Everyones favorite banana-ripening hack just got debunked.
My mom is not alone in using this trick.
A quick Google search yields plenty of articles touting it as the best option for ripening fruit.
Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Beaudry helped us unpeel the process behind banana ripening.
Understanding the Ripening Process
So how does ripening start in the first place?
Bananas are shipped to large distribution centers where theyre stored until its time to be sent off to stores.
Most people think that bananas are a high producer of ethylene.
Its absolutely untrue, he says.
Theyre a low producer of ethylene … its almost meaningless.
What does speed up banana ripening, though?
What About Covering the Banana Crown?
Beaudry debunks this idea entirely: No, no, its baloney.
This myth most likely started as a marketing tactic for those aforementioned caps.
While the fruit under the peel will taste great, they may look a bit funky on the outside.
Beaudry explains that when bananas are refrigerated, their peels will lose moisture.
Once you take the bananas out of the fridge, be prepared to enjoy them immediately.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it.
Banana-ripening rooms do the bulk of the work, triggering the process before they even reach the store.
And if all else fails, you’ve got the option to always makebanana bread.
