Banana powder: The health and the wealth aspects

Banana is a tropical fruit grown in over 122 countries worldwide. Until 2004, the cultivated area of 3.8 million hectares and a total production of 56.4 million metric tonnes of the fruit were produced ranking it fourth behind rice, corn, and milk.

Mass cultivation and consumption of bananas in recent decades made it the world's second-largest fruit crop with an estimated gross production exceeds 139 million tonnes (FAO 2010). 

Usually, it is thought that the bananas plant has no use after harvesting the fruit, but it is used in the context significantly: viz. producing bioethanol, single-cell protein, cellulase, citric acid, lactic acid, amylase, cosmetics, fiber, bio-film, paper, bio-plastic bio-electricity in the agro-industry, pharmaceuticals, bio-medical and bio-engineering aspect, etc. 

Banana peels are also useful material. It is also used in different applications like,

1. Antibacterial activity of ethanolic and aqueous extract of banana peels,

2. Production of cellulase by banana peel waste,

3. Production of amylase from the peel of a banana,

4. Production of lactic acid by various waste peels,

5. Use of banana peel as bio-sorbent for treatment of water,

6. The flexural strength of concrete by using banana peel powder as an admixture has increased, though considerably lesser compressive strength has increased.

7. extraction of pectin (for use in food processing) from banana peels,

The chemical and medicinal properties of banana flour is less studied but it possesses excellent properties like:

(i)  Banana peel has nutrients and compounds including protein, dietary fiber, potassium, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and essential amino acids as well as antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids, catecholamines, and polyphenols. Banana peel is also a good source of antioxidants and dietary fiber. 

(ii)  Banana peels are rich sources of total phenolics.

(iii)  The dietary fiber content in banana peel exhibited 50 g/100g dry matter. Since banana peel contained high valuable compounds, including dietary fiber fractions, it is great potential in the preparation of foods and functional foods.

(iv)  Examples of functional properties of banana peels are oil holding capacity, water holding capacity, foam capacity, emulsification, whipping capacity, viscosity, and gelation. Hence, functional properties play an important role in the formulation of food products and product processing.

World-leading banana and plantain producers are India, China, Uganda, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Nigeria. The native people have been utilizing these plants more than just for food purposes but have begun to explore the possibilities of utilizing banana plants in their daily life.