82 



Per-centage Composition of Banana Meals. 



a. 



Jamaica. 



B. 



Surinam. 



C. 

 Surinam. 



Water 



Albuminoids (true) - 

 Starch, sugar, gum. &c. 

 Oil - - - ' - 

 Fibre .... 

 Ash - 



Nutrient ratio 



Nutrient value 



16-5 

 25 



77-7 



1-0 



•7 



2-6 



H-3 



23 



79-5 



•7 



•9 



2 3 



1:32 



82 



1:35 



83 



13-1 

 3-3 



58'7 

 5*5 

 8-7 



10-7 



1:22 



74 



It is noticeable how widely the nutrient ratio (or proportion of 

 albuminoids to starch plus the starch-equivalent of the oil) diverges in 

 all these meals from the ratio of a perfect food, which should show the 

 proportion of about one to five. In the analyses by Mr. L. E. Asser 

 the above divergence seems less marked, for he has calculated the 

 whole of the nitrogen present as if it existed in the albuminoid form. 

 I find that this is far from being the case. la his Surinam sample 2 (B. 

 above) 71 per cent, only of the nitrogen present is albuminoid ; in his 

 sample 5, made from the peels, 77 per cent. In other respects my 

 results and his agree well. 



I would further remark that sample A. (from Jamaica) was probably 

 made from fruits still more unripe than those which were used in the 

 preparation of B. and C. For in this meal no more than 56 per cent, 

 of the total nitrogen exists in the albuminoid form, the remaining 

 44 per cent, being present in the less highly elaborated state of amides, 

 &c, the food value of which is either nil or very slight. 



In all the above samples starch is more abundant than sugar ; the 

 proportion of the latter increases as the fruit ripens. 



The constituent set down as " oil " in the table of analyses is the 

 ether-extract of the meals. In the case of 0, the meal prepared from 

 the peels, it consists partly of wax and colouring matter. 



In the ash of the meal prepared from peels a notable quantity of 

 manganese was found. Traces of copper occurred in all the samples. 



Yours truly, 

 (Signed) A. H. Church. 



Samples of the unripe fruits of the plantain, dried whole without the 

 peel and slightly scraped, are in the Kew Museum from British Guiana. 

 There are also dried plantains in thin transverse slices from Bombay 

 and British Guiana. Plantain and banana meals are shown from 

 Madras of a dark colour ; from Fiji of a light chocolate colour ; from 

 Jamaica both of a dark and light colour. The latter sent by Mr. 

 Chitty is of excellent texture and quality. It has been in the Museum 

 nearly 35 years. 



