Bananas won't brown and will stay fresh for longer if stored in 1 unusual spot

Bananas are a staple on most people's shopping lists, enhancing any breakfast, yet they have an unfortunate tendency to turn mushy and brown before you get the chance to eat them. They are just as likely to end up in the bin as on your plate, as bananas rank among the most wasted foods in the UK, largely because most households fail to store them correctly.

Keeping bananas in a fruit bowl is extremely common, yet this is actually reducing their shelf life and causing them to spoil prematurely, due to the levels of ethylene gas in the surrounding air. Ethylene gas is a naturally occurring plant hormone that most fruits release after being harvested, aiding the ripening process by making them softer, sweeter and more palatable.

Bananas produce particularly large quantities of ethylene, and when kept alongside other fruit, an excessive build-up of the gas occurs, causing everything in the bowl to deteriorate more rapidly.

How to store bananas properly

Apples are the worst possible fruit to keep next to bananas, as they too release considerable amounts of ethylene, though pears, peaches and avocados will similarly accelerate the ripening process, reports the Express.

This causes bananas to turn from yellow to brown within just a few days, so if you are looking to cut down on your food shopping bills, it is advisable to remove them from the fruit bowl altogether.

Stephanie Dulgarian, a mother and founder of Somewhat Simple, has revealed that bananas will remain fresh considerably longer when stored on the kitchen counter, well away from other fruit. Nevertheless, you can prolong their shelf life even more if you ensure you store them with some cling film as well.

She said: "Wrapping your banana stems in cling wrap will help slow the ripening process and keep your bananas fresh for three to four days longer than if you don't wrap them."

How to store bananas with cling film

Bananas emit ethylene from their stems, and wrapping them in clingfilm helps prevent much of the gas from being released, which maintains the fruit's yellow colour for a bit longer.

Simply remove the bananas from any plastic bags as soon as you arrive home, as plastic entirely covering the fruit will capture moisture and cause them to rot.

Keep the bananas away from a window, stove or any warm spot in a kitchen as too much heat also leads to fruit beginning to spoil prematurely.

Pull the bananas apart from the bunch, wrap each stem individually in clingfilm or tinfoil, and then place in a bowl at the edge of a kitchen worktop.

This should preserve bananas in perfect yellow condition for at least a week beyond their usual lifespan, but if you wish bananas to last even longer, then you can keep them in the fridge.

How to store bananas in the fridge

Stephanie said: "Have you ever tried refrigerating bananas? If you don't care about the peels looking brown or even black, give this method a try! The peels will turn brown much faster, but the fruit itself lasts WEEKS longer! They stay firm and fresh, and they taste delicious!"

Ethylene gas cannot withstand cold temperatures, which means refrigerating bananas is typically the most successful method for preserving their freshness. It's important to note, though, that refrigeration will stop the ripening process entirely, so only place yellow bananas that have already started to ripen in the fridge.

Should you refrigerate green bananas, they will fail to mature correctly, remaining firm, starchy and flavourless indefinitely.

Store bananas away from the fruit bowl, wrap yellow bananas in clingfilm and refrigerate them once they begin to brown to extend their lifespan by at least a fortnight.