The President Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) came into formation in 2005 with the blessings of President Yoweri Museveni as a key vehicle for processing the abundant matooke into finished products for local, regional and international consumption.
Mostly, PIBID was to first carry out research about the key products that could be developed from bananas (matooke) once commercialized.
Under the leadership of Dr Florence Muranga, bananas were developed into an international brand – Tooke Brand – that hit global markets with excitement.
The vision of PIBD was to establish state-of-the-art banana processing enterprises in Uganda producing value-added matooke/banana products with competitive market strength both locally and globally manned by rural farmers and entrepreneurs.
The first product PIBID was Instant Tooke Flour, which can be used to make a Tooke meal, porridge, soups, chips and many other snacks, Tooke dumplings (Glosse), composite bread, composite cakes, composite biscuits, chapatti and D-nuts among others.
Already PIBID is exporting the above products to various countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. In Europe, PIBID has already established places on many shelves in United Kingdom supermarkets and groceries.
Recent statistics indicate that Uganda produces over 10 million tonnes of bananas per year and it is also known as the second largest banana producing country with India taking the first place.
Facts about Matooke are, according to PIBID:
Good starch properties: Good composite for wheat/raw material for non-wheat bakery products, good consistence for soups, porridges, as binder in confectionery etc. Resistant to swelling-very shelf-life.
Potassium rich- approximantely 2%: Potassium is a mineral that helps control the balance of fluids in the body, and also helps the heart muscle work properly.
Gluten free/high starch content: Strong wheat substitute.
Virtually fat free: Popular trend among health conscious (international markets), Cholesterol free, Shelf-stable.
Sugar free: Popular trend among health conscious (international markets)
High energy density-in solubilised instant flours: Good as weaning food base for children/HIV/AIDS.
High Fibre (instant matooke flours): (8%)-health food.
Instant flours: –present novel convenient form for matooke.
