This article was reviewed by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
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You’re about to serve a delicious fruit salad when you look down to find your sliced bananas have turned brown. You’ve only just cut them! What happened? Like many fruits, bananas are prone to oxidation.[1] This means that when the flesh of the banana is left out for too long, it’ll turn brown. Thankfully, we have the best tips and tricks to keep a sliced banana from discoloring so your banana desserts and dishes look absolutely perfect.
Best Ways to Keep Cut Bananas Fresh
- Cover banana slices in lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, or apple juice to add a sweet flavor and keep them from oxidizing.
- Store cut bananas in an air-tight container to reduce the amount of oxygen they touch.
- Try sprinkling a fruit preservation powder on the bananas for quick protection.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionShould I blot extra juice off the bananas when making banana cream pie?Community AnswerYes, because too much extra water can cause your pie to crumble excessively.
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QuestionCan I use the juice from oranges?Community AnswerYes, any citrus juice should help with discoloration.
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QuestionAfter lightly brushing cut bananas with lemon juice they got mushy. Why does this happen? How else can I prevent bananas from turning brown in recipes?Community AnswerInstead of brushing, try spritzing with a dollar store sprayer. Brushing might be adding too much fluid and thus soaking the bananas.
Video
Tips
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Consider storing ripened bananas in the fridge until you want to slice them. The cold temperature will slow the ripening process and help them last longer.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.ifst.org/lovefoodlovescience/resources/fruit-and-vegetables-enzymic-browning
- ↑ https://www.foodrepublic.com/1294637/ways-never-thought-cook-honey/
- ↑ https://food.unl.edu/article/how-prevent-cut-fruit-turning-brown
- ↑ https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2781&context=extension_curall
- ↑ https://food.unl.edu/article/how-prevent-cut-fruit-turning-brown
- ↑ https://www.today.com/food/best-tips-keep-bananas-turning-brown-ripening-t150266
- ↑ https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2781&context=extension_curall
- ↑ https://www.knb.org/waste-programs/food-waste/food-storage-guide/
- ↑ https://www.foodrepublic.com/1500844/keep-sliced-bananas-browning-pudding-pie-lemon-juice/
About This Article
To keep sliced bananas from discoloring, dip the banana slices into fruit juice, like lemon juice, orange juice, apple juice, or lime juice. If you're worried about the fruit juice affecting the taste of the banana, you can dip the slices in soda water or club soda instead. Even just dipping the slices in tap water can help prevent discoloring, although it may not be as effective as using fruit juice or soda water. To learn other remedies you can try, like diluted vinegar and citric acid, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
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"It was great to see how to keep bananas from browning after slicing. I did remember this tip correctly. Thanks for the backup."..." more