Musa spp., comprising banana and plantain, are among the world's leading fruit crops. Worldwide, 103 million tonnes were produced in 2004, according to FAO statistics database. Few bananas produced undergo industrial processing. Plantain and unripe banana are consumed cooked, whereas, mature dessert banana is eaten raw. Characterising bananas, their processed products and processed consumption forms, is a key precondition for objective communication on these foodstuffs. This will enable niche markets for this major crop, undifferentiated product flows of which are in competition on the worldwide market, to be structured on an objective qualitative basis.