Value-added Processing of Bananas and Plantain

Banana and Plantain Processing for a Healthier Diet

This value-added processing technology transform bananas and plantains into a range of marketable products. Both ripe and unripe fruits can be utilized. Unripe bananas and plantains are typically peeled, sliced, and dried (either in the sun or using dehydrators) before grinding into flour. This flour boasts a high resistant starch content and can be used as a partial substitute for wheat flour in various applications like baking and pasta production. For ripe bananas, the process involves peeling and pulping the fruit to create a puree ideal for use in beverages, dairy products like yogurt, and even ice cream. Alternatively, sliced bananas can be dried or deep-fried to produce healthy snacks in the form of banana chips. Notably, the processing methods can be adapted for small-scale, community-based operations or scaled up for industrial production lines.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: No impact

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Postharvest losses: Bananas and plantains are perishable crops and can quickly deteriorate after harvest, leading to significant losses.
Unattractive Appearance: Traditional flour processing can result in a brownish color that is not appealing to consumers.
Diverse Flour Processing Challenges: Different banana and plantain cultivars have varying starch properties, which can pose challenges in meeting specific industrial requirements.
Low Availability of Digestible Carbohydrates: In their natural form, bananas and plantains may not provide a high availability of digestible carbohydrates.

Solution

Enhanced Shelf Life: Techniques like flour production and pulping are employed to create longer-lasting banana and plantain-based items.
Color Improvement: Blanching or soaking in sodium metabisulfite or organic acids is recommended to counteract the unattractive brownish color typically associated with traditional flour processing.
Improve Starch Content: Different cultivars are utilized to produce flours with varying starch properties, aiming to meet specific industrial requirements related to thickening, resistant starch, and dietary needs.
Increasing Availability of Digestible Carbohydrates: The technology enhances the availability of digestible carbohydrates by processing the bananas and plantains into various forms such as flour, chips, and pulps. This increases the nutritional value and digestibility of these crops.

Key points to design your project

The Value-added Processing of Bananas and Plantain technology offers multifaceted benefits. It has the potential to create employment opportunities for both men and women. By efficiently utilizing fruits, it reduces waste and contributes to climate resilience. This aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including zero hunger, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, and indirectly, climate action. In government projects, prioritizing gender-inclusive training and sustainable practices can maximize its positive impact.

To facilitate the adoption of value-added processing of bananas and plantains by farmers in a project or program, several key activities need to be carried out:

Awareness and Training: Conduct workshops, training sessions, and awareness campaigns to educate farmers about the benefits and techniques of value-added processing.
Technology Demonstration: Organize field demonstrations or pilot projects to showcase the value-added processing techniques and their impact on product quality and marketability.
Access to Inputs: Ensure farmers have access to necessary inputs such as processing equipment, packaging materials, and quality control tools.
Market Linkages: Facilitate connections between farmers and potential buyers or markets for processed banana and plantain products, helping farmers understand market demands and requirements.
Financial Support: Provide financial assistance or access to credit to help farmers invest in processing infrastructure and equipment.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish monitoring systems to track the adoption of value-added processing practices among farmers and evaluate the program's impact on income generation and livelihood improvement.
Capacity Building: Offer ongoing support and capacity building activities to enhance farmers' skills in processing techniques, quality control, and business management.

1,500 USD

Banana flour production machinery that can process 100 kg per hour

10000—60000 USD

Equipment for the automatic production of fried banana chips (100-500 kg/hour)

1,500 USD

Commercial presses for producing banana pulp (0,5 ton/hour)

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Benin	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	Tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	Tested	Adopted
Guinea	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	Tested	Adopted
Togo	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid	–		–
Subhumid	–		–
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Preparation of Unripe Plantain and Banana Flour:

Wash the bunch or fingers thoroughly to eliminate sand and impurities before peeling.
Cut the peeled fruit into slices and air dry for 1-3 days.
Mill the dried slices after the air-drying process to obtain flour.
Use hand peeling or an industrial scale automated machine for efficient peeling.

Processing Banana Puree from Ripe Bananas:

Wash and peel ripe bananas.
Blanch the bananas with steam or boiling water at around 93°C for approximately 15 minutes.
Cool the blanched bananas and blend them using a blender.

Manufacturing Banana Chips:

Method A: Deep-fry thin slices of banana in hot oil, similar to preparing potato chips.
Method B: Dry slices of banana in the sun, or utilize a solar or artificial dryer.

Industrial-Scale Process (for Unripe Fruits):