Among so many cooking tricks, there are some that are worth trying, especially when they have a scientific basis. For example, to keep bananas fresh for longer, Chef Dani García shares the trick of using plastic wrap to roll up the “root” (more correctly, the peduncle or crown where the bananas are attached) which is based on a fundamental principle of plant biochemistry: ethylene gas.
“If you want the bananas to ripen more slowly, to be greener, we have to take a piece of plastic wrap and roll up the root so that it does not absorb oxygen,” explains the chef.
Besides, If you need to ripen the bananas faster, he suggests storing them in a paper bag with an apple. This fruit emits ethylene gas, a kind of ‘hormone’ responsible for ripening, which, when absorbed by the banana, achieves this state more quickly.
Why does plastic film delay ripening?
The trick of wrapping the stem or root base is that the banana connects to the bunch, from there where the greatest production and release of this gas is concentrated. Bananas, like many climacteric fruits (that continue to ripen after harvest, such as apples, avocados, and tomatoes), produce ethylene gas.
By wrapping this base with film, a physical barrier and a local modified atmosphere is created, which prevents ethylene from being released into the air and slows down the ripening of the entire fruit.
Placing the film at the base of the banana reduces exposure to oxygen at that point, causing the banana’s cellular respiration process to be partially inhibited, which is directly linked to ethylene production and, therefore, ripening. That is, the less oxygen, the slower the respiration and the slower the maturation.
Accelerated maturation
In the case of accelerated ripening of bananas to use a paper bag with an apple, It has its scientific basis in the fact that bananas create a high concentration of ethylene gas in the closed atmosphere.
In this way, the banana absorbs this ethylene from the environment, drastically accelerating its own ripening process.
Beyond a simple trick, the technique shared by the chef is a practical and intelligent application of food science, perfectly suited for the consumer.
The use of plastic film to delay the ripening of bananas is a highly recommended and effective conservation strategy, supported by the chemistry of the fruit.
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