Bananas will stay fresh and yellow if kept away from common fruit which turns them brown and mushy - Irish Star

It might seem like common sense to pop bananas in a fruit bowl, but actually, that's one of the worst spots for them. Loads of folks don't know some fruits emit ethylene gas, which is a natural growth hormone that helps fruit ripen and taste better.

However, this case causes bananas to go bad quicker and turn rotten within days. So, it's a clever life hack to keep your bananas away from other fruits if possible.

The food exprts at Zest Food Service have claimed you can stick bananas near citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, but you should steer clear of putting them with other fruits that don't have a tough skin.

They've said: "The ethene which bananas release can affect many other fruits, such as apples and pears, which is why you should keep the bananas separate from these fruits unless you intentionally want to ripen them quicker."

Also, put park your bananas next to avocados and keep them away from honeydew, mangos, peaches, and plums too, reports the Express.

If you're aiming to keep bananas fresh, the trick is to store them separately in a bowl, not with other fruits, and then wrap their stems to block ethylene gas production. The experts explained: "If you block this crown with cling-film or silver foil, you can prevent the gas from escaping and severely slow down the ripening process. This could give you another three to five days on the natural ripening timescale."

Once bananas are yellow with a few spots, popping them in the fridge will further slow the release of ethylene gas and halt the ripening.

Contrary to popular belief, bananas can be refrigerated even though they originate from warm climates; it's actually an effective way to extend their shelf life. The experts added: "You can store them in the fridge and this will maintain the firmness and flavour of the banana, but will allow the skin to turn brown, even though the fruit inside remains light coloured."

While the peel may blacken in the cold, the banana inside stays fresh for longer.

However, don't chill green bananas as the low temperature stops them from ripening at all, affecting their taste.

According to the experts: "Keep in mind with delayed ripening options that you will effectively pause the process at the point where the banana currently is. If you stick a green banana in the fridge or wrap the stem, it will stay green and unripe, so choose the level of ripeness you desire, before pursuing either of the above options."

Separating bananas from specific fruits, then waiting until they turn yellow to wrap their stem and refrigerate them can extend their freshness by two weeks beyond their usual lifespan.