Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
Left: Dr. Audia Barnett - Right: Ambassador Gerd Jarchow
THE EUROPEAN Commission in Jamaica is to release ¤8 million ($632 million) to assist with the diversification of the banana industry.
Ambassador Gerd Jarchow, head of the European Com-mission delegation in Jamaica, revealed at a Gleaner Editors' Forum on Tuesday that the programme is to get under way this year and will aim to develop products such as banana flour, as well as products from plantain.
Ambassador Jarchow said he was also interested in establishing a high-tech tissue culture laboratory here before his term in office ends, so that the country could produce its own tissue culture material to supply farmers. Currently, most of the tissue culture material is imported.
Dr. Audia Barnett, executive director of the Scientific Research Council (SRC), says there is great opportunity for the diversification of the banana fruit, but a lack of supply is hampering the process.
According to her, the banana peels have high value actives that that can be used for heart disease, skin allergies, among other things. She also noted that the banana can be used to make flour and barbecued sauce.
Speaking on Tuesday during the same forum, Dr. Barnett noted that the SRC, as part of its mandate,
is trying to identify possibilities for value-added products.
"We try to be more and more conscious of being customer-driven. So we need to scope what the international market is looking for," she said.
NUTRACEUTICALS
According to Dr. Barnett, the market for nutraceuticals is booming. Banana, she said, is considered to be a nutraceutical. Nutraceutical is described as any non-toxic food or food ingredient scientifically proven to provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of diseases,
Noting that value-added can be derived from banana, Dr. Barnett said the SRC is trying to align itself with small farmers at the community level to see how they can get added value from the fruit. But she noted that supply, especially for the chips market, is low.
She also said there is a niche market, for peeled green bananas, which can be preserved, but supply is also affecting the process.
TISSUE CULTURE FACILITY
The SRC executive director told the forum that with the assistance of the European Union, the council has been able to set up a tissue culture facility which was able to produce thousands of banana plants for small farmers.
Tissue culture is a technique that is very similar to cloning. A small piece of the plant is taken and labelled X and placed on a growth medium made up of nutrients and hormones suitable for plant growth. After being placed on this medium the plant grows into a mature plant bearing the same characteristics as the parent.
"It was unfortunate that we were not able to fulfil the total quota because of the facilities that we have but we have the technology and we are currently actively seeking partners to commercialise that activity," she said.
