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• Banana is a fast growing and high biomass-yielding plant. India is

the largest producer of banana next to mango.

• The major banana producing states are

• Each individual fruit (known as a banana or 'finger') has a protective

outer layer (a peel or skin) with a fleshy, edible inner portion.

• Both skin and inner part can be eaten raw or cooked.

Introduction

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FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

Banana pseudostem products

Tender banana stem is generally used as a vegetable and has

high medicinal values. Sweet candy is prepared from tender banana

pseudostem.

Sweet candy

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Ingredients needed

Banana (tender) stem slices- 500g, Sugar- 1500g, Citric acid- 3g

Potassium meta bi sulphite- 0.5g.

Method

1) Tender fresh banana stem is sliced (4mm thick) and soaked in 0.25

per cent citric acid solution to prevent browning (1:2 ratio).

2) The slices are softened by pressure cooking for 20 minutes and again

soaked in solution containing 0.25 per cent citric acid and 1.0 per cent

calcium chloride for 30 minutes for firming (1:2 ratio).

Contd…

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3. The softened banana stem slices are allowed to soak overnight in

the sugar syrup.

4. The slices are removed from the syrup on the second day another

75 per cent of sugar is added to the syrup and boiled.

5. The partially soaked banana stem slices are again added into the

syrup (cooled) and kept for overnight for the penetration of sugar

into the slices.

6. The procedure is repeated for 3-4 days.

Contd…

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7. During the fourth day citric acid is added while boiling the sugar

syrup and cooled.

8. Potassium meta bi sulphite is added to the syrup and mixed before

adding the slices.

9. The banana stem slices are allowed to soak for 7 days in the

sugar syrup for the maximum sugar penetration into them.

10. The slices are removed from the syrup washed with warm water to

remove the surface sugar syrup coating and dried at room

temperature.

11. Powdered sugar is sprinkled on the partially dried slices to remove

surface moisture (maximum).

Contd…

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Paper industry:

• In this modern age, the consumption of paper and boards has

increased tremendously. Conventionally, paper is manufactured from

cellulosic materials like bamboo, hardwood, cotton rags, etc.

• Agricultural residues of non-woody nature like cotton stalks, wheat

straw, rice straw, sorghum stalks, hemp, jute, etc., are possible raw

materials which could be used for paper and board making

• However, all these require to be digested at high temperature and

pressure, employing energy consumptive and costly processes.

• Thus the search for other raw materials and cost effective processes

continues.

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Banana Fiber is extracted from Banana tree bark.

The trunk is peeled.

Brown-green skin is thrown away retaining the cleaner or white portion

which will be processed into knotted fibers.

The fibers are extracted through hand extraction machine composed of

either serrated or non serrated knives

The peel is clamped between the wood plank and knife and hand-pulled

through, removing the resinous material

The extracted fibers are sun-dried which whitens the fiber.

Banana fiber extraction

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Manual extraction of Banana fibre Coarse banana fibre & livelihood

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This fiber is then used for making various products in attractive designs of various sizes.

Coasters Table Mats Bags Runners Floor Mats Home Furnishings

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Products made by banana fibreNext Previous End

Agro waste utilization

• Banana peels and beet waste are readily available agricultural

waste, yet they seem to be under utilized as potential growth

medium for local yeast strain, despite their rich carbohydrate content

and other basic nutrients that can support yeast growth.

• The indigenous yeast with good fermentation attributes, which may

enhance ethanol yield and minimize cost of production, could be

obtained from ripe banana peels.

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Animal feed

Large quantities of reject bananas are often available for animal

feed, especially in banana exporting countries.

Both cattle and pigs relish ripe bananas, but as an animal feed,

bananas are mainly used for feeding pigs.

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• Because they contain vitamin A, bananas and plantains act as an aid

to digestion, and it is reported that boiled, mashed ripe fruit can be

good for constipation, especially when mixed with other

recommended plants.

• The juice from the male bud provides an apparent remedy for

stomach problems in people of all ages, while there are reports of

the ripe fruit being used in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis.

Medicinal

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• The pounded peels of ripe bananas can be used to make a poultice

for wounds and, as the inside of the peel has anti-septic properties it

can be wrapped directly around wounds or cuts in an emergency.

• In Nigeria, a weaning food based on plantain and soybean has been

developed which is nutritious for babies and can be used as a

therapeutic diet for the treatment of malnutrition and kwashiorkor, which

results from protein deficiency.

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• The large leaves of bananas and plantains

are put to a diversity of uses.

• They make ideal green umbrellas and are

frequently used as disposable plates.

• The use of banana leaves as a “biological

plate” for serving food has gained such

popularity in Southern India

Use of Banana leaves

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• There is a good market demand of all banana products. There is an ample of new local market growing in India. Most of the banana product manufacturers are in the small scale sector. • The government of India has set up a separate full-fledged ministry named “Ministry of Food Processing Industries “for the development and promotion of food processing industries. • Tender banana stem is generally used as a vegetable and has high medicinal values. Sweet candy is prepared from tender banana pseudostem. • This fiber is then used for making various products in attractive designs of various sizes. Coasters, Table Mats, Bags, Runners, Floor Mats and Home Furnishings. Large quantities of rejected bananas are often available for animal feed, especially in banana exporting countries.

Let Us Sum Up

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