🍌 Bananas May Last Longer With This Simple Kitchen Trick
The “one kitchen item” behind this viral headline is usually plastic wrap (cling film), used around the stems of the bananas.
Why it may work
Bananas naturally release ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening. Wrapping the stem can reduce the amount of ethylene escaping from that area and may slow ripening somewhat.
How to try it
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Separate the bananas if you want to slow ripening individually.
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Tear off a small piece of plastic wrap.
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Wrap it snugly around the stem/crown of each banana.
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Keep the bananas at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and heat.
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Once they’re ripe, refrigerating them can extend their usable life. The peel may turn dark, but the inside can remain edible.
Will they really last 10 days longer?
Not necessarily. The “10 days longer” claim is not a guarantee. Banana variety, ripeness when purchased, temperature, humidity, and handling all affect how quickly they deteriorate.
A useful additional trick is to keep bananas away from other ripe fruit, since many fruits release ethylene too.
So, the takeaway is simple: wrapping banana stems may slow ripening, but there is no reliable way to guarantee an extra 10 days of freshness.
