This fruit contains ethylene gas, a natural substance that accelerates the ripening process
Fresh fruit has become a popular choice for those looking to eat more healthily, but it often ends up going to waste quickly due to poor storage. Bananas, in particular, are known to ripen quickly, especially when bought in large quantities and left in a bowl at room temperature. In a matter of days, they can go from being perfectly ripe to being too soft and brown.
To avoid this, there is a simple trick to prolong their useful life and reduce waste at home: wrap the stem of the bananas in aluminum foil. This simple method can make all the difference and keep the fruit fresh for up to 17 additional days.
The key to this technique lies in ethylene gas, a natural substance that bananas release mainly from their stem and which accelerates the ripening process. By wrapping the stem in aluminum foil, this gas is trapped and prevented from spreading into the environment, slowing down the ripening process of the fruit.
According to food experts, bananas are one of the main producers of ethylene among fruits and most of this gas is released through their exposed stem. By wrapping the ends of the bananas, the amount of ethylene gas that disperses is reduced, causing the fruit to maintain its freshness for longer. If you don’t have any aluminum foil to hand, plastic film can also work as an effective and economical alternative.
In addition to wrapping the bananas, it is advisable to store them separately from other fruits, as the ethylene they release can accelerate the ripening of other fruits nearby, such as apples, pears or grapes. However, citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons are not affected by this gas, so it is not necessary to separate them.
An additional option that helps to avoid direct contact of bananas with hard surfaces is to hang them on a special support. This prevents them from bruising on contact with rigid surfaces, which can cause the fruit to deteriorate more quickly.
