Bananas remain a staple in many households and are considered a weekly grocery essential. Not only are they convenient and affordable, but they are also packed with nutrients, making them a healthy snack choice.
Bananas are rich in fibre and potassium and contain tryptophan, an amino acid known to help the body produce serotonin, which can boost mood and promote better sleep. However, despite their many benefits, bananas have one major inconvenience – they ripen very quickly. If they are not eaten in time, they turn brown and mushy, often ending up in the bin. Around 1.4 million bananas are thrown away every day in the UK, making them one of the most wasted food items in the country.
Many people store bananas by placing them in fruit bowls alongside apples, oranges, and other produce. However, this is actually one of the worst ways to keep them fresh. Experts explain that when fruit is piled together, it releases excessive amounts of ethylene gas, a natural compound that speeds up the ripening process. This is why bananas, when stored incorrectly, can quickly go from perfectly yellow to overly ripe in just a few days – and not everyone likes that.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to extend the shelf life of bananas is by wrapping their stems in aluminium foil. This method helps slow down the ripening process by trapping the ethylene gas that bananas naturally produce, particularly from the stem.
By covering the top of the fruit, the aluminium foil prevents too much ethylene from spreading, which helps keep the bananas firm and fresh for longer.
Food Republic explains: “Compared to other fruits and veggies, bananas are one of the biggest producers of ethylene gas, a natural chemical compound that promotes ripening.”
“The majority of this gas is released through the exposed stem of the fruit, which allows a bunch of bananas to continue ripening even after it’s picked from the tree.”
It continues: “Wrapping the top of your bunch with aluminium helps to trap in some of the ethylene, so it won’t escape into the atmosphere and touch the body of the bananas (or other produce you have sitting nearby, for that matter). This slows down browning and gives you more time to enjoy your bunch.”
This simple trick is an easy and cost-effective way to prevent waste. Aluminium foil is widely available in supermarkets, with prices varying between retailers. At Tesco, a 10-metre roll of kitchen foil costs £1.40, while Sainsbury’s offers the same length for £1.50. Given that millions of bananas go to waste every day, using this method can help households save money while reducing unnecessary food waste.
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