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Australian researchers have developed a technology that can turn waste from banana plantations into biodegradable and renewable packaging materials
.
The technology, developed by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), converts the pseudostems of banana trees into nanocellulose, which is used to make packaging
.
According to the researchers, the banana industry generates a lot of residual waste, with only 12% of the plant fruit being used and the rest being discarded as waste
.
Associate Professor Jayashree Arcot said: "Compared to other fruit crops, what is particularly wasteful about banana farming is that every time after the harvest, the banana trees die
.
"We are particularly interested in pseudostems, which are chopped down after each harvest and mostly discarded in the field
.
Using banana pseudostem material grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, the researchers set out to extract cellulose to test its suitability as a packaging alternative
.
"The pseudostem is made up of 90 percent water, so you end up with only about 10 percent of the solids left,
" Arcot said
.
"Then we take this powder and wash it with a very mild chemical treatment
.
After processing, the material has a consistency similar to baking paper
.
The material can be used to make trays for meat, fruit or shopping bags, depending on its thickness
.
To make banana pseudostems a realistic alternative to plastic bags and food packaging, it would be feasible and meaningful for the banana industry to process the pseudostems into powder and sell them to packaging suppliers, the researchers said
.
"If the banana industry can grow, it will be a great market value for farmers or growers to powder these pseudostems and sell them," Arcot said
.
