Agric. Rev.

, 31 (1) : 56 - 62, 2010 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE

www.arccjournals.com / indianjournals.com

BANANA POST HARVEST PRACTICES: CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE

PROSPECTS- A REVIEW
Debabandya Mohapatra, Sabyasachi Mishra* and Namrata Sutar
Faculty of Food Processing Technology & Bio-energy,
Anand Agricultural University, Anand-388 110, India.

ABSTRACT
Banana is one of the most appreciated fruit all over the world because of its multipurpose use as
food. Lack of suitable post harvest management practices may lead to a huge economic loss for the
banana producing regions. Different postharvest management practices are in use to enhance its
shelf life by delaying the ripening, reducing respiration rate, and controlling the disease causing
organisms, during transport and storage. An integrated approach can ensure product safety and
quality that reaches the consumer, residing far away from the production area. In this article different
pre-storage treatments viz. pre-cooling, chemical and biological treatment for disinfection, modified
atmospheric packaging, chemical treatment, irradiation, and coating for enhancement of shelf life is
discussed in brief.
Key words: Banana, Shelf life, Disinfestations, Ripening, Respiration, Packaging

Banana is one of the widely grown and Though India is one of the major producers
consumed fruits due to their distinct aroma and of bananas with a production over 21766400 MT
taste, in all parts of the world. It is the staple food worth $3101930000, as reported for the year 2007;
and economic life line for many countries. It is the export figure is much lower than that of the other
cheap source of carbohydrate and rich source of banana producing countries (FAO, 2009). The major
potassium, calcium, antioxidants and other banana producing states of India are Tamil Nadu,
micronutrients. The sugar rich and low-fat Maharashtra and Gujarat. Bulk of the production
bananas have varied uses as infant food, caters mostly to the domestic need, with an estimated
functional food, dessert, carbohydrate based domestic consumption of 13445130 MT (FAO,
staple food and many more diversified food/feed 2009). In many places, there is significant loss of
uses (Agunbiade et al., 2006; Aparicio-Saguilán the food value of banana due to improper post
et al., 2007; Aurore et al., 2009; Mohapatra et al., harvest management practices that causes huge
2009). But this fruit is highly perishable owing to its economic loss. Post production losses of banana can
high water content and is susceptible to many be reduced by adopting various post-harvest
diseases, especially fungal infection. Being a management practices that are currently in practice
climacteric fruit, it produces enough ethylene all over the world to prolong its shelf life. Post harvest
bringing about rapid changes in physico-chemical management practices such as cleaning, sorting, and
properties, such as colour, texture, aroma, chemical pre-storage treatments, viz. pre-cooling, chemical
composition, respiration rate and senescence. The treatment for disinfection, modified atmospheric
climacteric phase is characterised by enhanced packaging, for banana are discussed in brief, in the
ethylene production, higher oxygen consumption, following sections.
starch to sugar conversion, chlorophyll degradation Harvesting
and relocation of the micro and macro nutrients The harvesting standard varies from place
between the pulp and other plant parts (Marriott et to place, season, transport distance and the end use
al., 1981). of the fruit. For local use, the fruits may be harvested
*Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada, E-mail: [email protected]
 Vol. 31, No. 1, 2010 57

at fully matured stage; for short distance transport, crown rot disease. The hot water temperature above
the fruits may be harvested at 90% maturity level 50ºC causes severe scalding and hence it is
and for long distance transport, the fruits may even recommended that the bananas should be treated
be harvested at a maturity level of 75%. Again, the at 50ºC for 20 minutes for effective control of crown
fruits are used for table purpose or processed for rot disease (Reyes et al., 1998). Hot water treatment
value addition. For processing, fully matured and not only cleanses and disinfects but also prevents
yellow banana is preferred. In the later case, usually, peel blackening of the bananas going for successive
green banana is used which has yet to reach the cold storage (Promyou et al., 2008).
climacteric stage. In the cooler season, the fruits may Chemical treatment
be harvested after 105 days of flowering, but during The fruit is susceptible to crown rot diseases
hot season, the fruits can be harvested between 98 caused by a fungus Fusarium aff. Sacchari. The
to 115 days (Robinson, 1996). After harvest, crown rot disease can be effectively controlled by
bunches are properly cushioned and transported to using chemicals extracted from citrus seed, in
the warehouse. Mechanical damage to bananas combination with the wax-based adjuvant and
during transport results in crown browning caused fungicides like thiabendazol, imazalil, ammonium
by enzymatic oxidative degradation of phenolic sulphate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate,
compounds by polyphenol oxidase. This can be oxalic and maleic acids, cinnamon extract, piper
avoided by dehanding the fruits under water, extract, garlic extract, chlorine water and chitosan
applying vacuum, waxing and application of solution along with or without hot water treatment
antioxidants like thiourea and potassium aluminium (Al Zaemey et al., 1993; Win et al., 2007)
sulphate (Ismail et al., 2004).
Fungicidal coating
Precooling Banana preservation has two phases i.e. an
Field heat generated due to the harvest stress initial preservation period between harvesting and
can cause overheating of the fruits. This may result initiation of the ripening process and a second
in damage of the plant tissues and acceleration of preservation period between initiation of the ripening
the biochemical activities, causing spoilage. Several process and the time of consumption. Some of the
methods like hydro cooling, air-blast cooling, coating processes may be employed to banana for
vacuum cooling and liquid carbon dioxide gas preservation in either or both of these periods.
cooling have been in use, separately or in Polyvinylidene chloride copolymer along with surfactant
combination, to take care of this heat load from and optional ingredients i.e. antimicrobials, plasticizers
horticultural crops (Smith, 1963; Robinson, 1996; and antifoaming agents, can be effectively used as pre-
Bagnato et al., 2003). Hydro cooling is achieved by ripening and post ripening coating (Petcavich, 2007;
dipping/ drenching, rinsing/ immersing or spraying Davie et al., 2007). The anthracnose infection can be
cold water over the bananas bunches for effective inhibited by coating the bananas with organic acids
field heat removal. In air blast cooling method, like oleic, palmitic, lauric, malic, citric, oxalic, and
banana bunches are subjected to a jet of cooled air maleic acids, incorporated in coating materials like
for removal of field heat whereas in vacuum cooling chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose and carboxymethyl
the fruits are treated under vacuum for few minutes chitosan (Al Zaemey et al., 1993). The coating creates
(Brosnan and Sun, 2001). The bananas are cleaned partial anaerobic conditions, favouring greater
and disinfected properly before packaging to production of metabolites like acetaldehyde and
maintain quality during distribution. ethanol. This helps in quality improvement in coated
Cleaning and disease control bananas through astringency removal. Application of
The banana hands, cut out from the bunch, acetaldehyde, a natural aroma component, with
are washed in clean and flowing water, to remove ethanol or alone, results in removing astringency in
the accumulated dirt and dust, as well as the latex banana (Pesis, 2005). The ethanol vapour
that exudes from the cut surface of crown. Cleaning, impregnation under vacuum is unsuitable for banana
delatexing and fungal control can also be done using as it causes brown spot development in the peel
hot water, which is quite effective in controlling the (Bagnato et al., 2003).
58 AGRICUTURAL REVIEWS

Biological control Storage temperature

Recent years has seen developments in Temperature is the single most important
research pertaining to the control of diseases by using parameter controlling respiration rate. For every 5-
biological agents that compete with other parasites 10°C rise in temperature, the respiration rate doubles
for food. Many of them produce useful enzymes. or triples thereby shortening the shelf life (Bhande et
Pichia anomala Kurtzman (strain K), Candida al., 2008). Maintaining optimum temperature is of
oleophila Montrocher (strain O) and Pseudomonas utmost importance for the shelf life extension of food
syringae (strain ESC-11) with or without any other materials have been adopted since centuries. The
fungicides act antagonistically for controlling the metabolic processes like ripening, respiration and
crown rot and anthracnose disease of banana microbial growth require optimum temperature to
(Lassoisa et al., 2008; Williamson et al., 2008). be maintained. Ripening in bananas can be delayed
Ripening and storage through refrigeration, but these fruits are very
Banana fruits continue to grow while sensitive to temperature abuse. Therefore proper
attached to the parent plant and accumulate starch temperature regime should be followed during
in the pulp. When maturation begins after 80-90 transportation and storage of the bananas,
days of flowering, the fingers stop elongating and depending on the duration of storage, by using brine
the fruit starts getting rounded, bloated up width wise. solution, refrigerant or liquid carbon dioxide (Smith,
Unless the fruits are harvested when they are ¾th 1963). Storing under 10ºC causes chilling injury in
quarters round, the fruits split while still green. The the bananas, resulting in development of brown
harvested banana passes through three physiological spots on the peel (Broughton and Wu, 1979). This
stages of growth i.e. pre-climacteric or ‘green stage’, could be attributed to the oxidation of dopamine
climacteric or ‘ripening stage’ and finally senescence (El-Wahaba and Nawwara, 1977). Furthermore,
stage (Robinson, 1996). Unripe banana shows a bananas do not fully degreen when stored at tropical
low level of ethylene, a natural plant hormone that temperatures i.e. about 30ºC, due to ethylene
regulates every facets of plant growth. During production inhibition above the storage temperature
ripening stage, higher ethylene production induces of 25°C and the reduction of Mg-dechelatase activity,
higher metabolic rates of starch to sugar conversion; which in turn represses chlorophyll degradation,
chlorophyll degradation and unmasking of leading to uneven degreening (Yang et al., 2009).
carotenoids, thus the green banana turns The ideal temperature of storage is about 13-14ºC
progressively yellow and dark coloured. This also (Robinson, 1996,). Acceptability of bananas ripened
brings about decrease in astringency, decrease in at 20ºC, under ethylene treatment, is higher due to
polyphenol content, increase in polyphenol oxidase the better flavour, lesser astringency and sweetness
activity, attributing to browning of peels, increased (Ahmad et al., 2001). Therefore, it is recommended
respiration rate, loss in firmness and increase in that the bananas for transport should be stored at
moisture content in the pulp (Kiyoshi and Wahachiro, about 13-14ºC, for delaying the ripening process but
2003; Siriboon and Banlusilp, 2004; Adeyemi and should be treated with ethylene to bring about better
Oladiji, 2009). Artificial ethylene, application can quality characteristics in the stored bananas.
also enhance the polyphenol oxidase activity and Relative humidity
respiration rate (Shuji et al ., 2001). For local High humidity (95%) favours ripening
consumption, the fruits can be treated with ethylene process by preventing browning spot on the peels
or ethephon (Vendrell, 1985; Domínguez and but it causes the dropping off of the fingers, due to
Vendrell, 1994), but for long distance transport it is rupture of peel at the pedicel. Pectin degradation at
desirable to have longer green period or pre high RH is the cause of rupture of peel. If the fruits
climacteric phase. The ripening phase thus can be are stored under water stress conditions, at lower
delayed by controlling storage environmental humidity, that would affect the shelf life of the
conditions and using different methodologies as product through enhanced ethylene production and
discussed in the following sections. respiration in the pre-climacteric stage (Finger et al.,
 Vol. 31, No. 1, 2010 59

1995). The ideal relative humidity is about 80% at techniques like controlled atmospheric storage and
a storage temperature of 20ºC (Broughton and Wu, modified atmospheric packaging involves
1979). manipulation of respiration rate of the stored
Chemical treatment produce, by altering the CO2:O2 in the packaging
The bananas can be chemically treated for system. For fruits and vegetables, a modified
delaying the ripening process and associated atmospheric packaging environment with 3-8% CO2,
physico-chemical changes. Nitrous oxide alone or 2-5% O2 and 87-95% N2 has been found suitable
in combination with reduced oxygen levels can work (Phillips, 1996). Respiration rate is governed by
synergistically to delay the ripening process without storage temperature and composition of storage
atmosphere. Post-climacteric nitrogen storage is not
any adverse effect on physicochemical qualities.
a suitable method for increasing shelf life, as it causes
Nitrous oxide inhibits the activities of ACC oxidase
skin browning and decomposes the banana aroma
which in turn retards the ethylene biosynthesis.
ethyl acetate to 3-methylbutyl ester and 1-butanol
Application of nitrous oxide however, is time and
that renders overripe aroma in the banana (Klieber
dose dependant, which works at the concentration
et al ., 2002). Banana stored under modified
level of 40-80%. Therefore, it has the potential to
atmospheric package at lower temperature, with
control postharvest ripening of banana during
silicon membrane can reduce the respiration rate to
handling, transportation and storage (Palomer et al., a significantly lower level, impairing minimum
2005). Nitric oxide, a free radical, when applied in damage to the product quality in terms of harvest-
the oxygen sans environment can help in decreasing fresh appearance, colour, texture, in addition to
respiration rate and delaying senescence (Leshem improvement in the shelf-life (Stewart et al., 2005).
et al., 1998). Chemicals like salicylic acid and 1- Senescent spotting of banana peel can also be
methylcyclopropane decreases the activities of inhibited by modified atmospheric packaging
enzymes like ACC synthase, cellulase, through maintenance of low oxygen level in the
polygalacturonase and xylanase that regulates the packaging system. This reduces the phenylalanine
ripening process (Srivastava and Dwivedi, 2000; ammonia lyase activity in the peel and increases
Blankenship and Dole, 2003; Pelayo et al., 2003; polyphenol oxidase that might have attributed to the
Watkins, 2006). These chemicals have been increase in potentially active protein, thus limiting
approved by FDA. the senescent spotting. At the same time higher
Coating oxygen level promotes spotting in banana peel
Various type coatings have been in and the (Maneenuam et al., 2007). The negative impact of
market is flooded with such packaged food higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the
materials. Some of the packaging materials are packaging system can be evaded by the inclusion of
biodegradable, and some of them are composites. suitable oxygen scavenger, carbon dioxide scrubber
Some of the biodegradable as well as composite and ethylene absorbents, which do not have any
packaging materials are edible. For fresh whole effect on spotting (Choehom et al., 2004). Chitosan
banana fruits, edible coating will not be a suitable based coating and some polymers like vinyl chloride
option as the banana is usually consumed after being with antioxidants, essential oils through either direct
peeled. In such cases both biodegradable and non or indirect contact, have the capability of removing
biodegradable or composite films with distinct off odour, ethylene absorption and oxygen
potential to delay the ripening and reduce the scavenging properties (Phillips, 1996).
respiration rate as well as microflora population, will These days, hurdle technology is gaining
be of utmost importance. Coating the fruit prior to wider acceptance, which creates hurdles for
ripening initiation delays the rapid ethylene microbial or biochemical reactions by the
production, thus delaying the ripening process and application of several less intense treatments.
the chlorophyll loss which normally accompanies Extension of shelf life of banana has also been
ripening (Banks, 1985). reported by application of 1-MCP and storing on
Modified atmospheric storage/controlled polythene bags (Jiang et al., 1999). Similar mild
atmospheric storage/active packaging Storage treatments has been employed with fresh cut bananas
60 AGRICUTURAL REVIEWS

for shelf life enhancement by the combined action Future scope of Research
of chemical dip with 1% (w/v) calcium chloride, Post harvest heat treatment (Lurie, 1998),
0.75% (w/v) ascorbic acid and 0.75% (w/v) cysteine ozonization (Aguayo et al., 2006), radio frequency /
and/or combined with a carrageenan coating and/ Microwave, pulse light, heating, use of different
or combined with controlled atmosphere (3% O2 + immersion solutions (Ihl et al., 2003; Choi et al.,
10% CO2) (Bico et al., 2009). 2009), calcium lactate, green-tea extract, whey
Irradiation permeate (Martín-Diana et al., 2005, 2006, 2008),
The ripening process in bananas can be neutral electrolyzed water (Rico et al., 2008), steam
effectively delayed by irradiation at lower dose jet (Martín-Diana et al., 2007) have been used as
(0.2 kGy with a dose rate of 7.35 kGy h ”1 ) sanitization practices of many horticultural produce
through retardation of softening and colour preservation. Application of these techniques to
change. Irradiation decreases sensitivity of the prolong shelf life and quality control of fresh whole
banana to its own endogenous ethylene without banana is yet to be explored. Further research in
causing any phytotoxicity. At the same time, it this area is required.
does not affect ripening using high CONCLUSION
concentrations of exogenous ethylene. The extent of post harvest losses of fresh fruits
However, a higher dose (0.4 -1.0 kGy) may attributed to mishandling, improper storage practices
cause discolouration, extensive tissue damage and lack of modern transport facilities. This invariably
and change in respiration rate and reduced leads to qualitative and quantitative losses.
sensitivity to exogenous ethylene exposure Minimization of these losses can safeguard the export
(Strydom and Whitehead, 1990; Strydom et al ., potential and will aid to the revenue generation. With
1991). Though irradiation has been used for post harvest technological evolution and new
delaying the ripening process, its application practices replacing the older ones, it seems that the
in disinfection of banana can be explored, as treatments for the extension of shelf life through
it has already been proven worth for other fruits (Aziz microbial decontamination, insect disinfestations,
and Moussa, 2002; Egea et al., 2003). UV-radiation and metabolic activity inhibiting methods can be
can cause increase level of antioxidant activities of applied alone or in coherent with each other to have
fresh cur bananas thus can help in reducing the synergistic effect on the spoilage caused in banana.
microbial load, ensuring enhanced shelf-life Several niche technologies have been tried and tested
(Alothman et al., 2009). successfully with other fruits and vegetables and are
Apart from all these treatments to be yet to be tried on banana for standardisation. This
maintained during post harvest handling, a would immensely help the small as well as the large
cool infrastructure temperature is needed for scale fresh banana retailers and related food
safe-guarding the quality of banana (Brecht et processing industries, for further processing
al ., 2003). applications.

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