reducing inflammation. The bananas also provide vitamin A to maintain
healthy organ functioning, B vitamins, and starches, which are a source of energy for the body.

Applications
Saba bananas have a sweet, tangy, and starchy flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations.
The bananas can be consumed raw when the fruit has ripened, and while uncommon, the fruits
can be treated like any other fresh eating variety: sliced and added to fruit bowls, consumed
with nut butter as a snack, blended into drinks, or added as a fresh topping. Saba bananas are
most popularly cooked and are used when the peels are still green, barely transitioning into
yellow hues. The bananas are cooked into sweet and savory dishes, and when added to savory
preparations, the fruits are prepared like a vegetable. Saba bananas can be battered and fried
into a dish known as maruya or sinapot, or they can be boiled or steamed as a side dish. The
bananas can also be cooked in a mixture of vanilla extract, salt, water, and brown sugar known
as minatamis na saging, sliced, sauteed in butter, and served with syrup, caramelized and
topped with sugar, cinnamon, dried fruits, or nuts, or incorporated into baked goods. In the
Philippines, Saba bananas are famously used in turon, a dessert where bananas are coated in
sugar and fried to develop a caramelization. Try adding cooked Saba bananas to halo-halo, a
dessert with a mix of cold, warm, sticky, crunchy, and chewy ingredients, or cooking the fruits,
adding caramel sauce, and topping over condensed milk or shaved ice in saging con hielo.
Another recipe for Saba bananas in the Philippines is for making ketchup, or banana sauce, an
alternative to tomato ketchup. It is made using vinegar, spices, and sugar, and some recipes call
for chile peppers. It is often mixed with rice or served with meats or chicken. Saba bananas pair
well with cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, caramel, aromatics, including garlic, onions, and
shallots, seafood, and meats such as beef, pork, or poultry. Whole, unopened Saba bananas will
keep at room temperature for a few days to one week, depending on the degree of ripeness.
Once ripe and ready to eat, the fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for an additional day or
two. It is recommended to use the bananas immediately in their desired stage for the best
quality and flavor.

Ethnic/Cultural Info
In the Philippines, several legends attribute the creation of banana plants to a story of lost love.
The first tale tells the story of a young girl, sometimes mentioned as a princess, who enjoyed
walking in the forest by the village. Forests were traditionally known to be where spirits reside,
and one day, the girl met a handsome man in the shadows of the trees. The young girl and man
instantly fell in love, and they spent many days in the protection of the forest, talking and
growing deeper in their connection. Sadly their relationship was cut short when the man said he
had to return to his home before it was too late. The young girl clutched both of his hands in
hers and begged him not to leave. In anguish, the man insisted he must leave, but the girl would
not let go of his hands. Suddenly the man vanished, and to the girl's surprise, she realized he
was not a man but a spirit who dwelled in the forest. All that was left of the man was his two
hands still being held tightly by the girl. The young girl took his hands and buried them in the
ground, watering them with her tears. A few days later, the girl returned to the burial spot and
noticed a plant was sprouting from the grave. The plant eventually grew into a banana plant, and
it is said the shape of the fruit's bunches resembled the man's hands. In other versions of this
legend, the spirit man cuts out his heart and leaves it with the girl. This heart is buried and
becomes the banana flower. In another variation, the man is not a spirit but a human and gets
his hands cut off by the girl's angry father when he discovers the man's forbidden romance with
his daughter.

Geography/History
Saba bananas are native to the Philippines and have been growing wild since ancient times. The
entire plant is used for culinary purposes, including the fruits, stems, flowers, and leaves, and it
is common for families to have banana plants in their home garden landscapes. Saba bananas
are the most commercially produced cooking banana in the Philippines. The variety is favored for
its versatile nature, able to be eaten fresh or cooked, and the plant grows year-round, providing
a steady supply of fruits. There are over ninety species of bananas grown throughout the
Philippines, and Saba bananas are the second most produced variety, behind the Cavendish.
Today Saba bananas are primarily grown for domestic sale and are cultivated on the island of
Mindanao in Davao, Northern Mindanao, and Soccskargen and in the Cagayan Valley on Luzon
Island. When available, Saba bananas are sold through roadside stands, local fresh markets, and
select grocers. The variety is also planted in home gardens throughout the Philippines and in
gardens in Southeast Asia. Outside of Southeast Asia, Saba bananas are sometimes cultivated in
Hawaii and Florida in the United States as a specialty banana.

Bio-properties of Saba banana (Musa

‘saba’, ABB Group): Influence of maturity
and changes during simulated in
vitro gastrointestinal digestion

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
339025109_In_vitro_examination_of_starch_digestibility_of_Saba_banana_Musa_'sa
ba'Musa_acuminata_Musa_balbisiana_impact_of_maturity_and_physical_properties_
of_digesta/download

https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?
recordID=PH19930033814#:~:text='Saba'%20bananas%20normally%20ripen
%20in,the%20fruits%202%20days%20later.

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Saba_Bananas_15268.php
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63501-x