Today, people prefer to ripen their own bananas at home because there are many crooks in the food industry who use unsafe ways to ripen fruits. The natural ripening process can be slow to some people because ethylene produced by the fruit causes its peel to change its color gradually from green to yellow, then to yellow with brown streaks, and finally to brown. Simultaneously, a banana gains a softer texture as it changes its peel color. A brown banana is however overripe.
Best Way to Ripen Banana at Home
The best way to ripen bananas naturally at home is to place several in a paper bag and wrap it properly but not too tight. An effective way to quicken the ripening process is to put it in a black or brown paper bag and fold the top. Ensure the top of the polythene is sealed but loosely.
Why a Paper Bag Ripens Bananas Fast
Plenty of ethylene is trapped when you fold the top of the paper bag. While enough oxygen is allowed in by the loose top, ethylene gas is concentrated within the bag and the process of rapid ripening is thus achieved. The circulation of ethylene within the bag will cause your banana to ripen in a day.
Since other ripe fruits release ethylene, you can place them inside the bag to make your bananas ripe very fast. Fruits such as pears, avocados, apricot, and apples are known to produce too much ethylene as they get ripe. Note that, a massive amount of ethylene has the adverse effect of rotting in a fruit. So, it is very crucial to check your ripening banana evenly.
Keeping a banana bunch together is another way to ripen your bananas naturally. A bunch kept intake means that there is a buildup of ethylene. Ethylene from each banana finger causes the rate of ripening in the nearby fruit to increase.
Other Ways To Ripen Bananas At Home
1. Keeping bananas in a warm environment
Placing your bananas in a warm area fastens ripening. High temperatures speed up the production of ethylene which in turn quickens ripening. Furthermore, the warmth causes your banana to soften and brown. Putting bananas near a heater or on top of a refrigerator is an idea of keeping the fruits warm.
2. Bruise banana fruit
Mechanical treatment is a physical factor that affects ripening. Banana fruits bruised intentionally or accidentally generates ethylene. If the ethylene generated is enough to stimulate a respiratory response, the fruit begins to ripen immediately.
Mechanical bruises can also lead to the escape of moisture. Loss of moisture shortens the period of ripening. Although bruising quickens ripening, it can destroy the fruit and cause rotting. Bruises expose the inside of a banana and attract microorganisms.
Microorganisms like mold, yeast, bacteria, and fruit flies are notorious culprits for decomposition. The scent and taste of bananas are especially putting them a risk of being attacked by these microorganisms.
3. Oven method
This method should be applied when you want to ripen bananas for baking banana bread. The works by softening the banana and bringing out the naturally sweet flavor of a banana.
Despite softening the fruit, this method is never going to change the flavor. So, you don’t want to risk this trick on extremely green bananas. You can as well use your microwave if your oven is occupied.
The procedure for ripening a banana using the oven method is simple. You’ve got to put an unpeeled banana on a sheet used for baking. Then place it in an oven for 15-20 minutes until its skin turn brown. The oven should be at 300 degrees Celsius. The flesh becomes soft and sweet ready for baking.
Meanwhile, the microwave method works differently. Poke the unpeeled banana all over using a fork and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds. If the banana doesn’t turn brown and soft, do another 30 seconds until you obtain the required ripeness.
How to Slow the Natural Ripening of a Banana?
If you are tensed that your banana is ripening faster than usual, here are the tricks to prolong its yellow stage. You may also like to keep them fresh for the sake of tomorrow.
1. Hang them separately from other fruits.
Bananas don’t play well with other fruits especially those that produce a lot of ethylene. Fruits such as apples, figs, tomatoes, avocados, peaches, and pears release excess ethylene. Too much ethylene would cause fast or premature ripening.
Hanging bananas would also prevent bruising and decrease exposure to oxygen. Oxygen and bruises will quicken the process of ripening.
2. Put bananas in the fridge
Once bananas are ripe to your likening, place them in a fridge. Cooler temperatures would slow the chemical ripening process of a banana. The peels of a banana may turn brown or black but that does not impact the flavor.
3. Keep bananas in a cool place
Bananas get soft and brown when exposed to high temperatures. Starch is rapidly converted into simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, and fructose). The bananas thus ripen quicker.