How to keep bananas fresh using one simple hack - according to food experts

• Bananas are known to ripen quickly
• Ethylene gas leads to the ripening of bananas
• There a few hacks you can do to keep your bananas fresh

Bananas are one of the most loved fruits, due to their sweet taste and health benefits.

Bananas are always a good healthy option for a snack, as they are a good source of potassium, as well as Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C.

The fruit can provide an energy boost, promote healthy digestion, help with muscle protection, weight management and more.

However, when we purchase a pack with every intention of eating them all, we may find ourselves having to throw some of them away due to them ripening too quickly.

Food experts at foodrepbulic.com have now shared why bananas ripen very quickly and a simple hack to keep them lasting longer.

Why do bananas ripen so quickly?

Bananas contain ethylene gas, which is a natural chemical compound. Ethylene gas leads to the ripening of the fruit, as it is released through the exposed stem of the bananas.

Bananas are usually kept together in the bunch, which leads to the ethylene gas spreading to each individual banana, causing them to ripen fairly quickly.

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How can I make bananas last longer?

As the spreading of ethylene gas comes from the exposed stem of the bunch, there is a simple hack that can slow down the ripening process.

Foodrepublic.com has shared that you can wrap the top of the bunch with aluminium foil, which will help to trap the ethylene from spreading to the bananas. Plastic wrap can also be used, but is not as effective as aluminum foil.

But it’s not the only way to keep bananas fresh. Hanging the fruit to mimic how they originally sit on a tree, can make them last longer. This is due to bruising of bananas also leading to the exposure of ethylene gas. It is also recommended that you keep bananas in a cool, dark place as sunlight can promote ripening.

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