Bananas are a tasty kitchen staple often eaten as a quick snack or part of breakfast, but they quickly turn brown and mushy only days after being bought home from the shops.
In summer, bananas can have a short shelf life as they spoil when exposed to sunlight and warm temperatures, so make sure to always store bananas someplace cool and dark.
Many people also make the common mistake of storing bananas in the fruit bowl alongside their other produce, which is the worst place to keep bananas in the kitchen.
Bananas, as well as other fruits, release a natural growth hormone called ethylene gas which causes them to develop their sweet taste but also causes them to ripen.
When bananas are stored next to apples, pears and avocados they produce too much ethylene gas which causes all fruit nearby to begin rotting before its time.
How to stop bananas from turning brown and spoiling
Alexis, a food storage expert from Lunchbox, has shared that it is very easy to keep bananas fresher for longer as all you have to do is wrap up the stem, which is the source of ethylene gas.
She said: “While it won’t stop them from browning, covering the top of the peel limits the amount of ethylene produced and prevents the gas from escaping and exposing the rest of the fruit to this gas.”
Covering the stem of bananas creates a barrier which limits the amount of ethylene gas being released into the air, which will slow down ripening and keep bananas fresh for much longer.
Try to keep bananas in a bunch as they will also ripen at a slower rate than if separated, and then wrap the banana stem tip with clingfilm, cloth or aluminium foil.
When you cover the stems of bananas they can typically stay fresh for five to seven days longer than they normally would.
If any of the bananas are bruised or are starting to brown at a faster rate than any of the other bananas then remove those bananas from the rest of the bunch as it accelerate ripening in the other fruit.
Where to store bananas once they have ripened
Green or yellow bananas should always be stored on a table or countertop in the kitchen away from heat, sunlight and other fruit but browning bananas can be stored differently.
Alexis said: “While it’s best to keep bananas at room temperature until they’re ripe, feel free to throw them in the fridge or freezer to slow ripening and browning.”
It is a common misconception that bananas cannot be stored in the fridge as it causes the peel to turn black, but the fruit inside will stay yellow and fresh.
The banana peel turning black is harmless and will not affect the taste of the banana, but you can keep the banana peel yellow if you store it in a container while it is in the fridge.
Alexis said: “In colder temps, the peel or skin will turn brown fast, but this doesn’t mean it’s gone bad. To avoid this, consider cutting up ripe bananas into small pieces and placing in an air-tight jar or container.”
However, the extremely cold temperature of the fridge will stop bananas from ripening completely which is why it is best to only store browning or older bananas this way as otherwise it will affect the taste.
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