Bananas are an important part of any shopping list, and there is nothing worse than buying fresh fruit only to discover it has quickly ripened and gone mushy.
It may seem obvious to store bananas in a fruit bowl, but this may be what is causing them to spoil at a much faster rate as bananas usually cannot be stored with other fruits.
Linda Loosli, an expert from Food Storage Moms, explained that bananas will “ripen more quickly” when stored next to other fruit as they produce ethylene, a growth hormone released a the stems.
Ethylene gas is needed for the fruit to grow but it also starts the ripening process, and when ethylene-producing fruit is stored together it can cause them to spoil at a much quicker rate.
Linda said “One mistake people often make is that they start hanging their bananas too close to other fruits in the kitchen:
READ MORE: ‘Proper’ place to store potatoes will keep them edible for ‘much longer’
“If you’re buying many fruits, including apples, oranges, and pears, try to keep them separated from your bananas.”
To stop bananas from spoiling before their time, first all you need to do is break apart the bananas so they are no longer attracted together at the stems.
Linda said: “You might think that the best thing to do when buying bananas is to keep them attached, grabbing one at a time when you plan to eat the banana or using it in a recipe. However, this isn’t the case.”
Instead, wrap each banana stem in clingfilm as this will stop ethylene gas from being release and keep bananas fresh for up to two weeks longer.
Linda explained: “When wrapped in plastic, the bananas contain more of their ethylene gas, which prevents the ripening process from happening too quickly.
“If you don’t want the bananas to end up ripening fast before you’re ready to eat them or use them to make something, this is an important trick that will extend the life of the fruit.
DON’T MISS:
‘Best’ method to store carrots keeps them fresh for two weeks or longer [LATEST]
Banana bread stays fresh and moist for up to one week longer with storage tip [INSIGHT]
Bread will stay fresh for three weeks with ‘no mould’ using easy storage method [REVEAL]
If you wish to keep bananas from other fruits and keep them fresher, you can store bananas in the fridge once they turn yellow and have begun ripening.
Linds said: “The cold temperatures will keep them from ripening at all, or in the time you want to use them.
“If they don’t ripen some, it’s difficult for you to use the bananas because they’ll lack that sweet taste that you love and enjoy when eating them.”
Storing bananas this way will keep them “fresher for even longer” according to Linda, and help you save some money on your shopping while cutting down on food waste.
 "Why India has most oral cancer cases in South Asia – Firstpost")
