Based on a report on Well+Good, here are some ways to extend the life of ripe bananas.

• Store in a cool place: bananas usually keep best at 54 degrees Fahrenheit or 12 degrees Celsius, which is warmer than a refrigerator and cooler than a kitchen. Keep bananas away from direct sunlight.
• Keep them away from other fruit: bananas should be kept away from fruits that release ethylene, such as avocados, peaches, tomatoes, apples and figs. The gas these fruits release ripens bananas quickly.
• Wrap in plastic: bananas ripen quickly because of the gas ethylene, so the stems can be wrapped in plastic to keep them separate from other foods.

• Refrigerate ripe bananas: once bananas are as ripe as you like, they can be kept in the refrigerator. The colder the temperature, the slower they ripen. The skin may change colour slightly, but the taste and smell inside stay the same.
• Sprinkle sour fruit juice on peeled bananas: if you want to use bananas in a fruit salad or other fruit dishes, cut them in advance and mix in a little sour fruit juice. This stops the fruit changing colour. Lemon, lime or pineapple juice can also be used, to taste.
• Freeze them: if you plan to eat ripe bananas later, they can be frozen in the refrigerator. For best results, peel the bananas first, cut them into pieces as you like and put them in the freezer on an ice tray. Frozen bananas keep for about six weeks.

Source: bdnews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.