Gel-O-Shot INSIDE A Banana!

Make a Vodka Gel-O-Shot INSIDE A SEALED Banana!

I'll show you how to use Osmotic Pressure to gel the inside of a banana.

This also works as a great magic trick for your next party.

Step 1 What you need

You'll need:

• An almost ripe banana
• Some Vodka (Better quality = better results)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
• Tupperware©-like plastic container
• Refrigerator

The banana needs to be almost ripe in order for the skin to become semipermeable enough to allow the Vodka (ethanol) to pass through it via Osmotic Pressure.

Ethanol is a great solvent for biological molecules.

The sugar will encourage coagulation of the liquefied banana interior.

Refer to step 4 for a detailed scientific explanation.

Comments

[ak142]

How long does it stay like that in ambient temperature? Or does it need to be eaten right away?

The reason I ask, it would be a great prank to play on my coworker... who likes to eat his banana in the office in the middle of the morning... I'd just switch his banana with a jello banana. However, that would imply that it would sit there for a while in office temperature...

[craig3]

I see in the photo you poured the vodka into the sink, are you able to pour it back into the bottle and keep using it for other drinks, rather than just pouring it away?

[pyelitegamerro76]

osmosis is diffusion with water. i think the correct term you are looking for is diffusion.

if i remember correctly, this thing is not an osmotic pressure system. it is just normal osmosis. osmosis works by allowing ions to travel from an area of high concentration to travel to a area of low concentration to cause equilibrium. equilibrium is the "balancing" of the ions on both sides of the membrane (in this case the banana peel) im not sure of the EXACT science of what permeates the membrane in this expirament but im sure it is diffusion.

http://www.okc.cc.ok.us/biologylabs/Images/Cells_Membranes/diffusion.gif

osmotic pressure uses pressure to force ions from a lower concentration to a higher concentration diluting the higher concentration thus achieving equilibrium.
http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/osmosis.jpg

[hc92]

hmm, I always thought that osmosis involved liquids and diffusion was gases only?

[scree]

 mmm tasty tasty science

[ELF]

So I found a nice banana, yellow with a hint of small brown spots, no greenish tints anywhere. I poured a relatively cheap import vodka into an IKEA dish untill the banana was just covered (floating a little, the top of the banana was always just above the surface though) I then saturated the vodka with sugar, took about 4 big spoons, couldn't dissolve it all. I then placed the container in the refridgerator, which is only about 2 degress celsius. After about 24 hours I took it out, and peeled it... Still a normal banana. So what did I do wrong? :S

[NK5]

That's odd. It could have been the cheaper Vodka. What proof was it? The higher the proof, the more ethanol content, which is what you need for this to work correctly.

[Shut Up Now]

so if u just want a gelled banana, u could use pure alcohol. just dont eat it.

[ELF]

Proof? According to the label on the bottle it was 37,5% vol. alcohole...

[reeding]

 proof is twice the percent i.e. bacardi 151 is 151 proof but %75.5 

[knaggs]

sweet do they taste alright i like bananas and i like vodka

[MR WEED]

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[bpham07]

capitals hurt the eyes

[mwwdesign]

Capitals mean you're shouting... Shhh...

[MR WEED]

(removed by author or community request)

[mwwdesign]

How many did you have before you wrote that?! ROFLMAO

[Uru Wolf]

One too many it seems.

[maker12]

cool "alcholic bannas" good one

[Dungeonbrownies]

that looks really effing disgusting, but pretty damn cool _{good job bro}

[rasta_bhoy]

sweet. now trig will be a lot better for me

[Werth]

too... many... scientific... words...

[arcticpenguin]

Interesting refrigerator contents; water, beer and banana shooter. Not a lot of nutritious clutter in the way, I like it! Got to admit the banana does look rather gross afterwards.

[redirete]

Wash well the banana.... it can be full of Herbicide.
How ever on wikipediawikipedia you can read some chemicals that are not very safe...

[ventsi]

nice one i remember my student years

[Johnny_Rectifier]

It seems like a waste of Vodka to use that much for one banana. Can you use the same liquid for more than one? or does it go bad?

[gowithflo]

the stuff you poured down the drain, was it gross tasting? inalcoholic? why did it go down the drain? would it be poissible to check and see if the banana gelled and if not the put it back in for awhile?

[CameronSS]

Bizarre! If it weren't for that whole alcoholic bit I'd make one just to turn a banana into gelatin.

[OffDisplay]

Does this work with any other fruits? Maybe the Kiwi or a peach? I really hate bananas.

[ELF]

Nice istructable, and quite cool :)

[T3h_Muffinator]

so... what's the science behind it?

[NK5]

I've updated this instructable with the scientific explanation.

[T3h_Muffinator]

Sweet!

[NK5]

Jello© is a registered trademark, which is why this is called Gel-O-Shot.

[TheCheese9921]

I really don't think jell-o will sue after all its pretty much free advertising

[NK5]

You would be surprised how aggressively companies protect their trademark. They've gone after popular bars to get them to quit advertising Jello Shots. They've also made it illegal to sing the US Happy Birthday song in restaurants, which is why Red Robin and such places have their own tune.

[pyelitegamerro76]

good instructable by the way, nice and clear, easy to follow, nice pics to. hmm looks a little wierd though (final product) i bet a nibble of that will put you over the legal BAC hehe. i would try it if i was of the drinking age

[PetervG]

I'm not allowed to drink Vodka.

[NK5]

That's a shame. The ethanol (Vodka) is what makes this work.

[erfonz]

That's what I was thinking too. Is there some way to do this without vodka?

[LasVegas]

Yea... You could use Bacardi 151 or Wild Turkey. :)