Keep Your Bananas Fresh for Banana Lovers Day

To me, there are few things worse than an overripe, soggy brown banana. So sickly sweet that with its peel on you can smell that strong, almost synthetic banana smell.  Those are the bananas that are banished to my freezer, hoping one day to fulfill their destiny as … banana bread! (With the frequency I bake, it’s not likely.)

However, what if I told you there was a way to prolong a banana’s shelf life? What if I said you could simply spray your bananas with an affordable, natural substance and they would stay fresh for up to 12 days? It’s true, researchers have found a way to keep those bananas green and toothsome for longer—and just in time for Banana Lover’s Day!

The secret to this banana-saving spray is chitosan, a derivative of shrimp and crab shells, which kills the bacteria that promotes rot, therefore inhibiting rapid ripening. Don’t get too excited though, the spray is still in development stages and is not yet available for retail.

To celebrate Banana Lover’s Day, try a red banana, or cook up one of these delicious recipes (many of which can be made with those overripe bananas sitting in the freezer).

• Frozen Banana Cream
• Banana Spelt Pancakes
• Grilled Banana and Maple Toast
• Squash and Banana Soup
• Banana Chai Muffins
• Frozen Chocolate Banana Delight
• Cinnamon Pecan Banana Bites