Korean Job Discussion Forums

[keela]

My bananas rot within three days of purchase. They're in the same spot they've been in all year - on a shelf outside the fridge- but now they're "shelf" life is just too short.

Now before y'all start making banana cracks, know this: every school day, a class of 8 darling kindi kids is saved from harm because of the single energy-producing banana I eat on my mid-morning break.

So please. Think of the little ones and share any advice about fending off banana rot.

[Paji eh Wong]

I had a friend who believed that if you left bananas in their "natural state" they wouldn't rot. He used to hang them on an overhead pot rack until they fell on the floor. He also used to drink absinthe at breakfast.

Just thought I'd share.

[phaedrus]

Maybe the fridge. They turn black outside, but I think they are fine inside.

A real solution would be for the stores to allow you to buy less than a bunch of fifty or however many come on the awful huge bunch they often won't let you split.

[Imbroglio]

I heard them bannanas in Korea come from the phillipines and they're treated with some chemical to make them last till they make it to market...I wonder if that was another Korea myth. I heard this in 1995-6.

[peppermint]

My understanding is that most bananas shipped to non banana growing climates are picked well before they ripen, and then are sprayed with a chemical to help them ripen just before they reach the stores.

[phaedrus]

I wonder what the chemical does to us.

[Juggertha]

Bananas ripen from heir own gasses. If you keep them in a confined space they will ripen quickly.

Temperature is also a factor. If too hot, they will ripen quicker. If too cold they will "chill" and get a grey hue to them. This takes away from the taste.

Best to buy them in the greenest stage you can and keep them in a moderate open area.

[just because]

I can confirm that nearly all the bananas here come from Philipines and a few from Equador.

Basically the company Chicquita has the monopoly on the market here and have been a major problem in developing nations. Not the nicest multinational.
Here is there website http://www.chiquita.com/

[mudguts]

[mysteriousdeltarays]

Actually the are picked while green, prior to riping nand transported in a high Nitrogen environment, mush as much produce is in say the U.S.. The high nitrogen content of the air inhibts enzymal action while the fruit remain relatively impervious to shock related injury (brusing in transit).
Upon exposure to oxygen the enzimes kick in overtime, the enzymes having accumulated in transit.
In a Safeway nobody percieves this because the "vine ripened" tomato lets say from Mexico has been "asleep" for days and is instantly snapped up by eager consummers.
Wellnothing like a black banana to set my tongue a salivating!

[peppermint]

One thing you can do with bananas that are pretty mushy is make banana ice cream. Just chop them up- peels off, and throw the chunks in the freezer for a while. Take the frozen chunks out, throw them in the blender for a minute and - banana ice cream.

[john]

I usually bring my bananas home and throw them in the garbage immediately.

[hojucandy]

don't put bananas in the fridge - they will go black even more quickly.

when i was a kid we used to grow bananas. the fruit bats would eat them if yu left them on the trees, so my dad would cut these huge bunches and hang them under the house - it was a typical queenslander house, elevated on stumps so there was a large area underneath. the bid bunch of bananas would slowly ripen from the bottom up in a spiral. they were sooooo good!

in those days they used to pick bananas early and then use carbide to force them to ripen. acetylene from the carbide made them ripen. bananas give off ripening gasses which not only ripen bananas but other fruit too. want to ripen another piece of fruit? put it with the bananas...

so - keep your bananas in a cool (not cold) airly place. do not leave them in the bag.

that said, i also find banana here ripen way too quickly. they are also not very tasty. i love the bananas in india!

[Grotto]

when they give you black bananas make banana bread

Banana Loaf

2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 c. mashed bananas/ 3 bananas
1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 c. flour

Cream shortening & sugar, add beaten eggs & fruit. Sift baking powder &
salt with flour. Mix well. Bake in a loaf pan greased well at 350 degrees
60-70 minutes.

[Demophobe]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2664373.stm

Delicious.