Bananas are one of the most wasted foods in the UK, with many people choosing not to eat them once they have browned — but there are several ways to delay this process
Bananas, one of the most wasted foods in Britain, often go from green to yellow to brown in a matter of days. This is because many people refuse to eat bananas once they’ve turned brown, much like avocados. Luckily, there are several ways to slow down this process and keep your bananas fresh for up to two weeks.
It starts at the supermarket, where you should avoid buying bananas that are packaged in bags. While many shops are moving away from this packaging method, those that still use bags with holes cause bananas to ripen much faster, reports the Express.
Like many other fruits, bananas release a gas called ethylene, which speeds up their ripening process.
When kept in a plastic bag, this gas will make them ripen even faster, resulting in brown spots within a day or two.
A food hygiene specialist at High Speed Training advises against keeping the fruit in a bowl. Instead, bananas should be placed on a countertop, ideally somewhere with room temperature and away from any moisture, direct light or high temperatures.
The expert warned: “Anywhere too warm will speed up the ripening process, so avoid keeping them near ovens or warm appliances.”
Separating the fruit from the bunch can also help them maintain their “prime freshness” for significantly longer.
The expert explained: “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 appears too much hassle, consider a banana tree instead to help keep the fruit surrounded by air.
Many people will also stick them in the fridge once they have reached their peak ripeness.
These bananas could last up to “two weeks”.
However, don’t be put off by any brown or over-ripe-looking bananas as the inside will be perfectly fine.
