Banana Martini, anyone?

Your mother probably advised you to bite into a banana before an alcoholic drink, but she’d probably think twice now. Scientists have d...

Your mother probably advised you to bite into a banana before an alcoholic drink, but she’d probably think twice now. Scientists have discovered that banana peel contains 11 per cent alcohol. And what’s more, the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) has developed the technology for producing alcohol from the peel of the common fruit.

Talking to reporters in Thayanur, Tamil Nadu, NRCB director S Sathiamoorthy said that the technology was ready for transfer to the industry.

The NRCB research takes a step further the efforts to minimise waste from agricultural produce. In certain varieties of the banana like the Plantain Aab and Nendran, the peel itself accounts for 30 per cent of the weight of the fruit. Instead of consigning it to the waste-bin, it could be turned into alcohol, says Sathiamoorthy.

The NRCB has also developed a product called the banana fig, he says, adding that several processing units have already evinced interest in the technology.

‘‘Banana figs are concentrated products that can be produced cheaply. They can also be canned and exported since they require less space,’’ he says. The banana fig can find use in the preparation of cakes, ice-creams, biscuits and Indian desserts.— Agencies