Potential Creation of Thousands of Jobs from Banana Juice Production

Muhtasari

• Supported by a 100m/- research grant from the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), the innovation demonstrates how public investment in research can transform one of Tanzania’s most important food.
• During processing, the juice undergoes pasteurisation at temperatures between 85 and 90 degrees Celsius to eliminate harmful microorganisms before natural citric acid is added to preserve quality.
• Prof Tibazohi estimates that an additional 100m/- investment is required to establish production facilities, acquire industrial equipment and employ skilled personnel.
• By converting bananas into juice, the technology extends the crop’s shelf life, creates new markets and increases its economic value, giving farmers greater opportunities to benefit from their production.
• Unlike some fruit varieties commonly used for juice production, bananas contain large amounts of sticky sap that create bitterness and an unpleasant mouthfeel.