Next716 Bananas
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Next716 bananas vary in size from small to large, depending on cultivation, and the company offers multiple sizes for individualized preference. The bananas are cylindrical in shape with tapered ends and exhibit a slight curve with a few angular faces. The peels are semi-thick, smooth, and taut with a faint, rubbery feel and showcase bright golden-yellow hues. One of the distinct traits of Next716 bananas is that their peel is edible. The peel has a crisp and chewy consistency, often said to be reminiscent of a more vegetal texture. Underneath the peel, the ivory, cream-colored, to pale yellow flesh is dense, soft, creamy, and sticky. The flesh is also seedless and said to have a texture similar to Taiwanese bananas. Next716 bananas have a stronger scent than common commercial bananas and emit a soft, vanilla-like fragrance. The fruit’s sugar content is also higher. Next716 bananas can reach up to 20 degrees Brix, while standard commercial bananas reach around 15 degrees Brix. Next716 bananas are recommended to be consumed once brown sugar spots have appeared on the peel and have a mellow, sweet, sugary, and subtly fruity taste.
Seasons/Availability
Next716 bananas are available year-round.
Current Facts
Next716 bananas, botanically a part of the Musa genus, are a specialty organic fruit grown in Japan, belonging to the Musaceae family. The premium bananas have been cultivated in southern Japan since 2017 and are one of the only organic bananas grown domestically. Next716 bananas are a distinct variety from the common Cavendish bananas sold in commercial markets and are distinguished by their edible flesh and peel. Each Next716 banana is grown using a “freeze-thaw awakening method,” meaning the seeds are cooled over an extended period and then thawed over an extended period to encourage the production of sweet, cold-resistant fruits. Subjecting the seeds to this process allows banana plants to be grown in cooler areas away from the equator, including Japan. This process also creates fruits with a sweeter, stickier texture. No pesticides are used during cultivation, and growing conditions are strictly monitored and controlled in the greenhouse to produce quality, organic fruits. Next716 bananas are marketed as luxury fruit and are sold in curated boxes and wrappings for use as a gift to friends, coworkers, business partners, and family. When ripe, Next716 bananas, including the peel, can be eaten in their entirety and have a sweet, sugary taste suited for a wide array of fresh or cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Next716 bananas have not been individually studied for their nutritional properties. Bananas, in general, are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body and lower blood pressure, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. Bananas also provide magnesium to control nerve functions, copper to produce red blood cells, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, and other nutrients, including vitamin B6 and folate. In natural practices, bananas are believed to help reduce fatigue, detox the body, and contain anti-aging properties. Banana peels are also believed to have fiber and polyphenols, as mentioned in a study conducted by Miyazaki University in Japan.
Applications
Next716 bananas have a sweet and fruity taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. It is important to note that the bananas are recommended to be consumed only after they have developed a few sugar spots on the skin. Once ready to eat, Next716 bananas can be served in their entirety, and the peel provides a contrasting, crunchy mouthfeel to the soft and creamy flesh. Next716 bananas can be sliced with the peel on and tossed into salads or served over yogurt, chia pudding, or oatmeal. They can also be cut into thin pieces and served over nut-butter toast. Next Farm Co. suggests blending the entire fruit into smoothies to create a thick consistency that is more like eating and less like drinking. Next716 bananas can also be incorporated into any recipe calling for standard bananas, including cakes, muffins, bread, or simply fried and caramelized. In addition to its fresh and cooked uses, Next716 bananas are simmered into banana jam and are sold as a sweet condiment. This jam is offered through the Next Farm Co.’s website and received the honor of the jury’s selection during the Miyazaki Food Awards in 2020. Next716 banana jam is prepared without additives and is combined with Hebesu citrus to prevent color change and oxidation. The jam is spread on toast, added to desserts, or served on appetizer platters with fresh cheese. Beyond jams, Next Farm Co. incorporates Next716 bananas into baumkuchen, a German cake, and sells it on their website. Next716 bananas can also be smoked or poached for main dishes and desserts or blended into gelato as a specialty flavoring. Next716 bananas pair well with vanilla, caramel, miso, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other fruits, including strawberries, oranges, and apples. Whole, unopened Next716 bananas should be ripened at room temperature. Once mature and showing sugar spots, the variety can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Next716 bananas were created from a dream to grow a unique crop that could provide for future generations. Mr. Masahiko Uchida has been cultivating bananas since 2017 and is the owner of Next Farm Co. in the Miyazaki Prefecture. Mr. Uchida inherited the land for his farm from his grandparents and desired to establish a business that would honor the land and his familial lineage. Bananas were selected for commercial production as Mr. Uchida saw the need for domestically produced fruits. Most of the bananas sold in Japanese markets are imported and cultivated using pesticides. Mr. Uchida grows his bananas organically in a greenhouse he built on his family’s land and is one of the few domestic producers of bananas in Japan. The banana’s name, Next716, is derived from a combination of the land’s street number, 716, and a phrase to represent “agriculture in a new era from now on.” This name was created to embody the company’s forward-thinking while honoring the history of the ancestral land. Mr. Uchida also sought to create a product that he was confident would be good for his family’s health for generations to come. Bananas were traditionally a favorite fruit in his family and became the choice crop to create a distinctly unique, specialty fruit for Japanese and international markets.
Geography/History
Next716 bananas are cultivated by Next Farm Co. in Kawaminami, a town in the Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Japan. Miyazaki is known as “the sunny place of Japan” and is one of the regions with the most hours of sunlight per year. The prefecture also has a warm climate year-round, creating an ideal habitat for banana production. Next716 bananas were developed from a desire to grow domestic, organic bananas. Next Farm Co. began cultivation in 2017 and grows the fruits in regulated greenhouses. Next716 bananas are produced without pesticides and are taken care of by hand during cultivation to ensure the fruits are developed naturally. Once harvested, Next716 bananas are shipped across Japan to high-end retailers and specialty fruit stores in metropolitan areas, especially in the Kansai, Kanto, and Chubu regions. Next716 bananas are often individually packaged and sold in high end gift boxes as premium fruits. The bananas are also offered in larger quantities through bundles on the company's website and are exported on a small scale to Hong Kong and Dubai. The Next716 bananas featured in the photograph above were sourced through Isetan Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan.
