Do apples really ripen faster if you put them next to bananas? (2024)

FAQs

Do apples really ripen faster if you put them next to bananas? ›

Yes. Many ripening fruit produce the hydrocarbon gas ethylene as they ripen, which itself triggers more ripening. Bananas are especially productive sources of the gas, and putting one that's in the process of going brown next to apples, pears or hard avocados will greatly speed up their ripening.

You can take advantage of ethylene's ripening properties at home by putting your banana into a closed paper bag; the paper will trap ethylene while letting in enough oxygen to help move the process along. For even faster ripening, add an apple, pear, apricot, or avocado — they also release ethylene.

So when you want the fruit to ripen faster, you can put the fruit in paper bags, plastic bags, cotton towels. These materials may promote rapid ripening of some fruits. Because essentially in all fruits there is ethylene gas and this gas will disperse the gas during the self-ripening process of the fruit.

Ethylene helps in ripening of fruits. Fruits like apples and bananas give off high amount of ethylene. Thus, apples and bananas can help other fruits to ripen faster if placed near them.

A known process of speeding up ripening is by placing fruits in a paper bag with a banana; the banana in the paper bag will produce more ethylene gas along with the other fruit, and the paper bag will trap the ethylene gas, speeding the ripening.

Many ripening fruit produce the hydrocarbon gas ethylene as they ripen, which itself triggers more ripening. Bananas are especially productive sources of the gas, and putting one that's in the process of going brown next to apples, pears or hard avocados will greatly speed up their ripening.

Grab a tea towel or a linen napkin and lay it flat on the counter. Place your peaches on the tea towel stem side down but don't let them touch! Place another cloth on top and gently tuck in the sides so they are covered. Check them in a couple days and enjoy the sweet, sweet taste of a ripe, juicy peach!

Apples ripen 6-10 times faster at room temperature than in refrigerator. To keep more than a few days, store in a plastic bag in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. To prevent browning once an apple is sliced, place in a bowl with cold water and a spoonful of lemon juice.

Unlike some fruits, apples continue to ripen long after they are picked off the tree. This ripening (or over-ripening) affects the texture not the taste of the fruit. (i.e. they won't get sweeter just softer). This ripening is due in large to a harmless, colorless gas that apples emit called ethylene.

Put it in a warm place, without humidity, together with other climacteric fruits (apples, bananas, kiwis) or even wrapped in paper or cardboard. This way, the concentration of ethylene – the hormone that allows climacteric fruits to continue ripening once they are off the tree – is increased so that they ripen faster.

What not to put next to bananas? ›

Ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples, bananas, peaches and honeydew melons, should not be stored next to avocados, lemons, grapes, onions and other fruits or vegetables that are sensitive to this compound. Also, you should never store ethylene-producing fruits together.

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that plays an important role in inducing the ripening process for many fruits, together with other hormones and signals. An unripe fruit generally has low levels of ethylene. As the fruit matures, ethylene is produced as a signal to induce fruit ripening.

All fruits are not equally effective when it comes to emitting ethylene gas. It won't speed up ripening if you add citrus, blueberries, watermelons, grapes, strawberries, cherries, or raspberries to your banana-filled brown bag because those fruits produce minimal amounts of ethylene gas.

Ethylene – The Ripening Hormone

Apples, bananas, melons, pears and peaches are ethylene producers. Tomatoes are moderate ethylene producers. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc., are ethylene sensitive.

- Combining bananas with oranges is not generally recommended due to potential digestive issues that may arise from the different digestion rates of these fruits. Consuming them together results in bloating and flatulence, causing discomfort for some individuals.

You've probably figured out by now that onions are ethylene producers, so they're going to hasten the ripening of ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables. So short answer, yes, onions can ripen other fruits.