Bananas are among the fruits most appreciated by young and old. But just like apples, pears or peaches, bananas turn brown over time. Discover 3 tips to keep bananas fresh and prevent them from turning brown.
Eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day is a recommendation from health authorities. And for good reason, fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that are good for your health. These include dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that protect the body against free radicals. Bananas are fruits rich in potassium, manganese and magnesium. Learn how to store these fruits to prevent them from turning brown.
Why do bananas turn brown?
A banana is a fruit composed of cellulose, carbohydrates, enzymes, lipids and polyphenols. When banana cell membranes are altered or injured, enzymes and polyphenols come into contact with each other and with oxygen in the air. Deterioration can occur after a scratch on the banana skin, from a blow or even from significant cooling (below 12.5°C).
And for good reason, the lipids in plant cell membranes adapt their amounts of unsaturated fatty acids depending on storage temperature. A temperature that is too low makes the membrane less watertight. The fruit then suffers cold injury. In fact, when polyphenol oxidase enzymes come into contact with oxygen, an oxidation phenomenon of phenols to quinone occurs. Therefore, the polymerization of melanin occurs and makes the banana become increasingly black.
To properly store your bananas after purchase, first remove them from the plastic bag or paper bag. Bananas do not like excessive cold or heat and should preferably be stored at a temperature between 12 and 22°C.
If your bananas are too young and you want to speed up their ripening, wrap them in a sheet of newspaper. If, on the other hand, your fruits are very ripe, store them in the refrigerator to slow down their ripening.
If you want to prepare a banana compote, a sorbet or a banana ice cream, you should know that you can freeze your sliced bananas for later use.
What are the tricks to prevent browning and preserve their freshness?
To prevent the skin of your bananas from turning black, these are our tips:
Tip 1: Never leave bananas near other ripe fruits like apples or pears. When they ripen, these fruits release ethylene, a gas that accelerates ripening.
Tip 2: Hang your bananas on a hook on the wall so that they only come into contact with air and do not brown. You should also know that you can wrap your bananas in a cloth or plastic bag that you will place in an area of the refrigerator that is not very cold.
Tip 3: Wrap the tail of your bananas or the stem in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent oxygen from entering and speed up the browning of the fruit.
Also, don’t forget that even if bananas are ripe, they are still edible and you can incorporate them into your gourmet desserts, smoothies, and fruit salads.