Preserved Bananas
p. 37 · Read in the full issue
New Tahitian Industry Is Flourishing
From Our Own Correspondent.
Papeete, July 4.
SUBSTANTIAL shipments of preserved bananas, which are marketed as “Banana confit au naturel,” a name which adequately describes this excellent pro duct, are now being sent from Tahiti to France and England by every Messageries steamer.
Some months ago, when the enterprise had scarcely passed the experimental stage, this new industry was commented upon in these notes as one of considerable promise, as it opened up the possibility of reviving a once flourishing fruit busi ness which was ruined by the shutting out of all Islands fruit from America and the imposition of tremendously high im port duties on foreign fruit in New Zea land. Since then, there has been a pro gressive improvement both in the quality of the produce and in its presentation.
Naturally, the many details of the pro cess for turning bananas into the attrac tive and extremely palatable delicacy now produced are known only to the inventor, who is a locally-born Frenchman named Henri Key. But, without giving away any of his secrets, it may be said that the process is a very simple and natural one which calls for very little more than sun and air properly manipulated. No preser vatives are used, or sugar added to the fruit, and the marketable product, which is sold in packages of 250 grammes, or in bulk, may be classed with the best quality preserved figs or dates, and will keep for an indefinite time in any climate.
It has been reported upon very favour ably as an emergency ration for soldiers, and its cheapness will undoubtedly ensure for it a very wide markeft, as it becomes better known. Already Mr. Rey is finding it necessary to enlarge his plant, and the natives are planting more bananas in anticipation of the future demand.
Attempts have been made to preserve the banana in many countries, particu larly in the West Indies and other coun tries which can absorb only selected bunches of fruit and where there exist no means available for turning the balance of the crop to a profitable account. In such places there is an enormous amount of bananas wasted.
So far, however, such attempts at pre servation have been unsuccessful, and it is, therefore, all the more remarkable that an inventor in a comparatively unimport ant place like Tahiti should have suc ceeded in solving a problem which has had such an amount of money and effort spent upon it elsewhere.