Expert consulted: 
We know all too well how annoying it is when your bananas go from an unripe green to a mushy brown in a matter of days. So, we put a handful of methods to the test to see what would prevent bananas from browning too quickly over the period of a week and whether the colour of their skins actually mattered when it came to the banana inside...
We tested the following methods:
- Wrapping a bunch of banana stems with tin foil
- Removing 1 banana and wrapping stem with foil
- Wrapping a bunch of banana stems with cling film
- Removing 1 banana and wrapping stem with cling film
- Keeping bananas in a fruit bowl with other fruit
- Refrigerating bananas
- Keeping bananas in a cool, dry place
Day 1:
We wrapped the stems of bananas 1 & 2 in tin foil, and the stems of bananas 3 & 4 in clingfilm, since ethylene gas (which speeds up the ripening process) is released through the stems. We separated a banana off from each bunch, to see if that made a difference throughout the week.
Bananas 5 were kept in a fruit bowl (unwrapped), with other fruit that would also be giving off ethylene gas, to see how quickly they would turn brown.
Bananas 6 & 7 were kept in the fridge and a cupboard (being a cool dark place), respectively.
Day 3:
The wrapped bananas were all browning at the same rate and the bananas in the fruit bowl were significantly more brown and spotty than the rest of the bananas.
What to read next
The bananas in the fridge were browning differently to the rest of them, with a more greying and overall 'wet' look. Whereas, the bananas in the cool, dark place were fairing the best with the most yellow peel still visible.
Day 7:
When we returned to the Test Kitchen, 4 days later, the bananas were looking significantly browner. The ones in the fruit bowl were very mushy, inedible and starting to burst out with liquid. These ones were definitely in the worst state!
Bananas 1 to 4 that were wrapped in tin foil and cling film were faring slightly better (they had all browned at the same rate), but weren't looking great.
The bananas in the fridge were looking overall the worst in terms of colour, however the bananas within had been the best preserved, with the flesh being perfectly ripe. This is because the coldness of the fridge damages the cells in the peel, but keeps the fruit inside fresh. You should only put just-ripe bananas in the fridge however, as the temperature of the fridge will prevent green bananas from ripening.
The bananas in the cupboard were looking the best in terms of yellowness and lack of browning. This is because they were kept out of the sunlight, therefore meaning that less of their starches were turned into sugars, keeping them fresher for longer.
- The best performing methods: Refrigerating just-ripe bananas for the best tasting flesh and keeping them in a cool, dark place for the least amount of browning
- The worst method: Keeping them in a fruit bowl with other fruit
- The okay methods: Wrapping the stem/stems in either tin foil of cling film
To save bananas for later
Peel, slice, and freeze overripe bananas. They’re perfect for smoothies or baking whenever you need them. Follow our handy how-to-freeze guide with advice from our experts to help do your bit for the planet and reduce food waste.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
Grace is Good Housekeeping’s Former Senior Cookery Writer, serving up delicious food and drink content. Grace was trained at Leiths Cookery School and worked as a chef in some of London’s most exciting restaurants before starting at Good Housekeeping. When she isn’t eating and drinking her way through London's restaurants, you’ll find her attending music gigs and binge-watching the newest TV shows.
