New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Most people store their bananas in a fruit bowl or on the kitchen counter, but by the end of the week, the skins often turn brown as the fruit ripens. A YouTube channel, Kitchen Tips Online, shared a simple method to extend the freshness of bananas, keeping them yellow and soft for up to 15 days after purchase. In an experiment, presenter Mike bought two bunches of bananas from the same supermarket and used different storage methods. One bunch was placed on the kitchen counter as usual, while the other was stored in an airtight container with ethylene absorption balls. Mike explained that bananas release ethylene gas as they ripen, mainly from the stem, which accelerates the ripening process. To slow this down, he recommended wrapping the stems of individual bananas with clingfilm, as this prevents the gas from escaping. However, for his experiment, Mike chose to place ethylene absorption balls inside the airtight container instead.
He observed that after five or six days, there were noticeable differences in ripening. On day eight, the bananas left out on the counter were much softer than those in the container. Mike then moved the counter bananas to the fridge, which slowed their ripening internally, although the skin continued to darken. After 10 days, the fridge bananas were soft enough to use for banana bread. By day 12, the bananas in the airtight container still had a hint of green, and by day 15, they showed minor bruising but remained quite edible. Viewers in the comments praised the storage method with one calling it "game-changing." This simple yet effective storage hack proves that with the right techniques, bananas can stay fresh longer, reducing food waste and ensuring they remain ripe when needed.