Identify tree-ripened bananas and chemically ripened bananas

Based on the color, brown spots, wrinkles on the skin or stem color, choose bananas that ripen naturally, not forced by chemicals to avoid affecting health.

According to Quora, ripe bananas have round, tight skin, a deep yellow color on the outside, wrinkles, and a soft feel when squeezed. Naturally ripe bananas have a dark yellow color and brown and black spots on the fruit.

Ripe bananas are pressed to be bright yellow but the stem is still green. Illustration: PT

Chemically ripened bananas have an attractive yellow outer skin, smooth and flawless, but when squeezed, the banana feels hard and stiff. On the outside, ripe bananas look beautiful yellow but the banana stem is green, even sticky with sap, then it is likely that the banana has been ripened. When peeled and eaten, the banana flesh is still hard like eating raw rice and bland, even a bit astringent.

Don’t be lured by the attractive colors on the outside of fruits as they may not be good for your health. Fruits that ripen evenly with a uniform color, for example a bunch of bananas that ripen all the same color, are likely to have been chemically altered.

Bunch of ripe bananas with scattered ripe fruits. Photo: WP

Ideally, consumers should choose bunches of bananas that are sparsely ripe, meaning that there are both ripe and green bananas in the same bunch, and the yellow color is not eye-catching. These tree-ripened bananas are currently rarely found in large cities, and are mainly found in home gardens.

Bananas ripen naturally so when eaten they never have an astringent taste, the natural banana aroma is very easy to recognize. SoWash all fruits thoroughly before using, holding them under running water for a few minutes, so that any harmful chemicals, if any, are washed away.

According to VNE