A large quantity of bananas is produced annually and its peel, which accounts for about one third of the fruit weight, is mostly discarded as waste. The peel has been traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments. This by-product is rich in phenolics with over 40 individual compounds identified. However, composition and levels of these compounds are influenced by various factors, including varieties, maturity, cultivation conditions, and pre-treatments. Phenolics within banana peels have been found to possess potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and linked with various health benefits. Therefore, it is worthwhile to recover phenolics from this by-product for further utilisation in food and pharmaceutical industries. This review comprehensively highlights the phenolic compounds as well as major factors affecting their presence within the banana peel, reviews the current applications of this by-product, outlines its potential uses in food and pharmaceutical industries and finally proposes a trend for future studies.

每年生产大量香蕉，其香蕉皮（约占水果重量的三分之一）大部分作为废物丢弃。传统上，果皮已用于治疗各种疾病。该副产物富含酚类，已鉴定出40多种单独的化合物。但是，这些化合物的组成和含量受多种因素的影响，包括品种，成熟度，培养条件和预处理。香蕉皮中的酚类被发现具有有效的抗氧化剂和抗菌性能，并与各种健康益处有关。因此，值得从这种副产物中回收酚类，以进一步用于食品和制药行业。