Bananas rarely last for more than a week in a fruit bowl but with the right storage methods, there are ways to prolong their shelf life far beyond this.
Even when they look perfect in the supermarket, the peel and soft fruit can quickly deteriorate once they’ve been brought home, so it’s important to consider exactly where to keep them in the kitchen.
While many people think it’s best to swap the counter for the chilled environment of the fridge, it’s not always the best place for the fruit to stay.
In fact, according to Tamika Sims, the senior director of food technology communications at the International Food Information Council, timing is everything when it comes to keeping bananas fresh.
She revealed that the softness of the fruit and bright pigment of the peel will stay at its best if the banana is refrigerated after it’s ripened.
READ MORE: ‘I’m a breakfast chef – here’s the key to making perfect sunny side up eggs’
Speaking to Martha Stewart, Tamika said: “Notice that bananas are not stored in refrigerators in the grocery store.”
Fruit that is refrigerated too soon could contribute to “chilling injury”, which causes the bananas to have a bitter flavour, discolouration, and failure to ripen, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
The International Food Information expert continued: “Bananas can be stored on a kitchen counter until they are ripe, and then they can be stored in the refrigerator for at least two days more or until the skin becomes black.”
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Though this is a foolproof hack for extending the shelf life of bananas, there are several other things that can be done to keep them at their best.
One of which is to wrap the stems of loose bananas once they’re separated from a bunch.
Sharing their tip on the popular online forum Reddit, a user who goes by the name u/jashankhela wrote: “Do you want to preserve your bananas for longer? Next time you buy bananas wrap just the part where all the bananas connect (the root) in aluminum foil! Your bananas will stay fresh and yellow for longer!”
A second forum member added: “Also cut the fruit leaving as much as possible attached to the root, instead of tearing it from the root.”
In a similar Reddit thread, a user who goes by the name u/Ltron26 claimed that the secret to long-lasting bananas can be found in the supermarket.
They said: “Something I do is, at the store, they usually have a pile of single bananas next to the bunches.
“Never buy a bunch just buy a bunch of different singles as they ripen at different paces. You buy a green one that will be ready by Friday, a yellow one that will be ready by Wednesday and a spotty one that will be ready tomorrow.”
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