Bananas: Experts explain how to keep the fruit fresh
Bananas are notorious for spoiling extremely quickly only after a few days but there is a very simple way to keep them lasting much longer.
It might seem like common sense to keep bananas stored in a fruit bowl but this is actually causing bananas, as well as your other fruit, to rot within only a few days.
Bananas release a growing hormone called ethylene gas from their stems, which means they will rapidly go brown and mushy, and can also, unfortunately, attract fruit flies.
Other fruits will also be affected by ethylene gas, and other fruits which produce ethylene include apples, pears, avocados and peaches. If stacked together they will all likely spoil much more quickly.
If you are able to, it is best to keep bananas separate from other fruits, stored at a cool temperature and away from sunlight. However, many people may run out of food storage space quickly if they have to separate all of their fruit so there easy way to keep bananas fresher for longer in a fruit bowl.
READ MORE: Three staple ingredients to store with your avocado to keep fruit ‘green’
How to keep bananas fresh in a fruit bowl
Vijaya Selvaraju is a chef and television presenter who has said you can keep bananas fresher for much longer. In a video online, Vijaya explained: “It is really easy to keep them fresh, all you need is your bananas and some plastic wrap.”
All you need to do is split your bananas from the bunch and use cling film to wrap up each one of the stems. It is important to not wrap whole bananas, as they will rot quickly in a warm and moist environment.
Vijaya said: “Bananas release a gas called ethylene towards the end of their stems. I’m just going to take the plastic wrap and wrap it tightly around the stem, and that helps prevent that gas from being released and help you bananas stay fresh for up to five days longer.”
She added: “You want to make sure that step is completely covered nicely and tight with the clingfilm. Make sure to press on it too to get rid of any air”.
If the stem is cling-filmed and they are placed in a fruit bowl away from sunlight, then it will keep bananas from yellow and extend their shelf-life for much longer.
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Other ways to keep bananas fresh
Once bananas are yellow, you can place them in the fridge to keep them fresh. Bananas thrive in cooler temperatures and the crisp air in the fridge will prevent it from ripening quickly.
If you take the bananas peeled off and chop them up, they will begin to discolour within the next day, but you can sprinkle lemon or orange juice to keep them fresh.
The pH levels of the juice will keep them from browning, and then they can be stored in your fridge to last a few days longer. This method also works with honey, which can give you a very sweet snack.
However, once a banana turns brown or very speckled, it will taste much sweeter and is perfectly fine to eat. Browning bananas are also perfect to use to make banana bread or pancakes at the weekend, ensuring that you do not waste any food.
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