Take the time to verify "facts" before sharing
And why I no longer believe that covering banana stems makes bananas last longer
This post was originally going to be a short foodie tip pointing out that covering the ends of bananas makes them last longer. I also wanted to add a short note explaining WHY, so decided to take a few minutes to point people to a reliable science-based source explaining why.
I kept seeing banana bunches in stores with the ends wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil, and know that it's supposed to slow ripening. The claim is that because the cut stem releases ethylene gas (the plant hormone that triggers ripening), that wrapping the banana stems will work.
However, while I was able to find a peer-reviewed study talking about ethylene production in the peel, but no mention of the stem producing the most etyhlene. I found many home experiments, some showing that wrapping stems DID make a difference but also many that showed it DIDN'T make a difference. I found many non-science-y articles that made claims on either side, citing science on their side but without specific sources. This EatingWell article interviewed a postharvest physiologist who researches plant biochemistry at Michigan State University; his response to the idea of wrapping the crown of bananas to make them last longer: "No, no, it's baloney."
So why do so many grocery stores sell bananas with the caps of bananas covered up? Probably because consumers assume it helps make the bananas last longer. Also (as someone on Bluesky pointed out), it may help keep people from breaking off single bananas from a bunch. Someone else said they used to grow bananas and assumed it was to keep the sap off people's hands. "Banana sap is an impossible stain. Perhaps someone wrapped stem ends for sap once and someone else guessed why. This is how these things innocently start."
Summing up two things I've learned:
- Grocery stores wrap the ends of bananas more because of the consumer belief than because of science-based fact.
- Take the time to verify "facts" before I share them, checking reliable resources.
If you know of a peer-reviewed study that helps prove or disprove the "wrapping stems makes bananas last longer" belief, please let me know!
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