The main commercial products made from bananas are canned or frozen puree, dried figs, banana powder, flour, flakes, chips, canned slices and jams.
The production of banana and plantain chip is a widespread activity in many banana growing countries.
Chips are an important ingredient in breakfast cereals. Banana chips are prepared by drying the unripe banana slices and then frying them in edible oil. Thin sliced green banana however can be directly friedl in edibles oil without any pre drying treatment.
Chips can also be coated with sweeteners and then fried. Chips can be preserved for a long time with adequate packaging and storage facilities.
The Philippines is one of the main exporters of banana chips, selling them around 30 countries including the USA and EU.
In Philippines, Green Saba, a cooking banana is utilized for making banana chips. After osmotic dehydration and deep frying in coconut or other oil banana chips can be air dried at room temperature or cabinet dried, to allow for moisture equilibrium.
For making natural banana chips, the osmotic dehydration step is skipped.
Banana chips
