With their eye-catching yellow colour and delicious flavour, bananas are a well-liked option for a filling and fast snack. They can, however, rapidly turn brown, which could disappoint a lot of people. You need not worry, though, since there are easy yet efficient ways to help your bananas live longer and keep their attractive appearance.
In order to help you avoid browning and preserve your bananas at their peak freshness for longer, this article will dig into the art of keeping bananas fresh. It will explore numerous strategies and wise storage practices. Prepare to discover the methods of preserving bananas and wave goodbye to those unappetizing brown patches.
What Causes Bananas To Brown?
Enzymatic browning is the mechanism that gives bananas their brown colour. The enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which interacts with phenolic substances in the presence of oxygen, is involved in this process. Quinones are produced when the phenolic compounds are oxidised by the PPO enzyme. The dark brown pigment known as melanin is subsequently produced by these quinones interacting with other substances.
Fresh fruits and vegetables often don't brown because the phenolic and PPO components are kept apart within the plant cells. On the other hand, the PPO, phenolic compounds, and oxygen come into contact with a sliced, damaged, or exposed banana, which starts the enzymatic browning process and turns the banana brown.
6 Tips To Prevent Bananas From Browning This Summer
Here are some essential tips that you can follow to avoid the browning of your bananas:
Hang Bananas Separately
The only situations in which bananas get along with other fruits are in fruit salads or smoothies. This is especially true for fruits that release a lot of ethylene gas during development. The primary fruits that cause bananas to mature too soon include avocados, peaches, tomatoes, apples, and figs. So, don't get the fruit plate that has the bananas dangling off of it. Get a different hanger for bananas. You should hang bananas, but why? It prevents bruises and reduces the likelihood of the banana flesh coming into contact with oxygen, which would speed up the ripening process.
Freeze Them
Freezing bananas is possible and recommended. When frozen bananas are blended, a sweet, creamy mixture is created that tastes fantastic on its own as a type of banana ice cream or as the base for smoothies. Just be cautious—the frost in the freezer will prevent the bananas from ripening further so wait until they are fully ripe before freezing them. Peeling and slicing the bananas before freezing will make them easier to handle afterwards.
Use Citric Acid Powder
To stop sliced fruit from oxidising, fruit preservation powders contain citric acid. The purpose of these powders is to keep banana slices from browning. For the most part, the powder is just the citric acid found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits, but dried up. To get started, just put your banana slices in a bowl of water, stir in the appropriate quantity of powder, and then follow the instructions on the back of the bottle. After soaking them for three to five minutes, drain them.
Cover The Stem Ends
Banana stems are recognised as the primary cause of rapid browning. Fruit ripens and browns more quickly when exposed to air because the stems produce ethylene gas more quickly. You may stop this by wrapping each banana's stem ends in plastic wrap or aluminium foil. By acting as a barrier, this coating lessens the stems' exposure to air and restricts the amount of ethylene gas that is released. You may prolong the shelf life of your bananas and considerably slow down the browning process by following this easy technique.
Keep The Bananas In A Dry Place
The early ripening and spoiling of bananas can be caused by moisture. As a result, it's crucial to keep your bananas dry and to keep them away from too much moisture. Store them away from sources of moisture, such as the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator or the kitchen sink. Furthermore, make sure your bananas are completely dry before storing them if you wash them before eating.
Carefully Handle The Bananas
Because they are fragile fruits that bruise quickly, bananas might turn brown faster than other fruits. It's crucial to handle bananas gently and to stay away from applying undue pressure or impact. The fruit may bruise, crack the skin, and release enzymes that aid in browning if it is handled roughly. Try to handle bananas carefully and don't put anything heavy on top of them to prevent bruises.