Udipta Hazarika, Prapti Saikia, Manisha Choudhury, Mamoni Das
Banana peels (BPW) are one of the most prominent discarded agricultural by-products in the food industry. These peels house incredible nutritional properties and have been used traditionally for treating various ailments. They are a rich source of essential compounds such as dietary fiber, pectin, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and polyphenolic compounds; while also being rich in antinutritional factors that can hamper nutritional intake in humans. Therefore, several extraction techniques such as soxhlet extraction, maceration, microwave, ultrasound, supercritical fluid extraction and a host of other methods can be employed to yield high quality extract with minimal environmental degradation, which have been discussed in this review. Within the context of circular bioeconomy, BPW can be employed for various food-based applications such as composite flour, fat replacers, and as a source of prebiotic; as well as for non-food-based applications such as 3-D printing and biodegradable packaging. However, despite its advantages, toxicological studies and safety regulations regarding its food application are lacking to ensure consumer safety. This review comprehensively elucidates the nutritional significance of banana peel waste, and describes the various techniques employed for extraction of high-value compounds in detail. Additionally, peel applicability for industrial sector have also been elucidated, with potential solutions to counter the bottlenecks to ensure its valuation, commercialization, and acceptability among industries and consumers alike, while contributing towards streamlining and enhance upcycling of banana peel waste.