Carbohydrates, amylase and invertase activity during ripening in red and green red banana

Progressive changes in starch and ethanol-soluble sugars and amylase and invertase activity in the flesh and peel of Red banana and its sport. Green Red banana, during post-harvest ripening under natural conditions were evaluated over a six-day period. The stage of rapid disappearance of starch was preceded by rapid increase in total sugars. Maltose, sucrose, glucose and fructose were present in the tissues of both varieties in every stage and all increased in concentration during ripening. Whereas glucose was the most abundant sugar in the Red banana, sucrose was dominant in the Green-Red α-Amylase and invertase activity increased at the time of rapid increase in total sugar. Whereas the general trend of changes in metabolities and enzyme activity was similar in both bananas during ripening, significant quantitative differences existed between the two types.