Banana Peels as Possible Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agents
Wafaa M. Hikal *
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, P.O. Box 741, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia and Water Pollution Research Department (Laboratory of Parasitology), Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
Miroslava `Kačániová
Department of Fruit Science, Viticulture and Enology, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia and Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Rzeszow, Cwiklinskiej 1, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland.
Hussein A. H. Said-Al Ahl
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The aim is to review the research on the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the banana peel and related research suggests that it may be used as good sources of natural antioxidants and for pharmaceutical purposes in treating of various deseases. Banana is an edible fruit and is herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Musa and Musaceae family. It is one of the world’s most important fruit crops that is widely cultivated in tropical countries for its valuable applications in food industry and also banana peels are widely used as complementary feeds for cattle in the tropics. Its enormous by-products are an excellent source of highly valuable raw materials for other industries by recycling agricultural waste for preventing an ultimate loss of hugeamount of untapped biomass and environmental issues. Hence the utilization of banana by-products in various food and non-food applications and sources of natural bioactive compounds represents the desired goal that has been achieved and is still being explored. Future prospects and challenges are the important key factors in association to the sustainability and feasibility of utilizing these by-products. It can be concluded that banana peel can be used in food, pharmaceutical and other industries successfully. Therefore, the banana wastes may provide new horizons and areas of research for future.
Keywords: Sansevieria suffruticossa, Antimicrobial activity, aerial,, antioxidant activity, terrestrial, banan peel exracts, dimorphic, acropetal,, exodermis, unistratose, scattered, collateral,, cencentric