Ripening Bananas

[WendyS]

Can anybody suggest how I can prevent bananas ripening too quickly and becoming squashy, other than putting them in the fridge, which tends to turn the skins black?   Thanks.

[ursula62]

Have you tried using a banana tree instead of putting them in the fruitbowl? It improves the airflow round the fruit, and so prevents excess ethylene which makes the fruits ripen more quickly.

[BUTTERBAN]

If you havent a bananna tree which most people havent tray hanging them in a cool place.
If air can flow around them more they shouldn't rippen that quickly

[kev100]

This is a question that I have asked on several sites without much luck.

Best I can offer is this, try buying them in steps as it were, I.E. green, almost ripe, and ready to use.

That way when you have used "the ready to eat ones" the "almost ripe ones" will be just coming into play, and so on.

If you find a better way PLEASE tell us.

This has annoyed me for all of my life because I cant stand the smell or taste of bananas once the skin has got brown spots on it.

[WendyS]

Thanks for your responses.  I've now e-mailed the experts, Fyffes who are the biggest importers of bananas into this country to see what suggestions they come up with.  I'll keep you update.

[chod]

Wrap them in tin foil and keep them in the fridge.

[WendyS]

Having posed the question in the first place I've now received the following response from Fyffes, the banana importers:

"Remove the bananas from any packaging and keep them in a well ventilated (but not draughty) cool room, away from other fresh produce. This will slow the ripening process and keep the fruit from dehydrating. 
Keeping them in the fridge will cause cell damage which turns the pulp black."