The Best Way To Store Bananas To Last Longer And Taste Fresh
Why do bananas turn brown and go soft?
Why should you not let them touch other fruits or should you?
And should you store bananas in the fridge to keep them ripe longer?
If you’ve ever wondered what the best way to store bananas is and you’re interested in just a little bit of the science behind this wonderful yellow fruit, then we’ve got the answers for you.
What is the best way to store bananas? – to stop them turning brown
3 quick wins
~ Remove them from any bag they may be packaged in.
~ Allow air to flow around the bunch.
~ Keep them in a darker area and out of direct sunlight.
Where do bananas come from?
All bananas have quite a trip before they land in your fruit bowl and have travelled thousands of miles either from Central America or The Philippines.
Grown for 9 months, the firm, green bananas are then cut, packed and shipped off to Europe on a journey that takes weeks.
They are treated and stored at 13 degrees to halt the ripening process, but then reactivated with a compound gas called ethylene once they reach our shores.
Banana ripening gas
Now that the maturation process has been restarted, the banana can release its own gas – ethene, which aids with the change in colour and softness we come to expect.
The starches in the banana start to break down and form sugars, sweetening the fruit and changing from firm green to softer yellow.
The ethene which bananas release can affect many other fruits, such as apples and pears, which is why you should keep the bananas separate from these fruits unless you intentionally want to ripen them quicker.
Citrus fruits however, such as oranges and lemons are unaffected by this gas.
Why do bananas turn brown?
When bananas are cut from the tree, they start to release an enzyme called Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) and when this mixes with the surrounding air a chemical reaction occurs which oxidizes the fruit, turning the yellow skin brown.
You may also notice bruising on the banana skin which can occur when bananas rest against each other, so even though bananas generally ripen slower and last longer if left in bunches, it is advisable to hang them from a hook or place them curved side up, in the bowl to minimize weight pressing against each banana.
Airflow around them can also help prevent the resting bruises.
Should you keep bananas in the fridge?
Bananas are grown in a warm climate and go through their life cycle in warm and room temperature surroundings. They will naturally ripen over the course of a few days. If you want to extend the ripe status – that being yellow and soft, but not squidgy, for more than just a few days, you have a couple of options.
You can store them in the fridge and this will maintain the firmness and flavour of the banana, but will allow the skin to turn brown, even though the fruit inside remains light coloured.
The second option is to refer back to the gas option above. The ethene released by the banana through the crown or stem, causes the banana and other fruits in close proximity to ripen naturally.
If you block this crown with cling-film or silver foil, you can prevent the gas from escaping and severely slow down the ripening process. This could give you another 3-5 days on the natural ripening timescale.
Keep in mind with delayed ripening options that you will effectively pause the process at the point where the banana currently is. If you stick a green banana in the fridge or wrap the stem, it will stay green and unripe, so choose the level of ripeness you desire, before pursuing either of the above options.
Can you ripen bananas quicker?
At the other end of the scale, sometimes you want to ripen a banana or bananas quicker, especially if you bought a very unripe green bunch and you want to enjoy them soon instead of waiting.
In this situation, you need to encourage the natural ethene released by other already ripe fruits. If you place the bananas in a bag with apples or avocados that are already ripe, the combined gasses will help to ripen the banana quicker.
Can you store bananas in the freezer?
This option is probably the most useful for parents of young children, who desperately want something, but can never finish it and why should bananas be immune from the whims of a toddler!
Of course, this option can also apply to anybody who wants to make smoothies or fruit salads with complete or leftover banana.
Simply peel the banana, discard the skin and cut up the banana into smaller pieces, then pop these in an airtight bag or plastic container and place these in the freezer.
They should be good for between 1 and 3 months, ready to take out and add to a delicious smoothie or fruit salad.
Are brown bananas bad and can you still eat them?
The short answer is yes, both overripened brown and black bananas are safe to eat, as long as there is no visible mould, smell or liquid coming from them.
Bananas at this stage still contain all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but the complex starches have broken down the fibres further by the ripening process to create an even softer and sweeter banana.
In most cases brown and black bananas are probably used more in the creation of smoothies, ice creams and other types of food preparation like cooking, see more below.
If eaten raw they can be easier to digest, but bear in mind they may cause issues for people who suffer from bowel conditions.
What can you do with brown bananas
Below is a short list of ways you can prepare, cook and use brown and black bananas if you don’t fancy eating them raw at this point:
1. Banana Smoothies, Ice Creams & Yoghurts
2. Mix them into your breakfast cereal such as oatmeal or muesli
3. Bake them into muffins or even batter mix for pancakes.
4. Use them mashed up as an egg substitute in the baking process
5. Drop slices into your tea and use the skin as well
6. A relative of the plantain, you can cook with them the same way,
such as grilling and sauteing
7. Cut them up into a bowl of warm custard!
In conclusion
Bananas are a fantastic source of potassium, magnesium and fiber and they have a plethora of uses during and after the ripening process. Just remember these key facts below:
To pause or slow ripening – wrap the crown in plastic film or foil, keep them separate from other fruits or stick them in the fridge.
To prevent browning – hang them up so air can flow around them and they don’t rest against other bananas or fruits.
To keep cut bananas – cut the banana into slices, sprinkle lemon juice on them, pop them in an airtight bag and stick them in the freezer.
To use brown and black bananas – first check for mould, bad smells or liquid and if the banana seems fine you’re good to go with the brown banana list.
We hope this guide has fully answered your how to store banana related queries and you now feel confident in your banana adventures.