A Research on Banana Skin

A RESEARCH ON BANANA SKIN

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background

Banana is a fruit crop in the form of herb which comes from South East Asia (including Indonesia). This plant then spread to Africa (Madagascar), South America and Central America.
As a country of banana producer, banana plant can be found easily in almost every place in Indonesia, because Indonesia is located on 6° North Latitude – 11° South Latitude and 95° East Longitude – 141° East Longitude that causes its tropical climate. Banana can grow well in Indonesia because of its proper climate and its fertile land condition.

The center of banana production is located in Java, particularly in western Java. The center of banana production is in Java because Java has some active volcanoes that indirectly influence the fertility of the land in Java Island. However, banana doesn’t only grow well in Java. The centers of banana production can also be found in Sumatra, Borneo, Ambon, and Celebes.

Banana is not only able to grow in Indonesia, but also even in subtropical countries. It is because banana has a peculiarity that is its trunk can keep water, but the result of banana which is planted in subtropical region is not promising.

So far Indonesia is an exporter of both fresh banana and dried banana to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Netherlands, America and France. The largest export happened in 1997 with China as the export destination.

In Indonesia, banana has been a favorite fruit because of its taste, and banana can be made into various kinds of food. The banana plant can be wholly used, from cob to leaf. For example: banana cob can be used to make snack, the leaf can be used to wrap food, and the flower can be made food.

B. Subject Matter
The subject matter in this activity is whether the raja banana skin can be used to make a drink through the process of fermentation?

C. Objective of the Research
The objective of this research is to know whether the raja banana skin can be used to make a drink through the process of fermentation.

D. Benefit of the Research
The desirable benefit of this research is as an addition of information to the students or the public that the raja banana skin can be used to make a drink through the process of fermentation. Hopefully, it can also give any suggestion for company to produce some drink from raja banana skin as alternative.

CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

Based on the result of research that was conducted by fermentation of raja banana skin, it can be obtained a result in the form of a brown-colored drink. The taste of banana skin before and after fermentation has a difference. There is somewhat astringent to the taste before fermentation, while after fermentation it is a little bit sweet. It can occur because in the situation where there is enough oxygen (aerobe), saccharomyces (mushroom on yeast) will do a common respiration. Conversely, in the situation where there is a shortage of oxygen, it will do fermentation. The process of fermentation occurred on raja banana skin is alcoholic fermentation because of the alteration from glucose into alcohol (glycolysis). Process of glycolysis is helped by NAD (Nicotinamine Adenina Dinucleotida) enzyme that is enzyme which has function to alter glucose into alcohol and also to produce acid, i.e. piruvat acid.

The fermentation process of alcohol is that piruvat acid produced by process of glycolysis will be altered into acetate acid + CO2 , and then acetate acid is altered into alcohol. In the fermentation of alcohol, it is obtained ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) in the form of energy and glucose.

In the process of fermentation of raja banana skin, the ATP can cause an explosion because the resulted ATP is stored too long time. While in the fermentation process of fermented cassava, ATP can cause an increase in temperature.
The resulted glucose from the fermentation of raja banana skin has some benefit for body such as source of energy that plays a role in the formation of cell structure, tissue, and organ, and also plays a role in metabolism.

According to the second research, it can be seen whether or not the level of fat, carbohydrate, sugar (glucose), and protein. The condition of the paper dried in the sun proves that raja banana skin has no level of fat.

If the giving of betadine in the research proves that raja banana skin has a level of carbohydrate, it is because blackish blue color means that it has a level of carbohydrate.

In the research of mixing fehling A and B, it proves that raja banana skin has no level of sugar because the resulted color is not brick red, but green.

Also in the research of mixing the beuret, it proves that raja banana skin has a low level of protein because there is no striking violet, but light violet.
From the second research, it can be conclude that banana skin has a level of carbohydrate and protein.

CHAPTER III
CLOSING

A. Conclusion
According to the result of research, it can be drawn conclusions as follows:
1. Raja banana skin can be used to make a drink that has an economic value through the process of fermentation.
2. Raja banana skin, if properly processed, can produce useful substances for the body.
3. Raja banana skin has a level of carbohydrate and also protein.

B. Suggestion
According to the conclusion, it can be proposed some suggestions as follows:
1. The next researcher should evaluate the result of research in the laboratory in order to obtain more accurate result.
2. The cultivation of raja banana should be increased more because raja banana has a high economic value so that it is able to yield income for the region and increase food production.
3. The making drink from raja banana skin and the same kind needs to be experimented from foods that contain glucose.
4. Advanced researches need to be held in order to omit astringent to the taste so that the typical taste of raja banana can be obtained.