AGRIBUSINESS :Making money from banana fibers.

AGRIBUSINESS :Making money from banana fibers. Banana is one of the most important fruit crops in the world.Banana production is a tropical, herbaceous and perennial crop and belongs to the Musaceae family, which produces one huge flower cluster and then dies Bananas are a nutritious bundle,though not many people understand the healthy code that this fruit offers.There are so many reasons to go ballistic on bananas, here are a few. 1) Rich in Potassium. Potassium is a vital nutrient because it helps to regulate blood pressure, this helps to keep the heart functioning correctly.Bones also need potassium as it helps to reduce calcium excretion, which help to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and help to keep bones strong even in old age . 2). High in Fiber. Fiber is a natural digestive aid that helps to keep the digestive tract healthy by ensuring healthy and regular bowel movements. The fiber in bananas also help relieve the symptoms of heartburn. 3). Treatment of stomach ulcers.Bananas may be able to help protect you against stomach ulcers, or help to treat existing ones. This is due to certain compounds in bananas creating a thick protective barrier in the stomach that can help defend against the damaging effects of excess Hydrochloric acid. Bananas also contain protease-inhibitors that can help to eliminate a specific bacteria in the stomach that is found to cause ulcers to develop. 4). Rich in Many Other Nutrients such as Vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium and manganese. see more AGRIBUSINESS :Making money from banana fibers. Banana plant or plantain plant not only gives the delicious fruit but it also provides textile fiber, the banana fiber. Banana fiber is natural fiber. Natural fibers present important advantages such as low density, appropriate stiffness and mechanical properties and high disposability and renewability. Moreover, they are recyclable and biodegradable. There has been lot of research on use of natural fibers in reinforcements. Banana fiber, a ligno-cellulosic fiber, obtained from the pseudo-stem of banana plant (Musa sepientum), is a bast fiber with relatively good mechanical properties Banana fiber has its own physical and chemical characteristics and many other properties that make it a fine quality fiber. Appearance of banana fiber is similar to that of bamboo fiber and ramie fiber, but its fineness and spin-ability is better than the two. The chemical composition of banana fiber is cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The properties are 1) It is highly strong fiber.2)It has smaller elongation. 3) It has somewhat shiny appearance depending upon the extraction & spinning process.4) It is light weight.5) It has strong moisture absorption quality. It absorbs as well as releases moisture very fast.6)it is bio- degradable and has no negative effect on environment and thus can be categorized as eco-friendly fiber.7) Its average fineness is 2400Nm. 8) It can be spun through almost all the methods of spinning including ring spinning, open-end spinning, bast fiber spinning, and semi-worsted spinning among othe The fiber extraction is done with The various uses of banana fibers ; Read more

Bananas another important source of bio energy.

Banana is one of the most important fruit crops in the world.Banana production is a tropical, herbaceous and perennial crop and belongs to the Musaceae family, which produces one huge flower cluster and then dies. The plant is cut to bring the crop down, thus the stem and leaves turn into lignocellulosic biomass. Once a bunch arrives at the packaging plant, the bunch rachis becomes residual biomass too. The ratio of banana waste and product is 2:1. The lignocellulosic biomass is either left on the ground or taken to open dumps. In the first case, the process leads to maintain the soil moisture and provide organic matter, but it is a potential risk of transmission of disease and, in both cases, the lignocellulosic biomass produce greenhouse gases as they decompose. Researchers from the Agro-Energy Group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have used geographic information systems to assess the potential use of the residual biomass of bananas produced in the province of El Oro (Ecuador) for bioenergy applications. Results show that the use of this waste could satisfy the 55% of the electrical demand of the region and the 10% of bioethanol demand nationwide. In addition to lignocellulosic biomass there is another residue, that

START UP @ BANANA / PLANTAIN PRODUCTION.

The health benefits of bananas/ plantain can not be overemphasized and this love can be turned to a business venture ,which is equally rewarding. Bananas/ plantain can be packaged raw and fresh or processed and packaged for sale. The business of frying and packaging plantain as snack is another topic entirely that will be discussed later. A recent interview with a farmer with plantain/banana plantation shed some more light on the planting and nurturing of the fruit.There are various species that can be cultivated, that starts fruiting at about 5 months and new varieties are also available courtesy of bio crops which fruit earlier , grow bigger and tastes better. Thinking of starting a plantation? consider this; The soil type should be virgin with added advantage if it has river-silt deposits. The soil does not have too be too deep,because banana /plantain crops are shallow rooted.The best soil type is loamy drained to 4-6 feet deep is recommended, heavy clay soils are unsuitable. The variety/specie depends on choice of the farmer as well as target market,the new improved varieties and imported varieties have been used extensively in the field. Land preparation entails,clearing the land and fell any tree on site; line and stake out so that the plantation will not be haphazard. Dig holes that should be at least 1 .5 x 1.5 x 1.5.,and note the heavier the soil the larger the planting hole. Planting usually done by rhizomes or sword suckers.The planting with rhizomes entails,using the fleshy underground part of the plant usually taken from large suckers that have not fruited.These are dug,suckers removed just above the rhizomes and all roots trimmed off. The layer rhizomes may be cut into 2 pieces each for planting one foot deep.This method gives greater yields. Bananas/plantains are sensitive to water shortage,thus keep water available to roots frequently. Application of fertilizer is important for the plantation,although the natural fertility is fully utilized but bananas grow better when sulphate of ammonia applied as top dressing during rains. Remove weeds after planting and cut smaller branches of the felled trees to give the young crops a chance to grow.Its advisable to avoid deep cultivation,which damages the shallow roots.When plants are full grown they will shade the ground and prevent growth of more weeds. Cut branches at maturity and sell-off. The number of suckers determines the yield and quality.The ideal situation is to start with one sucker and when its about half height,start a second sucker.When the second sucker is half-height,start the third and continue. If market is far from farm such as across borders or across states, cut the bunches at maturity before it ripens and store for transport to market. The bunches can be hung up from farm barn roof and then smoked to get uniform ripening. The bananas can also be stored at 68-70 F at humidity of 85%. The bunches can also be put in a pit in the ground and covered with banana leaves and leave for 3 days. plantain lover # banana love # entrepreneur # plantain chips # banana pudding.

BANANAS! BANANAS!! BANANAS!!!

. The risk of diabetes,stroke and cancer are reduced with intake of bananas. The ripe,unripe and over-ripe bananas play vital roles in health and well-being. The peels are also valuable and can be consumed along with the fruit. The skins are an even richer source of antioxidants, potassium, magnesium and resistant fiber. A study of a group of over 90,000 women, ages 50-79, was tracked for 11 years to see how their diets predicted their stroke risk. Those who had the potassium from an extra banana each day had a 25 percent reduction in their risk of stroke. Bananas are the most powerful fruit for reducing the risk of kidney cancer. A study of shows the result of monitoring 61,000 adult women,they were assessed based on their diets and monitored for kidney cancer for 13.4 years and bananas were shown to lower the risk of kidney cancer. The diabetic can benefit from the properties of bananas,but only the unripe bananas are useful.Skins from ripe bananas are edible either cooked or raw ,while skins from green bananas are edible when cooked. A study looked at how the starch from unripe bananas affected the weight of a group of obese diabetics. After four weeks of a diet high in bananas, diabetics lost significantly more weight than on a control diet. There is a difference in insulin sensitivity from a banana diet.

WHY EAT BANANAS??

Bananas are a nutritious bundle,though not many people understand the healthy code that this fruit offers.There are so many reasons to go ballistic on bananas, here are a few. 1) Rich in Potassium. Potassium is a vital nutrient because it helps to regulate blood pressure, this helps to keep the heart functioning correctly.Bones also need potassium as it helps to reduce calcium excretion, which help to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and help to keep bones strong even in old age . 2). High in Fiber. Fiber is a natural digestive aid that helps to keep the digestive tract healthy by ensuring healthy and regular bowel movements. The fiber in bananas also help relieve the symptoms of heartburn. 3). Treatment of stomach ulcers.Bananas may be able to help protect you against stomach ulcers, or help to treat existing ones. This is due to certain compounds in bananas creating a thick protective barrier in the stomach that can help defend against the damaging effects of excess Hydrochloric acid. Bananas also contain protease-inhibitors that can help to eliminate a specific bacteria in the stomach that is found to cause ulcers to develop. 4). Rich in Many Other Nutrients such as Vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium and manganese. 5). Energy booster . Bananas contain natural compounds that help to boost the body with natural energy that is the preferred steady rate. A few fingers of banana can boost you in the morning,and keeps you charged this kind of energy is given can help to motivate you and your body to lose weight. 6). Treatment of Skin & Hair conditions. The skin of is used to treat devastating skin conditions such as psoriasis and acne. Blend the skin up with some other coconut oil of this is a great natural hair masque that can help put back some much needed moisture.It works wonders on the skin as well. 7). Stress reduction. Bananas contain tryptophan which when released into the blood stream, is converted into the serotonin. A high level of serotonin will change mood and stress levels are zero. 8).Teeth whitener. Cut a banana peel,rub the inner surface over your teeth and leave over-night and brush teeth in the morning.

EAT BANANAS AND BEAT CANCER!!!

Bananas have anticancer properties referred to as tumor necrosis factor(TNF),and the darker the banana the higher the quantity of the anticancer agent and more nutritive .Bananas are a nutritious bundle whether ripe,unripe or over ripe.Bananas have antioxidant properties that help mop up radicals which are carcinogenic. Bananas are rich in fiber, vitamin C,B6,potassium, they are very effective for ulcer treatment and are also stress busters. Bananas convert tryptophan to serotonin(the feel good hormone),thus nullifying stress. The dark spots on ripe bananas produce a substance called Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) that destroys cancerous tumors. The antioxidant levels rises as the banana ripens thus strengthening the immune system and increasing white blood cells count. Ripe bananas/over ripe bananas are eight times as effective as younger green siblings when it comes to elevating the cancer-fighting potential of white blood cells. Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine that assists cell-to-cell communication in immune responses and directs cell movement towards inflammatory and infection sites. It interferes with the growth and spread of tumor cells and triggers cell death. When a banana ripens, the starch content consists of mainly simple, easy-to-digest sugars that elevate blood sugar levels hence diabetic individuals should monitor their intake of sugary ripe bananas.

BANANAS : A TREATMENT PROTOCOL TO CURE SKIN CANCER.

When bananas ripen, their skin is covered in small, round black spots caused by an enzyme known as tyrosinase. This same enzyme is present in human skin, and in greater quantities in people suffering from melanoma — a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. The black spots on old banana peels may unlock a faster, easier diagnosis of human skin cancer and boosting survival chances.A team of scientists used this observed commonality to build a cancer scanner, which they then refined and tested at length on banana peels before moving on to human tissue. First, researchers at the Laboratory of Physical and Analytical Electro chemistry in Switzerland concluded that the enzyme is a reliable marker of melanoma growth. They observed that In the earliest stage 1 of cancer, the enzyme is not very apparent, becoming widespread and evenly distributed in stage 2, and unevenly distributed in stage 3 — at which time the cancer has started spreading to other parts of the body. When cancer is detected early , there is a greater chance of survival. According to the American Cancer Society, people have a 10-year survival rate of 95 percent if the melanoma is detected in stage 1 — falling to 43 percent by mid-stage 3.The team developed a scanner and tested it on banana peel spots — which are roughly the same size as melanoma spots on human skin.By working with fruit, they were able to develop and test a diagnostic method before trying it on human biopsies. The scanner has eight flexible microelectrodes, spaced like comb teeth, that pass over the skin to measure the quantity and distribution of tyrosinase. This system could obviate the need for invasive tests like biopsies,thus reducing costs and stress related to diagnosis. The study shows the scanner could be used one day to destroy tumors and hopefully rendering biopsies and chemotherapy unnecessary. Excerpts from research published in the German science journal Angewandte Chemie.