The banana is a beloved fruit, and it’s easy to understand why: they can do everything, from a smoothie, a quick bread, or even a side dish for lunch.
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Even though they are often left on the kitchen counter, ready to be grabbed for a quick snack, this might not be the correct way to store them. Should you really put a banana in the refrigerator?
Up next, a food expert explains which storage method is best for this fruit.
Refrigerate the banana when it’s ripe
Simply put, you should only put your bananas in the refrigerator after they are as ripe as you would like them to be. “Bananas can be stored on a kitchen counter until they are ripe and then can be stored in the fridge for at least another two days or until the peel turns black“, says Tamika Sims, PhD, senior director of food technology communications at the International Food Information Council of the United States.
Want to store the banana for even longer periods?
Then you are in luck. Peel the banana when it’s ripe and place it in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe airtight container and it will last up to a month.
Know that the flavors will change if a banana is refrigerated too soon
“Note that bananas are not stored in refrigerators in the supermarket,” says Sims. “If you put your banana in the fridge too early, this can contribute to bananas having a bitter taste, discoloration, and failure to ripen, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Bananas with bruised peels should be avoided
It may be time to throw out your banana if you notice excessive bruising. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, this can mean that it’s about to spoil (or it may already be spoiled). “Furthermore, bruised peels can allow the fruit to be contaminated with microbial pests,” notes Sims. “Additionally, a black banana that is too soft or has a bad smell should be discarded.”
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