Mariana Franzoni / Embrapa InstrumentationBanana-peel film could be used to package foodMariana Franzoni / Embrapa Instrumentation
Powdered banana peel, subject to a drying process and treatment with a slightly acidic solution, can be transformed into a bioplastic film with potential applications in food packaging. Teams from EMBRAPA Instrumentation and the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) submitted the dried and ground peels of Cavendish bananas (Musa acuminata) to various forms of treatment (with and without bleaching and solvent) until they obtained a brownish-colored film with similar properties to low-density polyethylene. The film blocks 98% of ultraviolet radiation, which causes food to spoil. With an annual production of 50 million tons, representing half of all global banana production, the Cavendish variety is usually eaten raw, but it is also processed to make chips, candy, and drinks. Through these processes, every ton of bananas generates 400 kilograms of peel (Journal of Cleaner Production, January 20; EMBRAPA Newsletter, April 9). Films made from the processing waste of guava, papaya, passion fruit, banana, açaí, kiwi, peach, beetroot, and carrot are also in development (see Pesquisa FAPESP issue nº 242).
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