They’re the deliciously sweet, yellow fruit that is both healthy and ideal for snacking, but the downside of bananas is they turn bad frustratingly fast.
Buying a whole bunch of bananas at the supermarket may give you plenty of fruit to enjoy for the week, but you might find that one or two have started to turn brown and mushy before you’ve had chance to eat them. Bananas typically last around five days when stored at room temperature, but it can depend on how ripe the fruit is when you buy it. Bananas that are yellow already are pretty much at the peak of ripeness and ready to eat straight away, so it can be tricky to keep them fresh.
But according to food experts, a simple storage method will help fend off that browning process to keep the fruit fresh and yellow for longer – and all you need is a bit of cling film.
Bananas release a gas called ethylene which is a natural hormone that causes fruit to ripen, triggering changes like softening, colour development and the release of aromas.
But by wrapping the stems in cling film, this essentially traps the gas and slows down the ripening process, preventing bananas from turning brown too quickly. As such, it allows you to keep them fresher for longer and effectively extends their shelf life so they don’t go to waste.
Food experts at Allrecipes explain: “No matter what, the best thing to do to keep bananas fresh longer is to wrap the stems in plastic.
“The stems produce the ethylene gas that ripens the fruit (and anything around it). The plastic will act as a barrier to contain the gas and extend the longevity of the fruit.
“You can use a bag, wrapped around and secured with something like a rubber band, but it’s best to try a little plastic wrap.”
If you don’t have any cling foil then beeswax wraps or tin foil will also work just as well. It’s also worth storing your bananas away from other fruit once you’ve wrapped the stems as the ethylene gas can cause nearby fruits to ripen more quickly, meaning they will spoil faster.
Many fruits respond to the ethylene gas released by bananas, including apples, pears, and passion fruit, but citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are unaffected.
To avoid spoiling other fruits, experts recommend hanging your bananas up on a banana hook on a kitchen worktop as this not only keeps them separate, but it also prevents bruising.