Banana crop by-products in the Canary Islands in a biorefinery’s context

Abstract

The waste from banana food production and their use within a circular economy framework are briefly analyzed within this review. Firstly, general information on the economic value of the crop, and its relevance in the economic development of the Canary Islands are presented. Secondly, an analysis on the types of by-products that are generated in banana cultivation, both in the plantation itself (pseudostem, leaves, and flower), and in the sorting and packaging facilities (rachis and discarded bananas) is shown. The authors conclude that banana plantation residues could be recovered by applying the biorefinery concept, in line with the European guidelines on efficient use of resources.