A banana storage experiment found that wrapping foil around the stems kept the fruit ripe and fresh for eight days, outperforming two other common methods.
Sophie Harris, Senior Lifestyle Reporter, tested three straightforward storage techniques on separate bunches of bananas kept in the same kitchen. She examined them daily for changes in colour, firmness and general appearance over the course of about a week.
The three methods tested
The first bunch was placed in a fruit bowl, the typical storage method. It required no preparation but showed rapid ripening, with a yellow hue developing within days and brown spots emerging shortly after. While spotted bananas remain edible, the fruit became considerably softer and sweeter, which Harris found less appealing. She noted that fruit bowls can attract fruit flies.
The second bunch was placed directly in the fridge. The cold air caused the skin to blacken considerably, making the bananas look unappetising, but the flesh remained in better condition than expected and was still perfectly edible until around day five.
Foil proved the clear winner
The third method involved wrapping a small piece of foil around the tops of the bananas, covering the area around the stems. The bananas remained firm and fresh considerably longer than with the other methods, and by day eight they were still perfectly ripe.
Bananas release ethylene gas, particularly from the stem, which encourages ripening. Covering the stems is said to slow down this process. It does not stop ripening altogether, but in the experiment it appeared to delay the process sufficiently to keep the bananas fresher for longer.
The foil method also meant the bunch could be finished before it spoiled, which Harris said is not always the case.
