Effect of prolonged cooking on pro-vitamin A levels of biofortified East African highland bananas

Stephen Buah, Janefer Kiwummulo, Jean-Yves Paul, Joel Walugembe, Jackline Wegesa, Robooni Tumuhimbise & Wilberforce Tushemereirwe

GM Crops and Food; Pages 516-526; Published online: 09 Jul 2025

ABSTRACT

Genetically modified East African highland bananas (EAHBs) with elevated levels of pro-vitaminA (pVA) have been developed to address vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in Uganda. The green, maturefruits of EAHBs are traditionally prepared into “matooke,” a soft, savory dish made by peeling,steaming, and mashing the fruit. Biofortifying such a culturally embedded food offers an effectiveapproach to improving nutrition, particularly among vulnerable populations. Field trials of pVA-biofortified EAHBs have been conducted at four locations across Uganda, with data collectionnearing completion. However, the effect of prolonged cooking, a common traditional preparationmethod, on pVA carotenoid retention had not been evaluated. This study investigated the reten-tion of β-carotene equivalents (β-CE) during extended cooking in two elite events, each of hybridM9 and Nakitembe. After 1 h of cooking, β-CE concentrations declined significantly in both wild-type and biofortified lines. Further cooking, up to 8 h, did not result in additional significant losses.By the eighth hour, β-CE levels remained above the target threshold of 20 µg/g dry weight (DW) inone M9 event (21.7 µg/g DW) and both Nakitembe events (28.7 and 27.6 µg/g DW), compared to12.8 and 17.6 µg/g DW in their respective wild-type controls. This confirms that the biofortifiedbananas can deliver meaningful nutritional benefits under customary preparation methods. Theseresults are not only pivotal for selecting final lead and backup events but also provide compellingevidence of trait stability, further supporting the case for deployment of biofortified EAHBs toimprove public health outcomes in East Africa.

See https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/21645698.2025.2529637?needAccess=true