Banana preservation-valorization synergies: advancing sustainable systems

Bananas, the fifth most important global agricultural commodity, serve as a staple food for over 400 million people while driving economic development in tropical and subtropical regions. This review analyzes valorization pathways and emerging preservation technologies for bananas. Valorization approaches transform banana biomass into high-value products including functional foods, biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and bioenergy. Advanced preservation technologies, including edible coatings, controlled atmosphere systems, nanotechnology-enhanced packaging, and non-thermal processing, are evaluated for reducing postharvest losses. Unlike previous studies that addressed these areas separately, this review provides an integrated perspective on technological developments across the banana value chain. These technologies offer multiple sustainability benefits: enhanced food security through improved postharvest management, economic resilience through product diversification, and environmental benefits via waste utilization and bio-based preservation. The framework identifies research gaps and provides strategies for transitioning banana systems toward circular bioeconomy models, with implications for tropical food system sustainability.