Banana peel extract for CeO2 nanoflower synthesis: Enhancing photocatalytic activity for methyl orange dye removal and bactericidal effects.

The cube architecture associated with the CeO2 nanoflowers (NFs) that generated, which had an average crystallization width of 7 nm, has been confirmed by X-ray crystallographic investigations. The method used is environmentally acceptable since it converts wasted banana peel extracts into CeO2 nanoflower. On the basis of artwork obtained from a High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM), CeO2 nanoparticles have been observed to possess a spherical shape and an average particle diameter of 21 nm. To take the purpose of this study, green-fabricated CeO2-NFs were used to investigate the photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange (MO) dye when exposed to sunshine. CeO2 nanofibers showed a degradation performance of 98% when compared to methyl orange dye. Evidently is a possibility that this may be caused by the presence of CeO2 nanoflowers, whereby enhance the interaction of electrons, which are holes dissolution, and adherence. Upon a single day of being exposed, the biocidal potential was tested against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli, B. cereus, and S. aureus, among others. Due to the fact that its 32 mm minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for B. cereus was the highest among conventional medicines. As shown by the extraordinary capabilities of WBP@CeO2 tiny particles, manipulating of flexible tiny particles to feed the purpose of achieving effective and customizable infections and dermatologist advancements is really stunning.

Kinetics and Thermodynamics Study on Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solutions Using Acid-Modified Banana Peel (ABP) Adsorbents.

Banana peel waste is abundant and can be utilized as a low-cost adsorbent for removing toxic Cr (VI) from wastewater. The acid modification of banana peels significantly enhances their adsorption capacity for Cr (VI). An adsorbent was prepared by treating banana peel powder with 50% H2SO4 at 50 °C for 24 h. The acid treatment increased the surface area of the adsorbent from 0.0363 to 0.0507 m2/g. The optimum adsorbent dose was found to be 1 g/L for the complete removal of Cr (VI) from 100 ppm solutions. The adsorption capacity was 161 mg/g based on the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second order model. Increasing the temperature from 20 to 50 °C increased the initial adsorption rate but had a minor effect on the equilibrium adsorption capacity. Thermodynamics studies showed that the process was spontaneous and endothermic. The activation energy was estimated as 24.5 kJ/mol, indicating physisorption. FTIR analyses before and after adsorption showed the involvement of hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups in binding the Cr (VI). The Cr (VI) was reduced to Cr (III), which then bound to functional groups on the adsorbent. Desorption under acidic conditions could recover 36% of the adsorbed Cr as Cr (III). No desorption occurred at a neutral pH, indicating irreversible adsorption. Overall, acid-modified banana peel is an efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly adsorbent for removing toxic Cr (VI) from wastewater.

Polarity reversal for enhanced in-situ electrochemical synthesis of H2O2 over banana-peel derived biochar cathode for water remediation.

The fabrication of a cost-efficient cathode is critical for in-situ electrochemical generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to remove persistent organic pollutants from groundwater. Herein, we tested a stainless-steel (SS) mesh wrapped banana-peel derived biochar (BB) cathode for in-situ H2O2 electrogeneration to degrade bromophenol blue (BPB) and Congo red (CR) dyes. Furthermore, polarity reversal is evaluated for the activation of BB surface via introduction of various oxygen containing functionalities that serve as active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to generate H2O2. Various parameters including the BB mass, current, as well as the solution pH have been optimized to evaluate the cathode performance for efficient H2O2 generation. The results reveal formation of up to 9.4 mg/L H2O2 using 2.0 g BB and 100 mA current in neutral pH with no external oxygen supply with a manganese doped tin oxide deposited nickel foam (Mn-SnO2@NF) anode to facilitate the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This iron-free electrofenton (EF) like process enabled by the SSBB cathode facilitates efficient degradation of BPB and CR dyes with 87.44 and 83.63% removal efficiency, respectively after 60 min. A prolonged stability test over 10 cycles demonstrates the effectiveness of polarity reversal toward continued removal efficiency as an added advantage. Moreover, Mn-SnO2@NF anode used for the OER was also replaced with stainless steel (SS) mesh anode to investigate the effect of oxygen evolution on H2O2 generation. Although Mn-SnO2@NF anode exhibits better oxygen evolution potential with reduced Tafel slope, SS mesh anode is discussed to be more cost-efficient for further studies.

Exploration of the Potential Application of Banana Peel for Its Effective Valorization: A Review.

The production of banana peel by the food-processing industry is substantial and the disposal of this waste material has become a matter of concern. However, recent studies have demonstrated that banana peel is a rich source of biologically active compounds that can be transformed into valuable products. This review aims to explore the potential of converting banana peel into valuable products and provides a comprehensive analysis of the physical and chemical composition of banana peel. Additionally, the utilization of banana peel as a substrate to produce animal feed, bio fertilizer, dietary fibers, renewable energy, industrial enzymes, and nanomaterials has been extensively studied. According to the researches that has been done so far, it is clear that banana peel has a broad range of applications and its effective utilization through biorefinery strategies can maximize its economic benefits. Based on previous studies, A plan for feasibility of a banana peel biorefinery has been put up which suggest its potential as a valuable source of renewable energy and high-value products. The utilization of banana peel through biorefinery strategies can provide a sustainable solution for waste management and contribute to the development of a circular economy.

Conversion of banana peel into diverse valuable metabolites using an autochthonous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain.

Low-cost substrates are an exciting alternative for bioprocesses; however, their complexity can affect microorganism metabolism with non-desirable outcomes. This work evaluated banana peel extract (BPE) as a growth medium compared to commercial Yeast-Malt (YM) broth in the native and non-conventional yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UANL-001L. The production of carotenoids, fatty acids, and exopolysaccharides (EPS) was also analyzed. Biomass concentration (3.9 g/L) and growth rate (0.069 g/h) of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UANL-001L were obtained at 200 g/L of BPE. Yields per gram of dry biomass for carotenoids (317 µg/g) and fatty acids (0.55 g/g) showed the best results in 150 g/L of BPE, while 298 µg/g and 0.46 mg/g, respectively, were obtained in the YM broth. The highest yield of EPS was observed in 50 g/L of BPE, a two-fold increase (160.1 mg/g) compared to the YM broth (76.3 mg/g). The fatty acid characterization showed that 100 g/L of BPE produced 400% more unsaturated compounds (e.g., oleic and ricinoleic acid) than the YM broth. Altogether, these results indicate that BPE is a suitable medium for producing high-value products with potential industrial applications.

Cadmium ion removal from aqueous media using banana peel biochar/Fe3O4/ZIF-67.

In the present study, banana peel waste was used as a suitable source for biochar production. The banana peel biochar (BPB) was modified using Fe3O4 magnetic and ZIF-67 nanoparticles. The modification of the BPB surface (4.70 m2/g) with Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/ZIF-67 significantly increased the specific surface of the nanocomposites (BPB/Fe3O4: 78.83 m2/g, and BPB/Fe3O4/ZIF-67: 1212.40 m2/g). The effect of pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dose, and concentration of Cd2+ on the efficiency of the Cd2+ adsorption was explored. Maximum adsorption efficiencies for BPB (97.76%), BPB/Fe3O4 (97.52%), and BPB/Fe3O4/ZIF-67 (99.14%) were obtained at pH 6, Cd2+ concentration of 10 mg/L, times of 80 min, 50 min, and 40 min, and adsorbent doses of 2 g/L, 1.5 g/L, and 1 g/L, respectively. Thermodynamic measurements indicated that the process is spontaneous and exothermic. The maximum capacity of Cd2+ adsorption using BPB, BPB/Fe3O4, and BPB/Fe3O4/ZIF-67 were obtained 20.63 mg/g, 30.33 mg/g, and 50.78 mg/g, respectively. The Cd2+ adsorption using magnetic nanocomposites followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The results showed that studied adsorbents especially BPB/Fe3O4/ZIF-67 have a good ability to adsorb-desorb Cd2+ and clean an effluent containing pollutants.

Evaluation of ultrasonication and carbonation-ultrasonication assisted convective drying techniques for enhancing the drying rates and quality parameters of ripe and raw banana (Musa) peel.

Raw and ripe banana (Musa Cavendish) peel slices were dried by application of ultrasonication (U) and carbonation-ultrasonication (CU) as pre-treatments for tray drying (T) at 60 °C. Lesser drying time and higher diffusivity was noticed in CU + T dried samples followed by U + T and T dried samples. Model 'Wang and Singh' was identified as the excellently fitting model to experimental data. SEM images of dried samples revealed the microchannels formation due to U treatment, which were more couloir after CU treatment. Water and oil holding capacity (WHC and OHC) for raw peel powders was higher than ripened peel powders at 40, 60 and 80 °C. WHC and OHC increased significantly after U + T drying or CU + T drying as compared to T drying for ripe and raw peel powder samples. Back extrusion force (BEF) varied from 67.42 to 69.22 N and from 84.6 to 86.02 N for ripe and raw peel samples respectively. Given treatments resulted in lesser colour change and Browning Index. But U + T or CU + T treatment did not affect BEF significantly. CU + T was deemed to be the appropriate drying technique for ripe and raw banana peel drying. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05535-9.

Formulation and evaluation of novel functional snack bar with amaranth, rolled oat, and unripened banana peel powder.

The present pandemic situation has increased demand for functional foods that enhance all aged groups' people immunity against COVID-19. This factor has led to innovation in snack market because healthy and good quality snack products are lacking. In this study, attempt has been made to develop functional snack bar that is beneficial for malnourished population from various combinations of amaranth grain, oat, and banana peel powder. Among various combinations amaranth grain (60%), oats (25%) and banana peel powder (15%) was found better than other combinations in respect to organoleptic and nutritional quality. Oat and banana peel powder addition increased the contents of protein, mineral, ß-glucan, dietary fibre, essential amino acid, phenolic, and antioxidant activity of functional snack bar. TGA analysis shows that active components present in it were stable even at high temperature which adds benefit to its functional property. Microbial studies of FSB revealed it could be stored up to 60 days without microbial contamination and acceptable by consumer. The cost of a functional snack bar was 9.57 per bar, which was less than market snack bar. This study showed that developed functional snack bar snack increases market's revenue and enables snack market to develop new type snack bar.

Deconstruction of banana peel for carbohydrate fractionation.

The deconstruction of banana peel for carbohydrate recovery was performed by sequential treatment (acid, alkaline, and enzymatic). The pretreatment with citric acid promoted the extraction of pectin, resulting in a yield of 8%. In addition, xylose and XOS, 348.5 and 17.3 mg/g xylan, respectively, were also quantified in acidic liquor as a result of partial depolymerization of hemicellulose. The spent solid was pretreated with alkaline solution (NaOH or KOH) for delignification and release of residual carbohydrates from the hemicellulose. The yields of xylose and arabinose (225.2 and 174.0 mg/g hemicellulose) were approximately 40% higher in the pretreatment with KOH, while pretreatment with NaOH promoted higher delignification (67%), XOS yield (32.6 mg/g xylan), and preservation of cellulosic fraction. Finally, the spent alkaline solid, rich in cellulose (76%), was treated enzymatically to release glucose, reaching the final concentration of 28.2 g/L. The mass balance showed that through sequential treatment, 9.9 g of xylose, 0.5 g of XOS, and 8.2 g of glucose were obtained from 100 g of raw banana peels, representing 65.8% and 46.5% conversion of hemicellulose and cellulose, respectively. The study of the fractionation of carbohydrates in banana peel proved to be a useful tool for valorization, mainly of the hemicellulose fraction for the production of XOS and xylose with high value applications in the food industry.

Simultaneous removal of chromate and phosphate using different operational combinations for their adsorption on dolomite and banana peel.

Chromate and phosphate are contaminant frequently present in industrial effluents such as tanneries. The objective of this work is to evaluate the efficiency of different operational combinations with dolomite and banana peel for the adsorption of phosphate and chromate in binary solutions. Both adsorbents are residuals from construction and food industries, respectively. Therefore, its use propitiates the reduction of treatment costs and it is an approach to the premises of the circular economy. In this work, the dolomite and banana peel adsorption efficiencies in simple and binary systems were studied. Equilibrium and kinetics tests were carried out in batch and in a fixed bed reactor. Dolomite was found to be selective for the adsorption of phosphate and banana peel for that of chromate. The mixture of adsorbents produced similar phosphate and chromate removal than each adsorbent individually. Therefore, the removals of both contaminants from binary solutions were tested using a fixed bed reactor filled with the mix of adsorbents and the breakthrough curves were analyzed. The obtained removals were 99% of phosphate and 70% of chromate. Finally, a brief discussion was held on the reuse and disposal of saturated adsorbents.

Effects of different banana crop wastes on nutrient intake and digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, feeding behavior, and animal performance of ¾ Holstein × Zebu heifers in a semiarid rangeland.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of banana crop wastes in diets of ¾ Holstein × » Zebu heifers on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, microbial protein synthesis, feeding behavior, and animal performance. Eight ¾ Holstein × » Zebu heifers were utilized with an average age of 18 ± 1.0 months and an average body weight (BW) of 298 ± 3.06 kg. The experiment was distributed in two simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares. The treatments were as follows: Diet 1 (SS)-sorghum silage as exclusive dietary roughage; diet 2 (SSL)-sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% leaf hay of banana trees (on a DM basis); diet 3 (SSBP)-sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% banana peel hay; and diet 4 (SSPS)-sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% pseudostem hay of banana trees. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. The greatest dry matter intake (DMI; p < 0.01) was found in heifers that received the SS and SSBP diet, mean of 10.19 kg/day. The SS diet showed greatest dry matter digestibility (DMD; p < 0.01) and crude protein digestibility (CPD; p < 0.01). The concentration of total purines (p < 0.01) and absorbed purines (p < 0.01), microbial protein synthesis (p < 0.01), and microbial efficiency (p < 0.01) was higher in the SSBP diet in comparison with SS and SSL diets. The longest eating time was observed in animals that received the SSL diet, being 17.79% higher (p = 0.01) than the SSBP diet. The final BW (p = 0.39) and BW gain (p = 0.39) were similar, with averages of 319.84 kg and 1.08 kg/day, respectively. Biometric measurements were not altered as a function of bedtime (p > 0.05). Banana wastes can be used to feed ¾ Holstein × » Zebu heifers in partial replacement for sorghum silage as they do not alter the animals' weight gain and body development.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using culinary banana peel extract for the detection of melamine in milk.

Melamine adulteration in milk is a serious health concern for the consumers. A reliable and sensitive technique using silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) was developed for the detection of melamine in milk sample. The AgNPs was synthesized using culinary banana peel extract (BPE) where pH, temperature, the amount of concentration of BPE and concentration of AgNO3 was standardized. The effect of the parameters used for the synthesis of AgNPs was analyzed by observing the colour of reaction mixture and surface plasmon resonance. The AgNPs synthesized under optimum conditions were characterized by SEM-EDX, TEM and FTIR. FTIR studies reveal the effective conjugation between AgNPs and bioactive components of BPE and formation of spherical and regular shaped AgNPs were confirmed by TEM images. Presence of Ag as a dominating metal in AgNPs confirmed the formation of AgNPs. The level of melamine above 0.5 mg/L in milk could easily be detected through the interference synthesis of AgNPs.

Growth performance, haematological responses, intestinal microbiology and carcass traits of broiler chickens fed finisher diets containing two-stage fermented banana peel meal.

The study investigated the effect of finisher diets containing two-stage fermented banana peel (FBP) meal on growth performance, haematological responses, intestinal microbiology and carcass traits of broilers. From days 22 to 38, 200 broiler chicks were grouped to maize-soybean meal-based finisher diet as a control (CONT) and finisher diets containing either 5% FBP (FBP-5), 10% FBP (FBP-10) or 15% FBP (FBP-15). Birds were blood sampled and slaughtered at day 38. For microbial population and villi height measurement, digesta and intestinal segments were collected. Breast meat was obtained for meat colour determination. Data collected were analysed according to analysis of variance followed by Duncan's multiple-range test when there was significant effect. There was no effect of treatments on broiler growth performance. The relative duodenum weight tended (P = 0.08) to be lower in FBP than in CONT. The mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was higher (P < 0.05) in FBP-5 than in CONT and FBP-15. Uric acid concentration was lower (P < 0.05) in FBP-10 and FBP-15 than in CONT. Feeding FBP tended (P = 0.08) to decrease coliform population in the ileum. Compared to CONT, the ileal villi heights were higher (P < 0.05) and lower (P < 0.05) in FBP-10 and FBP-5, respectively. The relative weight of thigh (P < 0.05) and wings (P = 0.07) were higher in CONT than in FBP-fed birds, but the eviscerated carcass was not different (P > 0.05) among groups. The lightness (L*) values of meat were higher (P < 0.05) in FBP-10 and FBP-15 than in CONT and FBP-5. Compared with others, breast meat from FBP-10 birds had lower (P < 0.05) redness (a*) values. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of FBP at the levels of up to 15% had no detrimental effect on growth and health performances of broiler chickens.

Encapsulation of phenolic-rich extract from banana (Musa cavendish) peel.

Banana peel, a by-product rich in phenolics and other bioactive compounds, has great potentials as a natural preservative or healthy food ingredient. However, the instability of bioactive compounds derived from banana peel limits their applications, and as such encapsulation is necessary to improve their stability and widen their applications. This study investigated the impact of spray drying conditions and coating materials on the physical, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties of the peel extract to identify the most suitable encapsulation process. The results showed that inlet temperature (ranging from 140 to 180 °C) and feeding rate (3-15 mL/min) did not significantly affect the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity but influenced the moisture content and recovery yield of the powder. The ratio of dry matter in fresh extract-to-coating material (DM-to-CM) (1:1-1:7 (w/w)) did not affect the moisture content. However, it affected the TPC, antioxidant properties, and recovery yield of the powder. Finally, the type of coating materials did not significantly affect TPC and antioxidant properties, but other physical properties, dopamine levels and recovery yield. The most suitable encapsulation conditions were identified as an inlet drying temperature of 150 °C, a feeding rate of 9 mL/min, a ratio of DM-to-CM of 1:1 (w/w), and coating with a combination of maltodextrin M100 and gum acacia. Powder prepared under the most suitable conditions had a spherical shape with a rough surface and had stable TPC under storage conditions of 40 °C for 4 weeks. It also has ideal physical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties and is suitable for further applications.

Effect of Sucrier Banana Peel Extracts on Inhibition of Melanogenesis through the ERK Signaling Pathway.

Hyperpigmentation is a type of pigmentary disorder induced by overexpression of melanin content activated severe esthetic problems as melasma, freckle, ephelides, lentigo and other forms on human skin. Several whitening agents have restricted use because of their side effects or stability such as kojic acid, ascorbic acid and hydroquinone can act as cytotoxic substance which associated to dermatitis and skin cancer. To find for the safe substance, this study aimed to find for the ability of several components in Sucrier banana peel (SBP) extracts to inhibit melanogenesis process through p38 signaling pathway in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. Tyrosinase activity and the cellular melanin content were dose dependent manner decreasing after SBP treatment. Furthermore, SBP decreased the expression of melanogenesis relate protein as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase protein after 24 hours incubation with α-melanocyte stimulating hormones (MSH) stimulating. The findings demonstrated that SBP contained an effective agent for hyperpigmentation inhibitor through p38 signaling pathways without any effect to ERK pathway, and subsequent down-regulate MITF expression and tyrosinase enzyme family production.

Simultaneous production of commercial enzymes using agro industrial residues by statistical approach.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous production of commercial enzymes using agro-industrial residues by statistical approach is an important perspective in an industrial point of view. Despite the advantages of statistical methods optimization, the report on simultaneous production of pectinase and amylases are limited. The accumulation of agro-industrial residues causes serious environmental problems; however, citrus peel can be the important substrate for various enzymes production, including pectinase. These enzymes involving saccharification process and act as clarifying agent. RESULTS: In this study, orange peel and banana peel mixture were used as the suitable substrate for pectinase and amylase production using Bacillus pumilus in solid-state culture. The process parameters were optimized for simultaneous production of enzymes by a traditional-one-variable-at-a-time approach, a two level full factorial design, central composite design and response surface methodology. Among the selected variables, moisture content of the medium, pH and mineral supplement significantly influenced pectinase and amylase production. Pectinase production increased over 3-fold, whereas, 2-fold increase on amylase production was achieved after optimization by statistical approach. The purified pectinase exhibited maximal activity at pH 8.0, temperature of 60 °C and the molecular weight was 60 kDa. The purified amylase was highly active at pH 8.0, at 50 °C and the molecular weight was 37 kDa. The enzyme showed activity on fruit pulp in increasing clarity in orange and carrot juice and the saccharification of starch. CONCLUSION: Orange peel and banana peel mixture was effective as a solid medium for the simultaneous production of pectinase and amylase by Bacillus pumilus. Also, our statistical approach to optimize the medium components to yield more pectinase and amylase was fruitful and these enzymes showed appreciable results suitable for various applications. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development and characterization of blends formulated with banana peel and banana pulp for the production of blends powders rich in antioxidant properties.

The food product industry is increasingly looking for foods with nutritional properties that can provide health benefits. Additionally, a challenge for the food industry is the use of all raw materials. For these reasons, banana peel that is a raw material from Banana (Musa spp.) fruit emerges as potential for new food product development. Here, we developed powder blends using a lyophilization process for the preparation of flour to potential use in cookies, bread, and pasta products. Three formulations were designed; the main difference in the formulations was the use of banana peel concentration. Our results showed that blends produced with banana peel presented physical-chemical properties considered suitable for use in food industry. Moreover, the evaluated morphological parameters reveal the properties of the powders. The blends formulated with banana peel have more antioxidant properties, showing that the banana peel may be an attractive option to generate powders with high antioxidant properties.

Maximising recovery of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties from banana peel using microwave assisted extraction and water.

Banana peel is rich in phenolic compounds and is generally considered as waste. This study aimed to maximise recovery of phenolics from banana peel using water via microwave assisted extraction. The impact of various parameters including pH of solvent, sample to solvent ratio, irradiation time with/without cooling periods, and irradiation power were investigated individually. Following this, extraction conditions were further optimised using Response Surface Methodology. The results revealed that the extraction efficiency can be significantly improved by reducing the pH of water, increasing microwave power and time. However, cooling time during irradiation did not affect the extraction efficiency. Optimal conditions were identified at pH of 1, ratio of 2:100 g/mL, 6 min irradiation, and microwave power of 960 W. Under these optimal conditions, approximately 50.55 mg phenolics could be recovered from 1 g dried peel. These conditions are recommended for recovery of phenolic compounds from banana peel for further utilisation.

Development of eco-friendly process for the production of bioethanol from banana peel using inhouse developed cocktail of thermo-alkali-stable depolymerizing enzymes.

Conversion of agro-industrial wastes to energy is an innovative approach for waste valorization and management which also mitigates environmental pollution. In this view, present study investigated the feasibility of producing bioethanol from banana peels using cocktail of depolymerizing enzyme/s. We isolated Geobacillus stearothermophilus HPA19 from natural resource which produces cocktail of thermo-alkali-stable xylano-pectino-cellulolytic enzyme/s using wheat bran within 24 h. The optimal temperature and pH for xylanase, filter paper cellulase and pectinase were 80, 70 and 80 °C, and 9.0, 8.0 and 9.0, respectively. Cocktail enzymes showed stability at high temperature (80 °C) and pH (10.0). Ni2+ and Zn2+ promoted the relative activity of xylanase and FPase, whereas Na+, Ca2+ and K+ promoted pectinase activity. Cocktail was assessed in saccharification of banana peel. Reducing sugar obtained (37.06 mg ml-1) after one variable at a time (OVAT) method is greatly influenced by enzyme dose. Further, response surface methodology was used to optimize saccharification leading to twofold increase in reducing sugar. Maximum ethanol production (21.1 gl-1) was achieved through fermentation giving the efficiency of 76.5% within 30 h. Hence utilization of waste biomass for production of value-added products through biotechnological intervention not only helps to combat environmental pollution but also contributes significantly to the economy.

Cereal bars produced with banana peel flour: evaluation of acceptability and sensory profile.

BACKGROUND: A mixture design was used to investigate the effects of banana peel flour, rice flakes and oat flour on sensory acceptability of cereal bars, with subsequent evaluation of sensory profile of products identified as having high acceptability. RESULTS: Regions of greater response for acceptability of the cereal bars, which are dependent on the three investigated components, were found. Although having good acceptability, sensory profiles of cereal bars were different. A cereal bar with the lowest quantity of banana peel flour was described as having a higher amount of rice flakes, chewiness and crispness, while formulations with intermediate and highest quantities of banana peel flour were described by darker color, higher banana aroma and bitter taste. Contrary to expectations, banana flavor of cereal bar with highest quantity of banana peel flour was lower than cereal bars with intermediate quantities. Cereal bars were not different in terms of hardness and adhesiveness and they also had a similar sweet taste and oat flavor. CONCLUSION: The use of banana peel flour in production of cereal bars is feasible and, even with different sensory profiles, cereal bars with banana peel flour are acceptable, which may favor the development of new products for different market niches. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.