Many bananas sold in supermarkets are green, turning yellow very quickly once they are home.
This makes bananas one of the most wasted foods, with up to one million of them wasted daily.
This is because many people tend not to eat them once they turn brown, despite being perfectly fine inside.
Luckily, there are many ways to slow down the ripening process and keep them fresh for up to 16 days.
This starts in the supermarket, opting for bananas which do not come in a bag.
Although many supermarkets are moving away from this packaging style, the ones with holes will make bananas ripen much quicker.
Bananas, like many other fruits, contain a gas called ethylene which makes them ripen faster.
If kept in a plastic bag, this gas will help to ripen them much quicker, leading to brown spots within a couple of days.
According to a food hygiene expert at High Speed Training, the fruit shouldn’t be kept in a bowl either.
Instead, store them on a countertop, ideally “somewhere at room temperature and away from moisture, sunlight and overly warm temperatures whilst ripening”.
The expert said: “Anywhere too warm will speed up the ripening process, so avoid keeping them near ovens or warm appliances.”
Keeping the fruit separate from the bunch can also help them remain at their “prime ripeness” for much longer.
The pro noted: “The ethylene gas is released from the stem of the banana, so to slow the impact of the gas and avoid the over-ripening too quickly, you can also wrap the stems in a plastic wrap or cling film.
“This reduces the amount of gas that will be able to travel down the fruit and therefore allows them to stay fresher for longer.”
If this seems like too much hassle, opt for a banana tree to help keep the fruit surrounded by air.
Many people will also place them in the fridge once they have reached their peak ripeness.
The expert continued: “These bananas could last up to 16 days, again, don’t be put off by the brown or over-ripe banana skin, as the fruit inside should remain fresh.”
