Banana is the most abundant fruit crop grown in India. Extraction of juice is an effective method of reducing post-harvest loss of the fruit. A novel lab-scale process has been developed at BARC for extraction of juice from banana and production of banana powder as a by-product. Clear juice with a yield of upto 55% (w/w) is obtained without addition of any enzymes and can be stored up to 3 months inside cold storage at temperatures below 4°C without adding any preservatives. The residual pulp is converted into fine banana powder.

 

APPLICATIONS OF BANANA JUICE

• Being high on potassium and useful enzymes it can be used as a health drink.
• Can be used mixed with other fruit juices or drinks for additional flavor.
• Can be concentrated and used as Syrup in food industry.

APPLICATIONS OF BANANA POWDER

• Can be used as a substitute for flour in cakes and biscuits.
• Can be used as a flavoring agent in milk.
• Can be a good high-fiber low-sugar food base for patients of diabetes.

Banana is the most abundant fruit crop grown in India. Banana production in India accounts for over 20% of total banana produced in the world. A comparatively short post-harvest shelf-life of banana coupled with a dearth of sufficient and good quality transportation as well. Storage facilities lead to perishing of 35-40% of this highly nutritious fruit before it reaches the consumer. One effective method of reducing this huge loss would be to extract the juice out of the fruit before it perishes and preserve it. As of now, no commercially established process is available to achieve this. A novel lab-scale process has been developed at BARC for extraction of juice from banana and production of banana powder as a by-product.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

The moisture content of banana is in bound form as against that in many other fruits like apples and citrus fruits. The BARC process achieves separation and extraction of juice through a series of operations like blending, churning, autoclaving and centrifuging. Clear juice with a yield of upto 55% (w/w) is obtained without addition of any enzymes and can be stored upto 3 months inside a cold storage at a temperature below 4°C without adding any preservatives. The remaining pulp is converted into fine banana powder through freeze-drying followed by grinding.

PRODUCT CHARACTERIZATION

The juice is clear liquid with a distinct banana flavour. The composition of the juice obtained from fully ripened Cavendish Banana is composed of sugar 25 to 35 %, solids 25 to 27%, specific gravity 1.07 to 1.14 and the pH ranging from 4.5 to 4.8. The ripe-banana powder, the by-product of the process is a fine and free-flowing hygroscopic powder dark brown in colour. It has a composition of sugar 15-20%, soluble fibre 1.3%, protein 3% and insoluble material 75- 80%.

APPLICATIONS

The juice can be used as a beverage base and a health drink. The banana powder can be used as a substitute for flour in cakes and biscuits, as a flavoring agent in milk or for preparing baby food. It can also be a good choice of food-base for patients of diabetes owing to its low sugar content.

REQUIREMENTS

A. Infrastructure Requirements 

• A covered space of around 200 m², water supply and 3-phase electricity supply 
  

B. Equipment's Required

• Blender, centrifuge, bottling unit, cold storage, IR dryer 
  

C. Statutory Requirements

• Statutory clearances related to food industry and a minimum of a small scale industries registration. 
  

D. Manpower requirements

• Two technicians for handling the equipment and one helper for sundry work.