This isn’t just hearsay; there’s actual science supporting this practice, as bananas, like many other fruits, emit ethylene gas, a natural compound that regulates browning and ripening.
A significant portion of this gas is released from the stems, or crowns, of the bananas.
By wrapping the crowns, you can effectively slow down the ripening process, as it helps contain the ethylene gas around the fruit.
Another method that was recommended by banana experts at Chiquita is that when your bananas are ripe and ready, you can chuck them into a fridge to hit “pause” on the process.
They said: “When they have fully ripened, it’s a good idea to store bananas in the fridge to extend their freshness – in a fridge, they will keep nicely for an extra week or two.”
However, being too eager could spoil the whole process.
“But be careful – until they do go yellow, putting them in the fridge can prevent them from ripening properly,” they added.
And if you’re looking to use bananas for baking, bananas that have gone brown can still be stored in the fridge for much longer.
The experts at Chiquita said: “Even when they have begun to go brown, it’s possible to store bananas in containers in the fridge for baking for up to eight weeks. And as far as banana bread or muffins are concerned, the browner the banana, the better!
“Really ripe bananas contain the most sugars and the most intense banana taste, so they’re well worth keeping to this point.”
