Bananas for oranges: Pectin from banana peels can stabilize and preserve orange juice naturally

Certain fruits go well together and can be combined to create a delicious fruit bowl, but researchers from the Benue State University in Nigeria had something different in mind with the combining process that they have developed.

The study, which appeared in the IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT), looked at the possibility of extracting pectin from banana peels and combining them with orange juice to preserve its shelf life.

Pectin, a chemical derived from apple pomace and orange peel, has many uses in both food and medicine. It’s known to be a gelling agent for food, used extensively in jams, jellies, and frozen food. It’s also used as a sugar and fat alternative for other foods. In medicine, pectin is used to reduce blood cholesterol and treat gastrointestinal disorders (Related: Gently detox with 4 superfoods to remove toxins from chemtrails, heavy metals, noxious chemicals, pesticides, drugs, GMO by-products.)

Researchers bought fresh dwarf bananas (Musa accuminata) for the study. The peels were then extracted from the bananas and air-dried for two days. These were then made into flour and stored.

To extract pectin, the resulting powder made from banana peels were combined with hydrochloric acid. The mixture was then heated for four hours and left to cool. Ethanol was then added to the solution and was filtered, leaving pectin.

The solution was then added to orange juice at a ratio of one gram of pectin for every 100 milliliters of fresh orange juice. A control that did not contain pectin was also used.

The findings indicated that the juice that contained pectin was more stabilized than the control. The control sample started fermentation 24 hours after the study, while the juice that included pectin stabilized for 48 hours before fermentation was observed.

Of the results, the researchers posited that pectin could be used as a stabilizer for certain juices, noting that the juice did not require the addition of sugars and water. “Conclusively, apart from the pectin being a good juice stabilizer among several other uses, it was found that the pectin could also preserve and increase the shelf life of juice,” they explained.

Looking at the benefits of both bananas and oranges

Both bananas and oranges are well-known, widely consumed, and hailed for its nutritional benefits. Here are some surprising facts about both fruits that may just get you to stock up.

Bananas are everywhere — at least 107 countries grow them, and they are one of the most profitable crops in the world for a good reason: these yellow berries (botanically speaking, the same way that raspberries and strawberries aren’t actual berries) contain high amounts of potassium and fiber.

In addition, they also may help lower the chances of getting asthma, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive problems.

Oranges, on the other hand, are known as a potent source of vitamin C. However, recent studies show that’s not all oranges are good for.

The American Heart Association has discovered that a compound present in citrus may lower the chances of stroke in women. Additionally, oranges also reduce the risk of cancer with their antioxidant properties.

Aside from cancer, the antioxidants in oranges also help repair the skin after it has been exposed to ultraviolet rays and pollution.

However, people who are on medication for heart disease and those whose kidneys do not function properly should seek the advice of a health professional before adding more bananas and oranges in their diet.

Learn more benefits you can get from fruits by going to Fruits.news today.

Sources include:

IOSRJournals.org  ^[PDF]

TandFOnline.com

MedicalNewsToday.com 1

LiveScience.com