Store bananas in this unexpected area in your kitchen to stop them turning brown
Storing bananas on top of other fruit in your basket is actually one of the worst places to keep them.
Experts believe this is what spoils the bananas quickly, forcing them to go brown and mushy. This is because when fruit is piled together, it releases too much ethylene gas into the air.
Bananas are one fruit which are notorious for going off quickly. This is because they produce a high amount of ethylene and are also very sensitive to it.
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To keep your bananas fresher for longer, you should keep them away from other fruits. Linda Tyler, a cook and founder of Gracious Vegan, recommends storing them by themselves in the fridge, reports the Express.
It is a common misconception that bananas cannot be stored in the fridge as it will cause their peel to turn brown.
However, storing bananas in the fridge will greatly reduce ethylene gas production, so while the peel will become discoloured the fruit inside remains yellow, firm and fresh for longer.
Linda said: “If you can bring yourself to peeling that brown skin in the week following, you’ll find the banana inside to be firmer than its brothers and sisters left at room temperature, and its taste will be just fine.
“In other words, if you like ‘medium’ bananas, you should consider refrigerating them just after they lose their green cast.”
It is important to note that only bananas that have fully ripe and yellow can be stored in the refrigerator, and green bananas should not be kept in a cold environment.
The freezing temperature in the fridge will completely halt the ripening process so unripened bananas will never be able to develop properly and it will cause them to taste horrible.
Only store bananas in the fridge if they have turned yellow, and if they have any green left on them, it is better to store them in the kitchen counter until they ripen.
Linda said: “I tried refrigerating a couple of green bananas. The good news is that the peel didn’t turn brown.
“But the bad news is that the banana inside didn’t start to ripen, so it wasn’t sweet or tasty – it just kind of stalled in the pre-ripened state.”
If you store bananas properly, then they will stay fresh and flavourful for weeks longer rather than wasting away after a few days. This way you will not waste food and maybe save a little money on your food shop.
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