Banana skin: a novel material for a low-cost production of laccase
  Laccases (benzenodiol: oxygen oxidoreductases; EC 1.10.3.2) are multicopper oxidases of wide substrate specificity mainly found in white-rot fungi, which are the only microorganisms able to degrade the whole wood components, but they are also expressed in bacteria and higher plants. Laccases are used currently in biotechnological processes because this enzyme oxidizes both phenolic and non-phenolic lignin-related compounds as well as highly recalcitrant environmental pollutants. In this work banana skin has been selected as a supporting material for laccase produntion because of its high content in carbohydrates, which due to their organic nature are easily metabolized by the fungus. In addition, its content in ascorbic acid exerts an inhibitory effect against bacteria. The activity of the produced laccase is tested in decoloration studies. 
Johann Faccelo Osma Cruz