Science breakthrough keeps bananas firm for longer with dip

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Bananas are the world's most popular fruit - but their short shelf life can mean they go mushy before they get eaten.

Now scientists have developed a natural dip that can extend the life of the ripe fruit by up to two days - doubling their shelf life.

The breakthrough could help to reduce food waste from over-ripe fruit being discarded.

Bananas are harvested typically when they are green.

They are then treated with a gas called ethylene, which is naturally produced by ripening fruit.

The fruit turn yellow around four to five days after the treatment.

Once they turn yellow, it takes only two or three days for the bananas to be considered unsuitable for sale. So just an extra couple of days makes a big difference to shops selling the fruit.

The dip, lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), naturally occurs in egg yolks and soya beans.

Zienab Ahmed from South Valley University in Egypt and Jiwan Palta from the University of Wisconsin-Madison carried out the research, published in HortScience.

Bananas were dipped in the LPE solution for 30 minutes and then observed for five days at room temperature.

The treatment was applied to 50 uniform bananas from different bunches.

The authors said: "Five days after dip treatment, the fruit treated with LPE were firmer and thicker as compared with the untreated control."

- Daily Mail