Simple glass jar trick can keep bananas fresh for 16 days

Bananas often brown and soften within just a few days of purchase, making them a common source of household food waste.

In the U.K., around one million bananas are thrown away every day, according to figures from the food-waste campaign Out of Date and research by sustainability charity WRAP.

Part of the problem is ethylene, a natural plant hormone produced by bananas as they ripen. Keeping them in a fruit bowl with other ethylene-producing fruits such as apples and pears can speed up the ripening process.

American food preservation specialist Amy Cross recommends a different approach: cut a banana in half while leaving the peel on, place both halves in an airtight glass jar with a metal lid and store the container in the refrigerator.

"The best results are when you leave the peel on the banana and place the entire half of the banana in the jar," Daily Express quoted Cross as saying.

To demonstrate the method, she bought three bananas at a similar stage of ripeness. Two were left on the kitchen counter, while the third was cut in half, sealed in a glass jar and refrigerated.

After 16 days, the bananas left at room temperature had turned black and mushy. The refrigerated banana, meanwhile, still had largely yellow skin and remained in much better condition.

Cross said the technique works best when bananas have just reached an even yellow color.

The sealed container helps limit the fruit’s exposure to ethylene from other produce, while also protecting the peel from the dry refrigerator air that can cause it to brown.

Keeping the peel intact is also important. It acts as a natural barrier against oxygen and helps prevent the flesh from becoming soft and mushy too quickly.

The banana should therefore be cut only in half so that it fits inside the jar without exposing too much of the fruit.

Other ways to keep bananas fresh

For bananas kept at room temperature, British training provider High Speed Training recommends storing them in a cool place away from direct sunlight, heat sources and other fruits.

Individual bananas can also be separated and their stems wrapped tightly in plastic film to help slow the release and spread of ethylene.

Hanging bananas from a rack may also reduce bruising by preventing the fruit from resting against hard surfaces.

If bananas become too ripe to eat fresh, they can be peeled and frozen in airtight bags for up to six months, then used later in smoothies, baking or frozen desserts.

 

 

Simple glass jar trick can keep bananas fresh for 16 days

Mẹo giữ chuối tươi suốt 16 ngày bằng lọ thủy tinh