Screening of Variables Affecting Extraction of Pectin from Unripe Banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana var. Cardaba) Peel using Plackett–Burman Design

Pectin is an important ingredient used as thickener, water binder, and stabilizer in food. Its production could be economically attractive especially if extracted from food processing wastes and by-products.This study screened the different experimental conditions that led to the significant extraction of quality pectin from Cardaba banana. The large production of banana products, which results in discarded banana peels, presents an opportunity for creating alternative processes involving this waste. The Plackett–Burman screening method was used to identify the most important factors early in the experimentation phase when complete knowledge about the factors affecting the process or method were unavailable. Seven selected variables, namely: peel nature, peel size, peelsolvent ratio, pH, extraction temperature, extraction time, and extractant:ethanol ratio, were subjected to the screening experiment. These variables are relevant to the extraction of pectin in unripe banana (Musa acuminate × balbisiana var. Cardaba) peel. Variable screening results showed that extraction time, extraction temperature, and peel:solvent ratios had significant effects on the extraction process. These factors could be further optimized to extract the best quality pectin from unripe banana peel.</jats:p

Genetically modified organisms in agriculture : can regulations work?

Genetically modified (GM) crops have been recognised to be economically beneficial to subsistence farmers and have been projected as essential tools for addressing challenges in hunger, environmental sustainability and international development. Yet the uncertainty of their effects on human health and the undesirable ecological consequences of these organisms have raised concerns on the rapid pace of their production. Regulating the release of these organisms is a critical environmental issue. The Cartagena protocol on bio-safety, the principle legal arrangement for the regulation of these organisms, has ratifications from only 157 countries and has proven to be a weak regulator. Countries like India and Brazil have seen the proliferation of unapproved stealth GM varieties which make regulation even more difficult. In this paper, we explore the debate surrounding the introduction of GM organisms and analyse the effectiveness of existing legal regimes to regulate their use