Banana is the most popular and 2nd most significant fruit crop in India. India is the largest producer globally and mostly utilizes about 90% of the bananas for domestic consumption. Banana is a highly perishable commodity; thus, processing into valuable products like chips, pulp, powder, etc. could help increase its shelf life. Processing of Banana into Banana Powder renders various advantages like extending the shelf life of the product, applicability in several food preparations like milkshakes, baby foods, bakery items, desserts, etc. Historically, banana flour/powder was used in Jamaica and Africa as an alternative to wheat flour. It is now more often used as a gluten-free replacement or as a source of starch. The major benefit of processing banana powder in India is the ample availability of raw material, wide untapped potential as it is new on a commercial platform, government support in the form of subsidies/incentives for starting a food processing unit, the establishment of Agri Export Zones (AEZ) in the country by the Government of India to facilitate the export of banana products, increasing economic conditions of the country. A variety of byproducts like leaves, peel, pseudostem, stalk, etc. are also obtained during the processing of banana which again offers a chance for processing the byproducts as well.
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