Bananas can remain firm and ripe for up to two weeks if kept in a specific area of the kitchen, according to a food hygiene specialist at High Speed Training. The fruit should not be stored in a fruit bowl, as many households do, but on a worktop at room temperature, away from moisture, sunlight and high temperatures.
Why bananas ripen quickly
Most bananas sold in supermarkets are green and turn yellow quickly once brought home. There is often only a couple of days before brown spots appear, making the fruit one of the most commonly wasted foods, as many shoppers choose not to eat them once they have browned, similar to avocados.
Bananas, like many other fruits, produce a gas called ethylene, which accelerates ripening. When stored in a plastic bag, the gas causes them to ripen even more rapidly, resulting in brown spots within a couple of days. Supermarket bananas that are not packaged in bags are a better choice, and while many stores are phasing out this packaging, bags with holes still make bananas ripen considerably faster.
Storage tips to extend freshness
The specialist explained: "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 stay at their "prime freshness" for considerably longer.
The specialist added: "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."
For those who find this too complicated, a banana tree can help maintain air circulation around the fruit. Many households also store bananas in the refrigerator once they have reached optimal ripeness, where they can remain fresh "for up to two weeks". Brown or over-ripe bananas should not be discarded, as the flesh inside remains perfectly acceptable.
