Many bananas sold in supermarkets are green, turning yellow very quickly once they are home. There’s often only a day or two before producing brown spots, making the fruit one of the most-wasted foods in the UK. This is because many people tend not to eat them once they turn brown, similar to avocados.
Luckily, there are many ways to slow this process down and keep them fresh for at least two weeks. This starts in the supermarket, opting for bananas which do not come in a bag. Although many supermarkets are moving away from this packaging style, the ones with holes make bananas ripen much faster.
Bananas, like many other fruits, contain a gas called ethylene, which makes them ripen quickly.
If kept in a plastic bag, this gas will help them ripen even faster, leading to brown spots within a day or two.
According to a food hygiene expert at High Speed Training, the fruit shouldn’t be kept in a bowl either.
Instead, bananas should be stored on a countertop, ideally somewhere at room temperature and away from any moisture, sunlight or warm temperatures.
The expert said: “Anywhere too warm will speed up the ripening process, so avoid keeping them near ovens or warm appliances.”
Keeping the fruit separate from the bunch can also help them remain at their “prime freshness” for much longer.
The expert noted: “The ethylene gas is released from the stem of the banana, so to slow the impact of the gas and avoid the over-ripening too quickly, you can also wrap the stems in a plastic wrap or cling film.
“This reduces the amount of gas that will be able to travel down the fruit and therefore allows them to stay fresher for longer.”
If this seems like too much hassle, opt for a banana tree instead to help keep the fruit surrounded by air.
Many people will also place them in the fridge once they have reached their peak ripeness.
These bananas could last up to “two weeks”. But, don’t be put off by any brown or over-ripe bananas as the inside will be perfectly fine.