Evaluating Different Methods on Extending the Shelf Life of Musa acuminata

de Veyra, Ashley Zyra G.

10-Proton, Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus, Pawing, Palo, Leyte

Introduction
There are several ways to increase the longevity of bananas. This experiment will
focus on the three most commonly used methods: through freezing, wrapping the banana
stem with plastic, and placing the banana inside a sealed container. Two different banana
types under Musa acuminata will be tested: Musa acuminate Colla or ‘Lakatan’ and Musa
acuminata ‘Señorita’. There will be two sets to be experimented on per type. The first set
will make use of banana bunches, with one bunch having approximately six (6) to twelve
(12) bananas. There will be four bunches in total. The next set will contain single bananas
only. There will also be four of these. The first bunch and one single banana will be placed in
the freezer. The next bunch and another single banana will have its stem wrapped in plastic
at room temperature. The third bunch and another single banana will be placed inside
separate sealed containers. Finally, the last bunch and last single banana will not be altered
in any way and left at room temperature. The bananas will be observed for two weeks. The
state of the bananas will be checked every two days.

Describe in detail (in one paragraph) your proposed research topic. Discuss what
you intend to do. Give an overview of the methods. (maximum of 200 words)

Significance of the topic

The purpose of this research is to determine which among the three most commonly
used methods is best in extending the shelf life of Musa acuminata. The result of the
research can be very useful in many ways. Knowledge gained from this research will be
helpful for individuals and entities who are in the banana plantation industry. The findings
from this research will help them decide on what storage method to use for the bananas.
Restaurants and similar establishments who may need to purchase bananas in bulk can also
benefit from this study. When bananas are purchased in bulk, storage and keeping the
banana fresh for a long time will always be the challenge. By considering the results of this
study, they will have a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of one
method over the other methods of extending the shelf life of bananas.

Discuss the significance of your proposed topic. What is the research gap that it
addresses? Mention who will benefit from your study and how they will benefit from it.

Statement of the Problem

Main Problem: What method of extending the shelf life of Musa acuminata is the
most effective?
The main problem should be stated in question form with SMART characteristics.
 Subproblems:
a. Write the subproblems.
b. How effective is freezing at extending the shelf life Musa acuminata?
c. How effective is stem wrapping at extending the shelf life of Musa acuminata?
d. How effective is sealing at extending the shelf life of Musa acuminata?
e. How will storing the bananas in a bunch or individually affect the shelf life of
Musa acuminata?

Brief Literature Survey

In a journal article written by Bruce Robin Nyamweha and Alituha Mesearch, the
longevity of banana juice was tested using different methods. Banana juice is perishable
item so there is need to identify effective methods of prolonging its shelf life. This study
evaluated various food preservation measures i.e. use of honey, boiling, using citric acid
and refrigeration in prolonging shelf life of banana juice to 1 month (Mesearch and
Nyamweha, 2019). They concluded from their experiment that refrigerating is the best
method in prolonging the shelf life of banana juice. In another research conducted by Md
Kamrul Hassan, Warren Shipton, R. Coventry, and Christopher Peter Gardiner, the longevity
of the shelf life of bananas were experimented on through the use of various temperatures.
Fruit dipped in hot water developed desirable colour and firmness characteristics, as did the
fungicide-treated fruits (Coventry, Gardiner, Hassan, Shipton, 2004). Both of these studies
are related to my proposed concept because both are experiments on increasing the
longevity of bananas.

Cite journal articles that are related to the study and explain how they are related to your
proposed concept. Use proper in-text citation. (Maximum of 300 words).

Feasibility
The research will involve the use of bananas. Banana fruits are in abundance in the
region. They can easily be purchased in nearby fruit stands and market places for a good
price. Additionally, this research can be performed within the confines of our home for only
a span of a few weeks.

Discuss the feasibility of the proposed research in terms of availability of materials,

finances and time frame. (maximum of 200 words)

Limitations
This study will only be limited to one type of banana which is Musa acuminata. The
results to be gathered from this experiment cannot be generally concluded for all banana
types. Additionally, the experiment will only consider the three common methods of
increasing the shelf life of bananas – freezing, stem wrapping and sealing. Although only
these three will be tested, there might be other methods that can be used.

Identify factors which you consider as limitations and discuss why you consider them
as limitations. (maximum of 200 words)

References
The reference list should be in alphabetical order according to the author surnames. All
authors’ names and the full title of the article must be included. Journal and periodical titles
should be given in full. Only articles which have been published or accepted for publication
may be included in the reference list. An example is shown below:

Fuller, R.J., Oliver, T.H. & Leather, S.R. (2008) Forest management effects on carabid beetle communities
in coniferous and broadleaved forests: implications for conservation. Insect Conservation and
Diversity, 1, 242-252.
(Maximum of 2 pages)