Sustainable environmentally friendly recovery process: Banana waste and symbiosis approach

Food loss and waste are a universal problem and many fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, are consumed in significant quantities. Both consumption and production processes generate a large amount of waste, which is characterized as garbage. This waste must be recycled and utilized for a sustainable ecological environment. In modern societies, food waste from households and industries is recognized as a critical environmental problem due to its underutilization and lack of sustainable recycling. Sustainable utilization of fruit waste, especially bananas, should be considered in the context of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. It is in the hands of humanity to reduce the environmental impact of wastes generated during the production process, to ensure the sustainability of natural resources, and to obtain economic benefits. Banana waste generated in the waste cycle and as a result of harvesting can be used in many areas. The majority of food and agricultural wastes are organic, and it is very important to collect and utilize them according to a zero-waste or symbiotic approach. Banana production in Turkey is predominantly in the Mediterranean region and post-production products are not effectively utilized. In this context, in this thesis where banana pseudo stem waste is discussed, the status and utilization areas of this waste within the scope of the sustainable development goal (SDG-12) are examined on an international scale and the current applicability in Turkey is analyzed. Keywords: Recovery, Food waste, Banana Fake Stem, Sustainability, Symbiosis Approach Mart, 2024; 56