Bananas are a great source of vitamins and fibre and are freely available in supermarkets all year round – but you might be surprised to learn that you’ve been storing them wrong
Stashing away your groceries in the right spot is key to keeping them fresh and saving some pennies – yet so many of us are getting it wrong when it comes to bananas. Emma Mason, a cook and founder of Kitchen Mason, has warned that bananas should never be stored in a fruit bowl near other fruits as it can cause them to rot.
She pointed out: “Don’t store bananas with your other fruits as they’ll ripen more quickly (unless you have under-ripe fruit, then go ahead).” Bananas might look innocent enough, but they’re ethylene gas factories at their stems, a natural plant hormone that hurry things along towards ripeness, bringing softness and taste.
But here’s the twist: bananas don’t like their own medicine and can spoil if swamped by too much ethylene from a packed fruit bowl.
If you’ve snagged yourself some green bananas, putting them alongside other fruit can smartly speed up the ripening process; however, if they’re already ripe and yellow, keep them separate to prevent them turning into a mushy, brown mess.
And when it comes to the ideal banana storage?
Keep them far away from other fruits and in a cool place, steer clear of heat to avoid premature spoiling, reports the Express.
Emma advises: “To keep bananas fresh for longer, wrap the stems in cling film to stop the ethylene gas from getting to the rest of the fruit and ripening it too quickly.”
She adds for maximum longevity: “To make them last the longest – split the bunch into single bananas and wrap each stem individually.”
Covering the stem of a banana with foil can significantly slow down the ripening process by hindering the release of ethylene gas, which is responsible for maturing the fruit.
It also keeps moisture in at the stem, preventing the fruit from drying out and ripening too quickly.
This storage method additionally limits the banana’s exposure to oxygen, which helps keep the peel from developing those tell-tale brown spots.
Emma decided to test this trick herself and was astonished to discover that her bananas remained bright yellow and spot-free even after 10 days.
She shared her excitement, saying: “If you wrap the stems of your bananas, they will last much longer and you’re far less likely to throw them away.
“This is not only better for your bank balance but it’s better for our planet too!”