Buzz
Bananas can turn brown for various reasons. When you cut a banana, oxygen interacts with the enzymes inside, causing the banana's flesh to darken. The skin also turns brown as the yellow pigments break down and are not replaced, resulting in the browning effect. Understanding the scientific reasons behind banana ripening is crucial to help them stay fresh and edible for longer.
Steps
Store Bananas with the Peel On
Buy bananas that are green at the stem and yellow in the middle of the fruit. This indicates that they are not fully ripe yet.
- Ensure the bananas don't have brown spots or damage. Bruises and holes allow air to reach the banana, speeding up the ripening process.
- Avoid picking bananas that are already yellow. Ripe bananas spoil quickly and have a very short shelf life. For this reason, it’s better to purchase bananas that are still green, giving you more time to store them properly before they ripen.
Store bananas at room temperature until ripe. Avoid placing them near heat sources as this can speed up the ripening process.
- Do not refrigerate bananas before they are ripe. This has the opposite effect and causes the peel to darken quickly. The cold air damages the cell layers early, releasing melanin, which causes the banana to turn black. Visually, the banana may appear unripe on the inside as the cold slows down the ripening process.
Hang bananas on a hook. This method helps prevent bruising and allows them to remain exposed to air. You can also wrap the banana stems in plastic wrap. This reduces the amount of oxygen absorbed through the stem, extending the freshness of the bananas for up to another week.
Do not store bananas with other fruits and vegetables. Some produce releases gases that speed up ripening.
- Storing different fruits together can accelerate the ripening process. Plants naturally emit a gas called ethylene, which helps them ripen. Fruits with brown coloring release more ethylene, causing nearby produce to ripen faster.
- Avoid storing bananas in sealed plastic bags. This can cause the bananas to ripen and darken quickly because the ethylene gas cannot escape.
Place bananas in the fridge after ripening. Once the ripening process is complete, you can safely slow it down with cold temperatures.
- To halt the ripening process, you need to slow down the chemical reactions. Cold temperatures will slow these reactions, causing bananas to ripen more slowly.
- Don’t worry if the peel turns completely black; this is normal. Even though the peel darkens, it doesn’t affect the banana's taste or texture. The fruit will still be delicious and won’t become mushy.
Store Peeled Bananas
Place peeled bananas in a sealed plastic bag and store them in the freezer.
Apply lemon juice to bananas. The acidic layer acts as a preservative and helps maintain the banana's yellow color for a longer period.
- There’s no need to soak the bananas in lemon juice. Adding too much lemon won't improve preservation, it will only make the bananas taste more sour.
- If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can replace lemon juice with pineapple, orange, or apple juice. These fruit juices have enough acidity to slow down the browning process without needing to be diluted further. Apple juice is subtly tart, so you might not even notice it; feel free to choose other fruit juices if you plan to mix them with the bananas.
Dip bananas in a vinegar solution. This method also uses acidity for preservation, but with vinegar instead of fruit juice.
- Vinegar is an excellent substitute if fruit juice alters the flavor too much. Mix ¼ cup of vinegar with a cup of water, and dip the bananas, whether sliced or whole, for about three minutes.
- Avoid soaking the bananas in the vinegar solution for longer than three minutes. Extended exposure can cause the bananas to soften and absorb a strong vinegar odor, which might make them less appealing compared to using lemon juice.
Dip bananas in a crushed vitamin C solution.
Recipes for Overripe Bananas
Bake banana bread. Just because your bananas are ripening too quickly doesn't mean you can't use them in delicious recipes.
- Banana bread is best when made with fully ripe bananas. Overripe bananas, often seen as "unusable," are perfect for banana bread.
- Bananas can last longer than you might think. As long as they are not bruised or infested with fruit flies, you can still enjoy them even if they are soft or browned.
Make a Banana-Apple Biscoff Smoothie. Blend ripe bananas with other ingredients to create a delicious, creamy beverage.
- You’ll need one ripe banana, half a peeled and cored apple, four Biscoff cookies (available at most grocery stores), a pinch of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, a cup of milk, and a handful of ice cubes.
- Start by blending the banana, apple, and Biscoff cookies until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients and continue blending. You can add more milk to achieve your desired consistency.
- For added texture, consider tossing in some whole oats or blending them into the smoothie. This will give the smoothie a bit of crunch, balancing out the creaminess.
Make Frozen Banana Pops (Bananas Foster Popsicles). Banana pops are a popular dessert in New Orleans and are very easy to make.
- You’ll need two large, ripe bananas, sliced thinly; 2 tablespoons of brown sugar; 1 tablespoon of butter; ½ teaspoon of cinnamon; ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt; ½ cup of milk; 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract; and 1 teaspoon of rum extract.
- Start by placing the banana slices, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl and microwaving for 30 seconds until the bananas soften. Stir the mixture well. Let it cool, then add it to a blender along with the yogurt, milk, vanilla, and rum extract. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours until solid. When ready to serve, simply pop the popsicles out of the molds.
Warning
- Be cautious not to consume spoiled food. If you have any doubts, it’s best to throw it away.
