Unveiling the Functional Potential of Banana Peels from Indonesian Banana Varieties through ATR-FTIR Fingerprinting Siska Septiana*, Teti Estiasih, Rosalina Ariesta Laeliocattleya, Hasna Sabila, Ghina Hanifah Rusiana
Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya
*Email: siska_septiana[at]ub.ac.id
Abstract
Bananas (Musa spp.) are widely consumed in Indonesia, yet the biochemical diversity of their peels across local varieties remains underexplored. Most studies focus on pulp composition, leaving a gap in understanding varietal-specific peel chemistry relevant to functional food applications. This study aimed to characterize the peel composition of six Indonesian banana varieties (Sang Mulyo, Mas Kirana, Raja, Kepok, Candi, and Susu) using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. Peels at a similar ripening stage were oven-dried, ground, and analyzed in the 4000-500 cm-1 range. Major absorption bands included ~3277 cm-1 (O-H stretching of polysaccharides and phenolics), 2920-2850 cm-1 (C-H stretching of lipids), ~1723 cm-1 (C=O of esters), ~1594 cm-1 (C=O of amides/phenolics), ~1375 cm-1 (C-H bending of polysaccharides), and ~1030 cm-1 (C-O-C of cellulose/hemicellulose). Peak intensity and position variations indicated compositional differences among varieties. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed distinct varietal clustering, Sang Mulyo and Mas Kirana grouped closely, indicating similar indicating similar polysaccharide-phenolic profiles- Raja and Candi formed another cluster with higher lipid-associated bands- Kepok and Susu were positioned apart, reflecting higher cellulose and hemicellulose signals. PC1 and PC2 explained 46.2% and 38.1% of total variance, respectively. These results demonstrate FTIR spectral fingerprinting, combined with PCA, as an effective, rapid, and non-destructive tool for differentiating banana varieties based on peel biochemistry, providing a scientific basis for targeted functional food ingredient development and by-product valorization.
