FINALIZATION

(BANANA PEELINGS AS AN ALTERNATIVE

SUBSTITUTE TO VINEGAR)

Julianne Marie Forcado

Myka G. Manto
Daryl Pagaddu
Abstract
Vinegar is the product obtained exclusively through biotechnological processes such as
double fermentation, alcoholic and acetic fermentation of liquids or other substances
of agricultural origin. There are various types of vinegars obtained from various sources
such as wine fruit and berry, cider, alcohol, grain, malt, beer and honey. Vinegar is used
as a food additive and also it acts as effective preservative against food spoilage.
Various investigators have carried out investigations on vinegar production from various
raw materials such as fruits, fruit peels, and many other agricultural feed stocks. The
present review summarizes research and studies carried out on vinegar production from
various raw materials.

Introduction
Chemical and biochemical engineering is ever evolving field because of the
technological advancements and scope for cost reduction. Obtaining the product by
using environmental friendly method is the need of chemical industry. The process can
be optimized by studying effect of various parameters on it. Also use of alternative raw
material can optimize the process. Investigations on production of ethanol have been
reported by using different raw materials . Production of glucose, starch has also been
reported. Products such as lactic acid, citric acid are also of interest and investigation
has been reported on research on them. Vinegar is one important product mainly in
food industry. It is widely used as preservative.Various investigators have carried out
research on production of vinegar by using different raw materials and at different
operating conditions. The present review summarizes review on research and studies on
production of vinegar from various raw materials.
Materials and Methods
I asked for banana peelings from banana cue vendors in the wet market in our
barangay. I recycled some materials from our house(Cause I need to recycle some
things)like pot, jar, cup of water and cotton cloth. I used 1lb of banana peelings,6 cups
of water, cotton cloth, yeast out of potato,1 ½ cup of sugar and a jar.(This is just what I
did)First, I cut the banana peelings into 1 inch size square, put 6 cups of water in it, let it
soak for 1 week. After a week we boiled the banana peelings with water for 5 minutes,
after boiling it, let it cool for 5 minutes .Filter the banana peelings from the water by
using the cotton cloth, put it in a container. Make a yeast out of vinegar out of
potatoes. Mash the potatoes, put some water in it, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt in
it. Wait for 3 days. Mix the water from banana peelings from the yeast, mix it until its
really mixed. Store it. Boil it again after 1 week and you’re done.

Conclusion
Vinegar is very important food preservative in food industry. The vinegar can be
obtained various raw materials such as various fruits and fruit peels. Various agricultural
waste materials can also be used as raw International Journal of Scientific Research in
Science and Technology 148 materials. It was observed during various investigations
that enzymatic treatments of pineapple wastes had a significant effect on the
scarification process. Also review indicated that Pineapple peel vinegar had
comparatively high total phenol content and antioxidant activity. Apple vinegar was
also obtained through classical methods by few investigators. It was also found that
that fermentation is a better method for obtaining higher antioxidant activity of Roselle
products. It can be concluded that, to produce chemicals and pharmaceuticals in
optimal way, still substantial amount of research is needed. Malic acid is the main acid
in banana peels, with substantial quantities of oxalic acid as well (oxalic acid is why sour
grass tastes sour). Malic acid content increases substantially upon ripening, whereas the
oxalic acid is metabolized (probably via the TCA cycle) and decreases. This is one
reason why the bitter taste disappears during ripening; however, another may be that
tannins in the fruit polymerize.
Review of Related Literature
The banana family consists of large plants that flourish in moist areas throughout the
tropics. The edible fruit is rich in carbohydrates and is source of vitamins A and C and
the minerals potassium and phosphorus. The most familiar banana is the yellow-skinned,
sweet, pulpy fruit of international trade.(Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge).

Banana is undoubtedly the most widely and commonly grown fruit in the
Philippines. Its market has wide potentials here and abroad. It is not only a dessert fruit; it
can also be made into banana sauce, fried chips, flour pure , vinegar and wine. It is
also used as a substitute for our staple food (Estrella, 1996).

Banana stem, appearing as a waste of the banana plant is supposed to be very

good for health. One can use banana stem for its high nutritive value in different ways.
It is also a source of energy and can be taken by one when he or she is fatigued or
tired. After the tree has given fruit, its stem can be taken out and consumed in various
forms as salads, raitas, vegetable and soups. The banana stem is thick and fibrous and
has the taste of banana. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It forms an integral part of
most South Indian health conscious families. The banana stem adds bulk to the food
and is very useful for all those who wish to lose weight. However the use of banana stem
should be carried on with other means to lose weight like exercise and a positive spirit.
The fiber in banana stem helps to cure constipation and detoxify the body. The use of
banana to eliminate kidney stones cannot be overlooked. Banana stem is also good
taken as a juice or soup which helps eliminate and treat kidney stone. Those suffering
from kidney stones can benefit a lot by taking the juice prepared from the tender stem
of the banana plant. Yes, banana stem also acts like a diuretic helping to eliminate
waste fluids from the body. Besides it has a cooling effect on the body and is highly
recommended in tropical countries.
 Acetic acid, systematically named thionic acid, is an organic compound with
the chemical formula CH3COOH (also written as CH3CO2H or C2H4O2). It is a colorless
liquid that when undiluted is also called glacial acetic acid. Vinegar is roughly 3–9%
acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main component of vinegar apart from
water. Acetic acid has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell. Besides its production
as household vinegar, it is mainly produced as a precursor to polyvinyl acetate
and cellulose acetate. Although it is classified as a weak acid, concentrated acetic
acid is corrosive and can attack the skin.

The banana stem has fiber – this is very beneficial for those on a weight-
loss program. It is also a rich source of potassium and vitamin B6 which helps in the
production of insulin and hemoglobin. Eating banana stem once a week keeps high
blood pressure in control. Banana stem also maintains fluid balance within the body. It
is a diuretic and helps detoxify the body. The popular belief is that eating banana stem
is very good for kidney stones.

Banana is one of the most important fruits of commerce in the country. There
are about 200 known local varieties. The saba variety is seldom eaten fresh. It is
generally incorporated in kitchen recipes in the home and is converted into various
products by industry, of which the most common are banana chips, sauce and
bananas in syrup. The Cavendish variety is grown extensively in large plantations in
Mindanao primarily for fresh consumption in the export market. Ten to twenty percent
of the produce, however, does not meet the size standards required for export and are
thus rejected. These rejects have aroused interest as a valuable raw material for large
or small banana processing industries. Attempts have thus been made to adapt
process for the production of banana products to the Cavendish variety (Estrella, 1996).

As I observed Banana Stem had sugar that ants ate it continuously. As I know
any food that has sugar content can be an ingredient in making vinegar.