Why bananas spoil quickly. Quality assessment criteria

05/10/2018 0 507 views

Bananas mostly come to us in an unripe form. They turn yellow very quickly, so they are transported in special containers. Before being sold, fruits are treated with gas - so the ripening occurs evenly. Consider how to properly store bananas at home so that they do not turn black? After all, certain conditions are observed in stores under which they do not sing too early.

In supermarkets, you can find overripe, ripe and green bananas. In the first case, they will have brown spots, the second option is ideal for consumption. Green fruits can be stored at home in a cool place until they turn yellow. It is important to understand that the refrigerator is not suitable for this purpose. Overripe fruits are best eaten immediately or mashed by putting it in the freezer.

Causes of Banana Browning

Keeping these fruits at home is not an easy task. During transportation, while in the warehouse, they are created ideal conditions:

  • bananas are wrapped in a film in which they can be stored for 28-50 days;
  • in the storage room, the temperature is always kept in the range of 13-14 degrees;
  • constant air circulation is ensured.

Skin darkens due to loss of moisture. The banana does not have a hard skin that provides protection from the environment and slows down the drying process, such as mango, pineapple, avocado and orange. Therefore, it is more difficult to store it.

It should be understood that brown dots and spots do not indicate that the fruit is spoiled. This indicates that he has reached the highest degree of ripeness. But if the fruit has turned black, you can not eat it.

The damage process consists of the following stages:

  • darkening of the shell;
  • blackening of the pulp;
  • loss palatability;
  • unfit for consumption.

Storage conditions at home

Banana is a perishable fruit, so you should not buy them right away. large quantities. Otherwise, you will have to throw it away. Basic storage rules:

  1. The optimum temperature is 13-14 degrees. Deviation from this range will cause the fruit to spoil.
  2. Humidity in the room - not less than 85-90%. The ideal room would be a cellar or a damp basement.
  3. The stem of the fruit should be wrapped in plastic bag. This will temporarily slow down ripening.
  4. The room must be well ventilated to ensure free air circulation.

If the bananas were bought green, you can also create conditions for them to long-term storage. It is correct to leave them for 24 hours in a warm, humid room, after 4 days at a temperature of no more than 20 degrees. A nearby fruit, such as an apple or pear, will speed up the process.

Contraindications

Many people ask the question, is it possible to store bananas in the refrigerator? They lose their original appearance, and their peel turns black due to sudden temperature fluctuations. Therefore, it will be better to eat the fruits within two to three days.

The option with a refrigerator should be completely excluded. These fruits are stored exclusively at room temperature and in a well-ventilated area. The necessary air access is provided if the fruits are hung. Therefore, you should purchase a whole bunch.

Also, bananas should not be exposed to direct ultraviolet rays. This will help prevent harmful temperature changes and heat build-up. In a ripe state, fruits should not be stored next to apples.

Where is the best place to store fruit?

Ideal storage areas to keep fruit from browning quickly are in a dark, cool cellar. You can ensure the necessary humidity in the room by placing bottles of water, but the basement will do the best.

Influence temperature regime very large, so you should be especially careful here. But not if the bananas are bought in a small amount and not for long term storage.

Effect of temperature on storage:

  • 13.3 degrees is perfect option for fruits;
  • 12-19 degrees is acceptable;
  • less than 10 degrees - the peel will turn black overnight.

The ratio of shelf life and temperature:

  • 0 degrees - it is forbidden to leave bananas in such conditions;
  • 0-5 degrees - a maximum of 5 minutes;
  • 6-8 degrees - the tissues will not be harmed for 20-25 minutes;
  • 9-11.5 degrees - 3-5 hours;
  • 12.5 degrees - 3 days;
  • 13-14 degrees - the fruits will retain their presentation for 3-4 weeks;
  • 15-18 degrees - green fruits will ripen;
  • 19-20 degrees - not recommended to keep;
  • more than 22 degrees - an unacceptable option.

If the fruit began to turn black from low temperatures, in warm conditions it will darken even faster.

Fruit cannot be kept in the refrigerator, but there are certain conditions under which this option is acceptable:

  1. The peel began to turn black, brown dots and spots are noticeable. These conditions will slow down the browning of the flesh, but not the skin.
  2. After the end of the feast, the fruits remained in sliced ​​form.
  3. Was bought a large number of bananas, the room is warm and there are no cool rooms.

Then you need to follow the following rules:

  1. Wrap whole fruit in paper.
  2. Put in the door of the refrigerator, approximately in the middle.
  3. If the fruits are cut, it is worth getting rid of the peel. Sprinkle with lemon juice, put in a container, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. Keep in this form for no more than 24 hours.

In some regions, the question is whether it is possible to freeze bananas for storage. There are several methods:

  • Remove the peel, cut into circles, put in zip bags, and then in the freezer.
  • Peel, put whole fruits in a plastic container, sprinkle with lemon juice, cover with a lid, send to the freezer.
  • Prepare banana puree with a blender, pour in squeezed citrus, put on silicone molds, leave to freeze.

These methods help to increase the storage period up to 60 days. After fruit can be used for cool cocktails, desserts. They are also often dried out.

Banana leaves are used to decorate the table and cook dishes. At themed parties, they replace plates. They are used as a foil for cooking food on the grill or in the oven. Leaves give food a unique juiciness because they prevent moisture from evaporating. It is best to keep them at a temperature of 0 degrees and an air humidity of 95-100 percent.

How to properly store bananas so that they stay fresh for a long time and do not turn black?

To avoid this, temperature fluctuations should be avoided. Even short-term changes lead to negative consequences. The peel acquires a grayish tint and begins to suddenly turn black.

Do not leave bananas in plastic. Over time, condensate secreted by the fruits accumulates in the bag. Excess moisture has a detrimental effect on them, because of this they darken and soon deteriorate.

How to store green bananas so that they ripen

Make sure that the fruits ripen without loss habitual taste simple enough. When fruits ripen, certain changes occur:

  • the conversion of starch into sugar;
  • the breakdown of chlorophyll in the peel, as a result of which it acquires a yellow color.

First you need to determine the required ripening period. If it is required to increase it, certain conditions are created, to reduce it - others.

  1. Ripening will take longer within the temperature range of 12-15 degrees, humidity should be at least 70 percent.
  2. To speed up the process, you need to leave bananas in a bag with melon, pears, apples for 2-3 days.

If speed is not very important, you can hang the bundle in a dark room or put it in a kitchen cabinet. After 3-5 days, they are allowed to eat.

Video: how to store bananas at home so that they do not turn black?

Summing up

The following factors influence the storage of bananas:

  • In specially equipped chambers, fruits can remain in their marketable form for up to 50 days.
  • At room standard temperature, if no action is taken, the fruit in a ripe state begins to become unusable on the second day. If you approach the issue competently and follow the listed rules, the period increases to a week.
  • Green fruits at home are stored more than yellow ones up to 14 days.
  • AT freezer it is possible to extend the life of a banana up to 2-3 months.

Storage conditions and period:

  • Green bananas should be left in a dark paper bag with an apple next to them. After keeping on a plate indoors, providing an influx of fresh air.
  • Ripe fruits are stored in a cool place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. The leg is wrapped in a plastic bag or tape.
  • Overripe fruits are allowed to be kept in the refrigerator, but it is better to eat as soon as possible.

According to scientists, the banana is considered dietary product. He renders positive influence for the work of the gastrointestinal tract. The fruit restores potassium in the body, which is lost with other trace elements during dehydration, for example, with diarrhea. Pectin, which is in the pulp, absorbs the aggressive environment, brings it out. The body recovers on its own, without the use of drugs. But data useful properties have only green fruits.

Fortunately, there are no interruptions in the supply of fresh bananas to supermarkets today. On any day, at any time of the year, you can go to the store and choose a bunch of ripe overseas fruits. And yet, situations sometimes arise when the question of how to store bananas so that they do not turn black becomes relevant.

For example, for those who are used to buying food in bulk or if bananas were purchased in advance on the eve of a special event, a big family holiday, etc. So the options for long-term storage of bananas at home offered below will never be superfluous.

The "correct" banana turns black more slowly!

To begin with, we will touch on the equally important topic of choosing bananas. It is clear that ripe fruits with a yellow skin are more attractive to the buyer. However, it is far from always necessary to give preference to just such a product. Sometimes it is better to opt for greenish, unripe fruits. Especially when their immediate use is not planned.

For storing bananas for up to several days

Criterias of choice:

- ponytails without dark spots, traces of decay;
- the peel is clean, even yellow, without cracks, scratches, dents;
- From the fruit comes a strong aroma of ripe fruit.

For storing bananas from several days to several weeks

Quality assessment criteria:

- the tails are intact, without damage;
- the peel is green, without cracks, scratches;
- when pressed, the elastic hardness of the pulp is felt;
- the smell is noticeable, but not as bright as that of ripe fruits.

How long unripe fruit does not spoil and turn black on the outside depends on the conditions in which they are placed.

Storage conditions for green bananas

Ideally, bananas should be stored at a temperature of + 13-14 degrees, in a room with a humidity of 85-90%. The given conditions are easy to provide in the basement or cellar, but, alas, not in a city apartment. In this case, other methods work to extend the shelf life of bananas up to 2-3 weeks.

For storing bananas up to 2-3 weeks

Down with polyethylene and cellophane! In packages that do not allow air to pass through, fruits suffocate and spoil much earlier than possible, even in the refrigerator. To save green bananas longer, it is impossible to pack them in plastic bags.

  1. So that unripe fruits do not deteriorate and at the same time gradually ripen, it is recommended to store them at room temperature, packed in thick paper bags. If you need to speed up the ripening process, ripe fruits are placed in the bag. Or they leave green bananas on a dish with other fruits (pears, plums, apples) on the table, in the buffet.
  2. Good and relatively long green bananas are stored in limbo. With whole tassels, planted on a string, they are placed in a convenient place in the kitchen, balcony, and living rooms. A prerequisite is shade and relative coolness.

Refrigerator is not the best place for green bananas.

At a low positive temperature, the structure of the fruit pulp changes. After that, the fruit will no longer reach the desired condition. However, as soon as spots start to appear on the peel of bananas stored at room temperature, they are immediately transferred to the refrigerator to prevent overripeness.

Rules for storing ripe unpeeled bananas

Simple methods help to extend the suitability for consumption of fully ripened bananas. And it's not cold. In the refrigerator, banana peels and ponytails quickly turn black. Ethylene is released more strongly, accelerating the overripe of the pulp.

As in the case with green fruits, keep ripe bananas better at room temperature, wrapped in thick paper. It is undesirable to pack soft fruits in plastic bags. Without air access, with high humidity and high content inside a package of ethylene released by bananas, ripe fruits will quickly deteriorate, blacken and rot.

Unpeeled ripe bananas will not turn black for as long as possible if you wrap the tails with cling film. To do this, the brush must be divided into separate fruits, wrap each leg and, for reliability, secure the film with tape. In this form, at room temperature, the banana peel will not turn black for 5-7 days, the fruits will remain fresh, suitable for consumption.

How to Store Unpeeled Bananas in the Refrigerator

Bananas that have begun to darken on the outside are best eaten as soon as possible. Or put in the refrigerator. This will not save the top from blackening, but the flesh will not deteriorate for another 4-7 days.

Unpeeled yellow bananas are placed in the warmest place of the refrigerator - in the compartments on the door or in containers for vegetables and fruits. At the same time, it is advisable to separate the ripe fruits from the unripe ones and wrap them in wrapping paper.

It is impossible to store bananas in polyethylene or cellophane bags even in the refrigerator.

In order for bananas to last as long as possible, it is recommended to place unripe fruits with hard pulp in a paper bag with them. For example, avocados, apples, pears.

How to keep peeled bananas from blackening

Banana flesh darkens quickly as it oxidizes. However, this moment can be delayed by blocking the access of air to the fruits. In particular, you can store peeled bananas in a hermetically sealed plastic container or tighten a dish with pieces of fruit with cling film. Naturally, peeled bananas should be stored in a cool place - on the balcony, in the refrigerator, etc.

So that peeled bananas do not darken for as long as possible at a temperature of 18–23 degrees, you need to dip them in an acidic environment. For example, sprinkle pieces of citrus (lemon, orange), pineapple, apple juice. Or put the fruits for 3 minutes in vinegar, diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 4.

How to store bananas in the freezer

Freezing is the longest way to store fruit. Bananas can be kept in the freezer for up to six months. True, the pulp of the fruit after defrosting turns into a sweet porridge. But for the preparation of ice cream, fruit cocktails, fillings for pies, sweets, it fits perfectly.

What is the best way to freeze bananas?

  1. Remove peel.
  2. Place whole or sliced ​​fruits in layers in a plastic container.
  3. Close with airtight lid.
  4. Put in the freezer.

How to defrost bananas:

Banana fruits are harvested on plantations exclusively in a green, unripe state. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, only such bananas can be stored for about 40 days and transported without damage and blackening of their peel. Secondly, bananas that have already gained sweetness and are still on the tree are prone to rodent attacks. And thirdly, bananas ripened on the plantation do not have the same aroma and taste as bananas picked green and ripened separately from the mother plant.

Green fruits delivered from place to place of sale to the final consumer undergo a special ripening process. Bananas are placed in ripening chambers, where they are stored for several days under the influence of ethylene gas. The degree of fruit ripening depends on the concentration of the reagent and the period of storage in the chamber. Moreover, bananas subject to an accelerated ripening process have a less pronounced aroma and reduced taste.

The fruits of bright yellow bananas without green hues and veins have a pleasant taste and excellent aroma. Bananas of an indistinct dark yellow hue did not ripen properly and therefore tasteless. If the bananas have black spots, this is a sign that they are at the end of their shelf life. Such fruits are quite edible, and many people believe that it is the darkening bananas that have the best qualities.

How to store bananas at home so that they do not turn black.

If there is no alternative, then you can buy green bananas. It is not worth eating them in this state - a distinct taste of grass is guaranteed. If you store green bananas at room temperature, then after 2-3 days they will acquire the desired readiness. Bananas should be stored in an open form without the use of bags, otherwise they may be prone to rapid decay.

Storage in the refrigerator is contraindicated for bananas; after cooling, the peel immediately turns black and bitterness may appear in the pulp. Ripe, yellow, fragrant bananas should be eaten immediately. If you leave ripe bananas for storage, then according to statistics, some of them will be spoiled and thrown away. Buy bananas for 1-2 days no more. Turns out,

Ksenia Skvortsova

09.04.2015 | 26228

3 life hacks to help you store bananas so they don't turn black.

Bananas are one of the few fruits available in our latitudes. all year round. And the more offensive that they darken and deteriorate so quickly! To prevent this from happening, use these little tricks.

Method 1 - Storing bananas in their skins

It is best to store bananas with brushes without tearing them.

1. Choose the right bananas

When choosing fruit (if you are not going to eat it right away), make sure that the skin is not cracked, stained or otherwise damaged.

To keep bananas longer, choose fruits with green tails. Fully yellowed bananas will start to darken very quickly.

2. Store at room temperature

Do not send bananas to the refrigerator. You will be surprised, but because of this they turn black!

Interestingly, at low temperatures, only the peel will turn black, while the flesh of the banana will remain fresh.

3. Wrap the banana tail with cling film

Wrap the tail of a banana to restrict oxygen. cling film. This trick will extend their freshness for a few more days.

4. Keep bananas separate

Do not store bananas with other fruits, berries or vegetables. All of them emit ethylene, which provokes the processes of decay. Darkened fruits emit more gas than "infect" fresh ones.

5. Don't store bananas in a bag

By closing fruit in a plastic bag, you thereby place them in a “gas chamber”, because ethylene will accumulate in an enclosed space.

6. Refrigerate blackened bananas

You still need to store bananas in the refrigerator, but only when they have already turned black. You will not save the peel from darkening, but save the pulp. Ethylene will still be released, but low temperatures block its circulation.

Don't be alarmed if the banana peel turns completely brown in the refrigerator. This does not indicate decay, but the disintegration of the pigment.

Method 2 - Storing Peeled Bananas

If after a buffet or a sweet table you still have peeled and chopped bananas, do not worry - they can also be saved from browning.

1. Place bananas in an airtight container

A hermetically sealed container, albeit partially, will still protect peeled bananas from contact with air.

2. Freeze Bananas

If the banana pulp does not last long in the refrigerator, then even several months can be stored in the freezer.

Do not defrost bananas from the freezer in microwave oven. Leave them to defrost for an hour at room temperature.

3. Sprinkle Bananas With Lemon Juice

The natural acid found in limes and lemons will slow down the browning of the banana. However, do not be too zealous and soak the fruit in juice. The rule “the more the better” does not work in this case.

Less acidic alternatives lemon juice: pineapple, apple, orange juices.

4. Soak a Banana in Vinegar

If you don't want to overpower the banana flavor fruit juice, use table vinegar. Soak the pulp in vinegar diluted in water in a ratio of 1: 4 for 2-3 minutes, but no longer!

Method 3 - for blackened bananas

If the bananas are so dark that nothing can help them, feel free to put them into action. You can cook:

  • Banana bread
  • banana smoothie
  • banana ice cream
  • Etc.



How to store bananas so that they do not turn black at home? We will carefully consider the answers to these questions in this material. As a rule, bananas are brought to our country not yet fully ripened, because this process happens very quickly. Before the fruits are laid out on the counter, they are allowed to lie down for a while in the warmth, which contributes to their uniform ripening.

Bananas are among the foods that spoil quickly. But if you know certain rules and tricks for storing them, then these terms can be extended. When bananas begin to turn black, this is a sure sign that they are starting to spoil.

Tips on how to save bananas so that they do not turn black:
Do not store fruits in the refrigerator: this will cause the skin to turn black quickly.
Do not put bananas in plastic bags for storage, it is best to just leave them open on a plate;
You should not buy fruits in the store on which defects (black dots and dents) are already visible.

Long-term storage of bananas at home

First of all, you can try to create ideal storage conditions for yellow fruits. Humidity should be within 90%, but the ambient temperature should be only 13-14 degrees Celsius. We also know for sure.

If you put bananas in a cool room, cellar or basement, then the shelf life of the fruit will be extended twice. Be sure to avoid direct sunlight on the fruits, otherwise, the bananas will quickly and actively begin to darken.

About Storing Green Bananas

Often in modern stores you can come across a situation where half-green bananas are sold. The degree of ripeness of the fruit directly affects how long it is stored. So, in green bananas, this shelf life is increased.

For longer storage of bananas at home, it is advised to wrap the leg of the fruit with foil or polyethylene. This will prevent the entry of air, without which it is difficult for the fruits to ripen quickly. It is important to constantly ventilate the room where these yellow fruits are stored.




Advice! A damp basement is ideal for storing unripe bananas, where the air temperature is in the range of 13-17 degrees Celsius. If you keep the apartment cool and constantly ventilate the room, then the shelf life will also be long. Although, in comparison with storage in the basement, these terms will still be short.

On the preservation of overripe fruits

On various educational videos, you can find other ways to store bananas so that they do not turn black at home. I would like to talk separately within the framework of this material about the preservation of a fruit that is already overripe. It will be difficult and there may be several options: eat the fruit immediately or, after turning its pulp into a puree, store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Interesting! Save option banana puree in the freezer is convenient and practical. This puree can be safely used to make puddings, pies and other desserts. Pay attention to .

About storage of ripe fruits

If you bought fruits that are ripe and beautiful in appearance, then they still should not be stored in
refrigerator. Such bananas are best hung in a cool room and ensure that they are stored in a suspended state.

Once again, we emphasize that the fruits do not need to be wrapped in anything. They should be on a plate and preferably in a cool and dark room.

Can it be stored in the refrigerator?

As part of this overview article on how to store bananas so that they do not turn black at home, it has already been mentioned several times that fruits are not recommended to be stored in the refrigerator. But there are hopeless situations, what to do then?

When stored in the refrigerator, the fruits will definitely lose their neat appearance, but as far as taste is concerned, nothing will happen to them. In the refrigerator, you need to find the warmest place: on the door or on the central shelf. Do not put fruits in a plastic bag. If they need to be wrapped in something, then it can be paper.




About Storing a Banana Smoothie

So that bananas do not disappear, you can use them as soon as possible. For example, you can make a great refreshing cocktail. To keep it longer, it should be poured into a dense dish, closed with a lid and sent to the refrigerator. In this form, the drink is stored for up to three days.

Storing banana leaves

Since modern cooking knows no more boundaries, many modern housewives in our country have the opportunity to buy banana leaves to cook a Latin American dish. They are best stored at 0 degrees Celsius and maximum humidity. How to make delicious