Brawijaya University Students Develop "Anti-Cholesterol" Sweets from Banana Peels

Malang, E Java (Antara) - A group of students from the Agricultural Technology Faculty of Brawijaya University of Malang are developing anti-hypercolesterolemia candy using banana peel extract. "All this time, banana peels were not being utilized well, they in fact are able to lower cholesterol levels in the blood," Lukman Azis, the head of the research team stated here on Wednesday. Azis along with two other students, Nisa Alfilasarida and Clara Arha, under the supervision of lecturer, Nur Ida Panca, are utilizing banana peel waste to create anti-hypercolesterolemia soft candy, which they call "Marshmallow." The background of the research is based on the fact that Indonesia is the seventh-largest banana producer in the world and Asia's largest banana producer. Indonesia has several industries that use banana as their raw material. A special treatment is needed for the banana peels, the waste, Azis stated, adding that banana peels contain useful pectin to help lower cholesterol levels. Pectin is mainly extracted from fruits and is used in food items as a gelling agent, particularly in jams and jellies. It is also used in fillings, medicines, sweets, as a stabilizer in fruit juices and milk drinks, and as a source of dietary fiber. Simple household appliances are used to extract the pectin, and the sorted banana peels are sliced into small parts and then steamed for 10 minutes. Thereafter, the steamed peels are dried to make flour. The flour then undergoes a solid-liquid extraction process at 90 degree Celsius temperature using an acid solvent. The result of the extraction is the basic material for making the anti-hypercholesterole marshmallows. The pectin is then coagulated by cooking it. The last step is the purification and precipitation process using 70 percent and 96 percent alcohol solution. Pectin is mostly extracted from apples and citrus fruits, which are more expensive as compared to that extracted from banana peels. Therefore, the study will contribute to create cost-efficient pectin from waste material for health treatment. Data from WHO shows that coronary heart disease is the world's number one cause of death. The research revealed that consuming pectin extracted from banana peels for a two-week period may lower cholesterol levels up to 52 percent. The students are seeking a patent for their study and testing the effects of the result of their study on other diseases. (*) Reporting by Endang Sukarelawati