Zero-Waste Innovation in Circular Bioeconomy Using Raw Banana as Rice Substitute

This document presents an innovative framework for BanaRice, a zero-waste food technology project that transforms raw green bananas, especially those categorized as agricultural waste, into a new form of staple food resembling rice. The project is based in Indonesia and integrates community empowerment, food security, and ecological sustainability. The BanaRice process follows a circular bioeconomy principle, where every part of the banana—fruit, peel, and even latex—is converted into value-added products. The main product is a banana-based rice analogue, developed through controlled steaming and fermentation with cassava flour, while the byproducts (peel and sap) are processed to extract polyphenols for nutraceuticals and the remaining solids into organic compost. Designed to address challenges in marginal rural communities, BanaRice is being prototyped in a pesantren-based farming network, with the involvement of university laboratories and students for biochemical analysis. The approach aims to minimize imports of staple food, increase income for banana farmers, and promote environmentally friendly food innovation from tropical biodiversity. This preprint is uploaded to protect intellectual originality, support collaboration, and document the developmental baseline of the BanaRice project.