If you enjoy bringing your favorite fruit to school or work, you might be curious how to keep sliced bananas fresh in your lunchbox.
Before we explore the solution, let’s first consider why it’s a good idea to cut them up in the first place.
One reason is that whole bananas are an odd shape and take up too much space in your lunchbox!
But there are more benefits to slicing them, which we’ll reveal at the end of this article.
Now, let’s get back to our main question and find out how to ensure your banana slices stay fresh for your midday snack.
When you cut a banana, the oxygen in the air reacts with it and turns it brown. A simple trick will keep the sliced banana looking nice and fresh: cover it in citric acid. This is a chemical that is found in some fruits. The banana takes longer to turn brown because of the citric acid.
Putting the banana slices in lemon juice is the best way to do this; it works really well. You can use orange juice instead of lemon juice if you don’t like the way lemon juice tastes on your banana. It will still keep it from turning brown.
This won’t change the taste of the banana, so you can use soda water instead.
After you’re done dipping, put the banana slices in a container that won’t let air in. This will keep them fresh.
Why Do Cut Bananas Turn Brown?
What makes the banana slices in your lunchbox turn brown? The process of oxidation is what makes apples, apricots, and oranges go bad.
One enzyme found in bananas is called polyphenol oxidase. This enzyme reacts with oxygen to do something. It’s like how metal rusts when it’s left out in the open.
You cut a banana into slices, which opens up its cells and lets air in. That’s like when you scrape your knee and let the air touch the cut.
It’s true that the type of knife you use does matter. Bad knives may have things that make them brown faster, just like tools that are rusty don’t work as well.
A banana can also turn brown if it gets hit. That’s because the damage to the inside of the banana lets oxygen in, like when you bump your fruit and make it hurt a little.
But when you cook a banana, the enzyme can’t do its job of turning the fruit brown.
Remember that a banana is still delicious even if it turns brown. It only matters if you like the way it looks.
How Long Do Peeled Bananas Last?
When you cut a banana, oxygen can get to it and make it turn brown. What if you peel it, though?
The inside of a peeled banana gets air, so it doesn’t last as long as a whole one. To keep it fresh, use citric acid from citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
You can either dip the banana in the juice or use a spray bottle to cover it. The banana can stay at room temperature for up to 48 hours after being peeled this way. Be careful, though, because the juice could make it taste different.
If you put the peeled banana in the fridge, it will stay fresh for up to four days. The cold makes the browning process take longer.
Putting a banana in aluminium foil or plastic wrap and making sure there are no gaps is another way to keep it fresh.
Final Thoughts
I’m excited to tell you a cool way to keep sliced bananas fresh in your lunchbox.
Bananas turn brown because they oxidise, but don’t worry—you can still eat them!
You can still keep bananas for a few days if you peel them instead of cutting them.
Don’t worry about anything; just enjoy your lunch!
And, as I promised, here’s Why Can I Eat Plantains and Not Bananas?
