Determination of Nutritional and Antinutritional Composition of Waste Obtained from Plantain, Banana and Maize

This study investigated the concentrations of pesticide residues and heavy metals in maize shafts, plantain peels, and banana peels. A total of 34 pesticide residues and 7 heavy metals were analyzed, revealing significant variations across the samples. Among the pesticide residues, atrazine recorded the highest concentration in maize shafts (4.6002 mg/kg), followed by carbofuran (1.5708 mg/kg), dichloroprop (1.6167 mg/kg), and carbendazim (1.4841 mg/kg). Plantain peels exhibited notable levels of oxamyl (2.1760 mg/kg), dichloroprop (2.1440 mg/kg), and 2,4-D (2.2464 mg/kg). Banana peels had the lowest levels of phosphine (0.2617 mg/kg) and simazine (0.1491 mg/kg) but recorded relatively higher concentrations of dichlorvos (0.9250 mg/kg) and oxamyl (1.5504 mg/kg). For heavy metals, manganese was the most abundant in maize shafts (19.80267 mg/kg), followed by copper (3.174783 mg/kg) and chromium (0.131529 mg/kg). Plantain peels showed intermediate levels, including nickel (0.014236 mg/kg) and cobalt (0.069524 mg/kg), while banana peels had the lowest concentrations of cadmium (0.00805 mg/kg) and cobalt (0.058294 mg/kg). Comparatively, literature reported lower manganese concentrations in similar food products, such as 12.304 mg/kg in maize and 9.467 mg/kg in plantain, suggesting regional differences in contamination levels. Most pesticide residues and heavy metal concentrations were within permissible limits set by international standards, but their presence shows the need for regular monitoring and stricter regulatory measures. This study highlights the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and offers critical insights into the safety of these agricultural byproducts.