Bananas produce a lot of that gas that ripens fruit (some form of
ethylene, I think). It's important to keep them in open air and to get
them out of any plastic bags asap. This can be a useful trait, I hurry
along the ripening of other fruits by adding a banana to the bowl, or
rush a bunch of bananas by bagging them.
I generally peel and freeze several bananas from each bunch for use in
smoothies. I end up eating about half fresh and half in smoothies - I
try to eat one banana in either form every day, and the frozen bananas
guarantee that I have some around at all times.
Anne
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