Shelf Life Tips
- How long do bananas last? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - after purchasing, keep bananas in a dry area.
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Properly stored, bananas will become fully ripe in about 2 to 5 days at normal room temperature.
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How can you make bananas ripen faster? To hasten ripening, put bananas in a brown paper bag on the counter; to ripen bananas even faster, add an apple to the bag.
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Should you refrigerate raw bananas? Yes: Store bananas at room temperature until they are fully ripe, then refrigerate to extend shelf life.
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How long do bananas last in the refrigerator? Fully ripe bananas will last for about 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
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Refrigeration will turn banana skins black, but will not harm the fruit.
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Can you freeze raw bananas? Yes- to freeze bananas: (1) Peel and mash; (2) Add one tablespoon of lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid for each cup of mashed banana to prevent browning; (3) Place in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
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How long do bananas last in the freezer? Properly stored, they will maintain best quality for 2 to 3 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
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The freezer time shown is for best quality only - bananas that have been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
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How to tell if bananas are bad or spoiled? Bananas that are spoiling will typically become very soft, start to ooze and the inside fruit will darken; discard any bananas if mold appears or if the bananas have an off smell or appearance.
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Sources: For details about data sources used for food storage information, please click here
