- Banana peels can be edible and are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and protein.
- A new study shows that substituting a small amount (7.5% to 15%) of wheat flour in crackers with flour made from banana peels increased antioxidant levels and reduced their fat content.
- Enrichment of wheat flour with banana peel flour, especially at lower concentrations (7.5%), did not negatively affect sensory properties such as texture and flavor.
- These results suggest that the addition of banana peel flour could be a viable option to improve the nutritional properties of foods.
A recent study published in the journal ACS Food science and technology shows that substituting a small portion of wheat flour in crackers with banana peel flour improved the nutritional profile of the crackers without negatively affecting flavor and texture. Incorporating banana peel into the diet has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing health benefits.
“Banana peel consumption can benefit not only the producer (providing a waste management solution) and the agricultural industry (generating income by converting waste material into value-added goods), but also contains great nutritional value. which can provide health benefits when consumed. ” said Dr. Wolyna PindiSenior Lecturer at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
bananas are the four most consumed food crop after rice, wheat and maize. Banana peels represent almost 35% of the weight of the fruit and usually end up in the landfill or compost. However, banana peels contain large amounts of organic compounds, and their decomposition in landfills is a major source of potent greenhouse gases like methane.
Efforts to minimize waste have led to the use of banana peels for the production of biofuels, fertilizers, wastewater treatment, and other industrial applications. Banana peels are also edible and there has been a lot of interest in using banana peels as food to reduce waste.
In addition, the high levels of dietary fiber and antioxidants in Banana peel make it a candidate for inclusion in a healthy diet. Specifically, banana peels contain high levels of phenolic compounds that have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These phenolic compounds may also have anti-inflammatory effects and potentially benefit people with diabetes and high blood pressure.
Banana peels are also rich in protein, potassium, magnesium, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and amino acids.
Banana peel has been used as a meat alternative, including as a vegan substitute for pulled pork and bacon.
Banana peels also contain high levels of the amino acid tryptophan, which can improve sleep quality. Also, the magnesium and potassium present in banana peels are associated with muscle relaxation. These properties and the high levels of antioxidants have also led to the use of banana peel to make tea.
Banana peel flour has been used to improve the nutritional properties of various foods, including bread and cakes. For example, a previous study has shown that 5% to 10% of the wheat in bread can be substituted with banana peel flour to increase the nutritional profile without negatively influencing flavor or other sensory properties such as color, aroma, and texture.
Researchers from Aligarh University recently examined whether supplementing wheat flour with banana peel flour could also improve the nutritional properties of cookies.
The researchers first removed peels from washed, undamaged ripe bananas to prepare banana peel flour. After blanching and drying the banana peels, the researchers ground the banana peels into flour and substituted a small amount of refined wheat flour in the cookie recipe for the banana peel flour.
The researchers prepared five batches of cookies, substituting 0% (control), 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, or 15% of the wheat flour with banana peel flour. Increasing the amount of banana peel flour in the cookies resulted in higher moisture and mineral content, but lower fat and protein content. The increase in moisture content was probably due to the higher fiber content in the banana peel flour.
Additionally, cookies with higher concentrations of banana peel flour also showed higher levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential. In other words, except for the decrease in protein levels, the increase in banana peel flour levels in the cookies improved the nutritional profile.
Cookies contain high levels of fat, and oxidation of these fats can reduce shelf life. Given the high levels of antioxidants in banana peels, the researchers also examined the ability of banana peel flour to improve cookie shelf life over a 3-month storage period.
The researchers found that the levels of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant properties of all the cookies decreased during the 3-month storage period. But the cookies containing 15% banana peel flour still showed higher levels of polyphenols and antioxidant potential at the end of three months than the control group. Significantly, cookies with higher banana peel flour content also showed greater inhibition of fat oxidation.
The researchers recruited a trained panel of 20 judges to assess the flavor and other sensory characteristics associated with food desirability, such as taste, texture, and appearance.
The taste and aftertaste of cookies with 7.5% or 10% wheat flour substituted for banana peel flour was comparable to that of control cookies. In addition, the texture and general acceptability scores of the cookies with the lowest amount of banana peel flour (7.5%) were better than those of the control group and other cookies with higher concentrations of banana peel.
These results show that the substitution of wheat flour for banana peel flour at low concentrations could improve the nutritional profile of cookies, without negatively affecting sensory attributes.
Although the consumption of banana peels may confer health benefits, there are limited data on the safety and impact of processing methods on the nutritional properties of banana peels.
study co-author Faizan Ahmadprofessor at Aligarh Muslim University, warned: “Banana peels are not safe to consume in their raw form due to their exposure to various environmental pollutants, pesticides, bacteria that can negatively affect health, so they need additional preparation. before consumption. ”
Additionally, some studies have shown that drying banana peels at high temperatures can lead to the loss of beneficial compounds. Cooking food products containing banana peel flour could lead to further loss of these compounds.
Fruit peels are also prone to the accumulation of toxic substances such as heavy metals and pesticides. Therefore, more research and regulations are needed before the widespread use of banana peel as a food.
“There is a lack of a validated standard that allows the commercialization of banana peel in the food industry. In addition, the inadequately organized system and guidelines, as well as the lack of subsidies, are anticipated to be obstacles to the utilization of banana peel/other agricultural biomass,” said Dr. Pindi.
Banana peel also contains antinutrients, such as tannin, oxalate and phytate, which can limit the absorption of food and negatively affect health. Dr Pindi said: “Additional modification and processing may be required to reduce the presence of antinutrients (oxalate, phytate, etc.) in banana peels.”
