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50 Handy Tricks

Step 1Separate Bananas To Ripen Slowly

Separate Bananas To Ripen Slowly
Tom and Millie MacKenzie, my Kenyan hosts on Lamu Island would arrange individual bananas on their kitchen shelves.
I asked why and they said it was to prevent them from ripening so fast.
Apparently they emit ethylene gas which signals the other bananas to ripen. When they're separated they get less exposure.

If instead you want to make them ripen more quickly, put them in a plastic bag together, or with a banana that's already ripe.
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5 comments
Feb 1, 2012. 3:53 PMdoo da do says:
Make bannana hanger from old clothes rack. The bananas will last about a week. The said hanger was made from an instructable site. Search hanger it should get you on the right track.

Jul 1, 2010. 7:37 PMpolymeme says:
Apples are a whiz at ripening bananas. I'm always losing bananas because I'll bring them home with some apples and forget to separate them. The bananas go from yellow to mush in a couple days.
Jun 24, 2008. 11:33 AMslimguy379 says:
another one I found useful, is when you take off a price tag and you have remains of the sticker and the adhesive, take some WD-40 and apply it then let it set for a minute and then just rub it off.
Jul 20, 2008. 8:22 PMhalfroboy says:
Nice! i'll have to try that!
Jan 18, 2010. 3:15 PMmason0190 says:
wouldnt the wd40 seep into the fruit to make it poisonous? But if you were painting fruit, that's a really good idea :)
Aug 16, 2009. 2:32 PMttrruu says:
tomatos also emit ethylene gas, so if your store bought fruit isn't ripe enough spread some tomatos in your fruit basket and enjoy!

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Author:TimAnderson
Tim Anderson is the author of the "Heirloom Technology" column in Make Magazine. He is co-founder of www.zcorp.com, manufacturers of "3D Printer" output devices. His detailed drawings of traditional ...
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