Bananas will stay fresher for longer and not go brown when wrapped in 1 common item

There's nothing more infuriating than watching the fresh fruit you've just spent money on turn rotten before your very eyes without getting the opportunity to savour it. Bananas are a much-loved breakfast essential for many - whether spread on toast or mixed into porridge, they provide an excellent start to the day, reportsthe Mirror.

Nevertheless, their have a tendency to spoil quickly which often deters people from buying them in large quantities. Many find their bananas start developing marks and deteriorating within 24 hours, leading to not only wasted money but also attracting annoying fruit flies during the warmer months. Whilst there are numerous methods to utilise browning bananas, including banana bread or other delightful bakes, most people would simply prefer their bananas stayed fresh for a longer duration.

One woman known online as '@sim_simmer__' has turned to TikTok to share the ultimate life hack demonstrating how one common household item can help maintain your bananas fresher for longer.

In the video, she's seen cutting up a small rectangular piece of kitchen foil, though she noted cling film functions equally well. Making sure the shiny side faces outward, she continues to wrap the banana stems firmly together.

"We're doing this to keep the ethylene gas in the stem," she explained, adding if it leaks into the banana, it will cause them to ripen and deteriorate more rapidly.

Bananas naturally emit a plant hormone known as ethylene, which triggers the ripening process by breaking down cell walls and converting starches into sugars, making them softer and sweeter, according to BBC's Science Focus. This high concentration of gas can speed up the ripening of other ethylene-sensitive fruits.

This is why bananas are often kept separate from fruits like apples and pears, as the ethylene can cause these fruits to spoil more quickly.

While it might seem convenient to store all your fresh fruit together in a bowl, it's recommended to keep bananas separate to prevent the spread of ethylene.

Most of the ethylene escapes from the stem, hence the advice to cover this with aluminium kitchen foil or cling film. This traps some of the gas at the source, slowing its spread to the rest of the fruit.

Some suggest using a banana hook to hang the bananas and prevent bruising, which can also increase the spread of ethylene.

Viewers were quick to express their surprise in the comments section of the video, with one saying: "I wish I saw this like a week ago."

Another viewer asked whether to store the bananas in the fridge or at room temperature after wrapping the stems, to which the creator advised keeping them at room temperature.