Atomic banana juice from India
This is really more than you’ll ever want to know about extracting juice from bananas, but it is interesting, because the folks at India’s Bhaba Atomic Research Centre have figured out ways to squeeze a lot more juice from the fruit than previously was thought to be possible. I don’t know why the nuclear scientists are spending time doing this, though my (absolutely uninformed) guess is that atomic research involves advanced centrifuges, and so do the juice extraction techniques described on the linked pages. A second guess might be more political: India’s atomic energy program is a huge source of national pride and strategic military importance. Bananas are also a source of national pride – and are of huge importance to the national diet. Maybe it isn’t so silly that top minds and resources would be devoted to working on both in a single facility?
Or maybe these guys just have a lot of time on their hands and got thirsty.
Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman 
I found this looking for places to buy banana flavored juices. Anyone know where to buy banana flavored juices?
According to a physicist friend, who has links with BARC, the link between fruit and nuclear technology, is irradiation technology. There’s a fair amount of work going on about using irradiation for preservation and I think the Defence Ministry also has an interest in food conservation for the troops. That being said I can’t explain how they came up with banana juice, so perhaps its just the combination of available fruit, centrifuges and free time!
This is the sort of collaborative effort using available resources that makes a great community even greater.
Congratulations for using great minds and great facilities to help rural agriculture make a better world.
Banana products from India rock!