The dessert cultivars which are eaten raw are also able to exceed 100% of the DRIs for children and meet 77–93% of the DRIs for women if 100 g of fruit at ripening stage 5 are consumed. Since the cooking and plantain cultivars are not consumed raw, their respective retinol activity equivalent and its contribution to the DRIs can be expected to change following processing (Ruel, 2001). Determination of the content, bioaccessibility and retention of the provitamin A carotenoids in these banana cultivars after processing using the cooking methods commonly used in the specific regions is therefore important.