Bananas are notoriously tricky to keep fresh at home – staying green for what feels like an eternity before suddenly turning brown and spoiled in a matter of days.
The reason for their short shelf life lies in the ethylene gas produced by the stem, a plant hormone that adds flavour but also speeds up the ripening process.
Since most fruits emit this gas, having too many in one place can cause the whole bowl to ripen – and eventually rot – at an alarming rate. Bananas are especially sensitive, so storing them separately can help to keep them fresh for longer.
One mum, Paula from Creative Housewives, uses an ingenious way to extend the life of bananas, even when they’ve been peeled and sliced. Her top tip is a surprising one: drizzling orange juice over the cut surface, reports the Express.
Paula advises: “In my opinion, to keep your banana slices from turning brown, squeeze some juice from an orange and roll your banana slices in it. Make sure you get the cut ends covered as those will turn brown the quickest.”.
At first, it sounds like a strange hack, but the science checks out. By limiting airflow around the bananas, you restrict the reaction between oxygen, ethylene and enzymes that naturally occurs in the fruit, leading to spoilage.
Orange juice contains citric acid, which slows down this reaction, effectively keeping bananas fresh for longer. Citric acid also prevents bacteria from forming on the fruit, which would cause it to spoil faster.
All you need to do is peel the banana, slice it into pieces and pour some orange juice on them. Then place them in a bowl, cover them with clingfilm, and they should stay fresh for much longer.
According to Paula, using this simple method will not alter the taste of the banana slices, and you won’t notice the orange juice.
She also experimented with lemon juice, which also contains citric acid, but she said it changed the flavour too much, stating: “I could very much taste the lemon juice, but when it came to the orange juice, I could barely taste it at all. Honestly, if I hadn’t put the orange juice on there myself, I wouldn’t have known”.