PHT of Banana

1. Dr. R. T. Patil
Director,
Central Institute of Post Harvest
Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana
Post Harvest Technology of Banana with
Special Reference to Bunch Management

3. Banana Nutrition

4. Reasons for Losses
1. Handling of raw produce through many stages of
middlemen.
2. Processing is mostly controlled by urban rather than
rural entrepreneurs which leads to losses in valuable
by products.
3. Non availability of adequate and efficient equipment
and machinery to be used in catchment areas.
4. Low level of entrepreneurial urge in rural areas due to
constraints of finance, assured market and proper
training on technology
5. On the whole, there exists a fragmented and inefficient
value chain

5. Bunch Covering
•Bagging is common in the French West
Indies, Latin America, Africa, Australia.
•Protects bunches against cold, sun
scorching, against attack of thrips and
scarring beetle. Bunch covering with dry
leaves is a common practice in India,
•Temperatures under the cover can be
2° - 6°C warmer, and during cool times of
the year this can increase fruit length and
hasten fruit filling (harvest four to 14 days
earlier).
•In warmer climate like India reflective
silver covers and pulling down a leaf over
the cover can be followed.
•Perforated covers are also used to
reduce sunburn damage for export
production overseas.

6. Mechanical Damage
•Mechanical damage is one of the major factors leading to
post-harvest deterioration of banana
•Mechanical damage can detract from the product's
appearance and increase potential for infection by diseases.

7. Sources of Mechanical Damage
Impact-
Impact damage can result in bruising with or without skin rupture. Impact
bruises are caused from a sharp blow such as an object falling onto the
fruit or fruit falling against another fruit or onto a hard surface with
sufficient force to damage or even separate the cells. Impact damage
can occur throughout the entire marketing process from harvesting
through to the consumer.
Pressure (or compression)
Pressure (or compression) damage results from excessive pressure on
the fruit. Pressure damage can be caused by other fruits and occurs
primarily during and after packing as a result of forcing too much
produce into too small a container (i.e. over-packed or where packages
are stacked too high).
Vibrations
Vibration damage is mainly associated with transportation and results
from repeated and prolonged vibration of the fruit. This damage is
greatest in the top layers of fruit, particularly where there is a loose
packVibration damage is particularly severe in loosely packed fruits.

8. Factors Affecting Mechanical Damage
Pre-harvest factors
Pre-harvest factors are weather, wind, spraying and fertilizer application,
insect pests, birds, rodents and farm implements.
Harvesting factors
Due to poor harvesting and handling techniques. Soil adhering to fruits
(when allowed to fall down during harvesting) at harvest can also cause
damage by scarring fruits when the soil is removed or washed away.
Post-harvest factors
Post-harvest factors which can contribute to mechanical damage include:
•Over-packing and under-packing of fruits.
•Poor packaging and handling of packed fruits during loading and
unloading.
•Vibration (shaking) of vehicles especially on bad roads, speed of
transportation and type of suspension.

9. Modern Harvesting Methods
Figure shows the instrument/
equipment developed for
holding the banana bunch prior
to cutting and reduces to
human drugery. The backer
carries the fruit and attaches it
to a nearby overhead cableway
where the stem is transported
to the packing shed. It can also
be transported in carts. In the
packing shed, the bananas are
removed by hand by skilled
workers and washed. They also
go through quality control,
before being packed in
cardboard boxes.

10. Mechanical Banana Harvester
In 1998 Tom Johnston built the first
pototype, which proved it could reach
and cut a banana bunch. Being only a
2 tonne excavator though, it could not
handle the weight and duly toppled
over.
From there Tom went to Komatsu with
his invention; they supplied a second-
hand 4.5 ton excavator. The second
prototype with modifications such as
rubber tracks, extendable boom,
upgraded hydraulics and grab
modifications, proved mechanical
harvesting would work.
In 2000 a third prototype of the
Harvester was released at the Gold
Coast World Banana Congress
(Queensland Australia).

11. Post-harvest Handling
Banana bunches are hung on tramways and pulled out of plantings by
tractors or people. Fruit are shipped by boat when green, and ripened by
exposure to ethylene gas (1000 ppm for 24 hr) at their destination, in
sealed "banana ripening rooms".

12. CIPHET Banana Comb/Hand Cutter
CIPHET Banana-comb cutter
maintains smooth cutting curve of
banana-comb, with no fruit damage
during cutting as in case of knife or
sickle cutting, some banana-finger
getting damaged. With this tool one
person performs the banana- comb
cutting activity with less stress as
compared to the traditional method
of cutting. As such no data is
available regarding percentage
damage of banana-bunch, banana-
comb or banana-fingers during
cutting by presently used sickle by
traders or farmers.

13. Packing and Transport
The banana bunches harvested at
optimum maturity are wrapped with dried
banana levels before packing into in lorries
or railways wagons for long distance
transport.
At destination the bunches are dehanded
and sold in retail outlets.
In Tamil Nadu, Hill banana 'Virupakshi' is
dehanded in the plantation itself and are
packed in small lots of 500 fruits each and
marketed in Madras and Dindigul. In
Kerala,
the Nendran bunches are marketed as
whole bunches itself.
International market accepts separated
bananas from bunches and properly
cleaned and packed in appropriate packs
Carry the bunch in
plastic baskets

14. Cleaning, Packing and Transport

15. Packing and Transport
• Individual bagging of clusters in perforated
polythene bags is recommended.
Polypropylene bags add visibility so those must
be used. Bag packaging reduces weight loss,
promotes good peel colour on ripening and
reduces abrasion of one fruit on the next.
• Weigh to specified weight to avoid under- or
overweight as quality will be impaired under
both conditions.
• Correct choice of bag: perforated or non-
perforated modified atmosphere packaging.
• Well-trained staff for handling and packaging
• High quality, recyclable packaging material,
glued/sealed instead of stapled.
• Full audit-trail information on every carton, plus
all legally required information.
• Palletization at the point of packing is highly
desirable to ensure maintenance quality and
avoid excessive handling/mishandling.

16. Unit Operations in Post Harvest
Management
Fruits and Vegetables
•Preharvest treatment
•Harvesting at Maturity
•Safe harvesting
•Pre cooling & washing
•Surface drying
•Cool/cold storage
•Safe transport
•Safe handling
Higher the Value Addition Better the PH
Management and Lower Will Be Losses

17. Diversified Products from Banana
Flour
Flour can be made from green unripe banana. Fruits
should be hand-peeled and sliced or chopped into pieces
about 5-10 mm thick. The slices may be dried in the sun by
spreading out the slices on mats or can be dried in oven, in
a cabinet dryer or tunnel dryer. After drying, the chopped
pieces having moisture content of about 5-10% are ground
and sieved to produce the flour. Flour may be packed in
moisture proof bags. The dried slices may be stored and
converted to flour when needed to avoid loss of flavour as
flour absorbs moisture reapdly and becomes mouldy.
Powder
Powder may be prepared from fully ripe banana. Fruits
should be washed, hand-peeled and chopped fairly
coarsely. The material is converted into a paste by passing
through a mill to reduce the particle to a colloidal size
(below about 10 μm). A 1-2% Sodium metabisulphite
solution is added at this stage to improve the colour of the
final product and to prevent discolouration. The material is
then dried. Drying can be achieved, either in a spray dryer
(at 30-32°C and less than 30% RH under vacuum) or a
drum dryer (product temperature should not exceed 94°C).
After drum drying it might be necessary to further dry the
product in a cabinet dryer. The final moisture content of the
powder should be about 2% and stored in moisture proof
bags.
Why not to make Jam from
Banana?
12 cups sliced bananas (about 20 medium)
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3 strips orange peel
6 strips lemon peel
2 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
In a large kettle, combine sliced bananas
with sugar, orange juice, orange and lemon
peels, cinnamon and cloves. Stir over
medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil
rapidly 10 minutes. Reduce heat and
simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened,
about 15 to 20 minutes. When jam is thick,
remove from heat and ladle immediately into
sterilized canning jars. Fill to within 1/8 inch
of top. Screw caps on evenly and tightly.
Invert for few seconds, then stand jars
upright to cool. If jam is to be stored for long
period, place jars on rack in large kettle and
cover with boiling water. Boil 10 to 15
minutes to sterilize. Remove from water and
cool. Makes about 2.5 kg jam.

18. Diversified value addition at
production catchment to our unique
agricultural wealth can bring
prosperity to rural (real) India