Ethylene gas is naturally released through the stems of the bananas. Separating, and especially covering the end of the stems, should contain the release of this gas, thereby slowing the rate of ripening.
How can you ripen bananas faster? If you want your green bananas to ripen faster than they naturally would, the first thing to remember is to keep them in a bunch. Bananas kept together in this way will ripen more quickly than they would if they are separated.
Break up that banana bunch
According to Chiquita's website, separating each banana from the bunch is the most effective way of slowing down the ripening process. The large amount of ethylene gas produced by an intact bunch of bananas will ripen them faster.
So what to do? The first thing to try is to place them in a paper bag for a day or two to help the process along. This usually does the trick with unripe avocados too. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, and putting the fruit in a paper bag traps the gas near the fruit, causing it to ripen faster.
Stashing your bananas in the refrigerator can slightly prolong the fruit's life—but there's a caveat. When it comes to refrigerating bananas, timing is everything. Refrigerating bananas will slow or stop the ripening process, preserving the fruit at its current state.
Since bananas mature faster in warmer temperatures, stores will often keep them in cooler regions to prevent rapidly ripening. In addition, some retailers may wrap each banana stem in foil or cling plastic wrap to inhibit the ripening process even more.
Bananas are known to become brown quickly, usually within an hour, as they oxidize in the presence of air. An enzyme in bananas, polyphenol oxidase, causes a reaction when exposed to air. People often want to save part of an opened banana to eat later, so they wrap the banana to slow down the process of oxidation.
Bananas are a great way to help you get enough potassium each day. Getting enough potassium in your diet may also help lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease, so eating foods containing potassium daily is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples, bananas, peaches and honeydew melons, should not be stored next to avocados, lemons, grapes, onions and other fruits or vegetables that are sensitive to this compound. Also, you should never store ethylene-producing fruits together.
Ditch the Plastic Bag
Bananas that are stored in plastic bags will ripen faster. Instead, keep your bananas at room temperature in a cool, dark place to be sure they receive fresh, well-ventilated air. Bananas sitting in direct sunlight or near the stove will shrivel up and turn brown at a faster rate.
Dividing your bananas and wrapping them individually is the best way to prevent the ethylene from traveling down the fruit. Plus, when you're ready to eat your bananas, there's no need to unwrap the stems.
Store bananas in a warm spot: Try placing your bananas next to a heater or on top of the refrigerator. They'll ripen even faster. Use a paper bag: Place bananas in a brown paper bag and loosely fold over the top. If you have other ripe fruit, like apples or avocados, place them in the bag as well.
Putting ethylene-producing fruits in an enclosed space helps to concentrate the ethylene and speed up ripening. One well-known strategy is to put bananas or avocadoes inside a paper bag to ripen faster. It's generally not recommended to store bananas in an ordinary plastic bag, as this traps moisture.
You can take advantage of ethylene's ripening properties at home by putting your banana into a closed paper bag; the paper will trap ethylene while letting in enough oxygen to help move the process along. For even faster ripening, add an apple, pear, apricot, or avocado — they also release ethylene.
Bananas grow in hot climates, so they are unused to the cold. If they're kept at a cold temperature, the enzymes that enable them to ripen are inhibited. And as those enzymes become inactive, other enzymes operate more efficiently. Some cause cell damage, while others (browning enzymes) cause the skin to blacken.
Bananas: To prevent over-ripening, place plastic wrap around the stems that hold your banana bunch together. Ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process, is released from the stems. So when you cover them, it slows the gas from emitting and keeps your bananas fresher longer.
Scientists report that cold temperatures suppress the activity of proteins that play a key role in the formation of the banana's distinct aromas. They say this discovery could lead to enhancements of the fruit's fragrance and flavor.
However, once your bananas have reached their ideal level of ripeness to your standard, you can place them in the fridge. Store them without any bags in the produce drawer. There is some debate whether it's best to separate the bananas once they are ripe and in the fridge. Some claim it will keep them fresher, longer.
Why hang your bananas? It prevents bruising and it also decreases the chance of exposing the banana flesh to oxygen, which will only makes it ripen that much faster.
Store whole eggs in a cool dry place, ideally in the fridge, until you use them. Storing eggs at a constant cool temperature will help to keep them safe. Do not use eggs after their 'best before' date. Make sure you rotate stock and use the oldest eggs first.
Place the unripe bananas in a paper bag (a brown paper lunch bag, grocery bag, etc) along with a high-ethylene-producing fruit, such as a ripe banana or apple. Then loosely fold the paper bag closed and let the ethylene gas from the fruit encourage the banana to ripen.
Green bananas are indigestible and the only way to eat them is by cooking them. They can be boiled, roasted or even fried, and can be enjoyed in recipes like our green banana and coconut milk soup. More tender than plantains, green bananas can replace the former in certain dishes if you don't have any available.