Banana fruit goes through multiple stages of development, one of which is fruit ripening.
In fact, ripening occurs when the fruit has finished developing.
Nothing compares to the taste of ripe fruit, it has the most incredible texture, amazing flavor, and delightful smell.
Organic bananas are grown, harvested, and delivered without the use of synthetic chemicals. They are ripened in an organic and natural fashion with no chemical agents used.
So, organic bananas will ripen slower than a synthetically ripened banana because they rely solely on the limited amounts of ethylene they generate.
They can be harvested at 75% or so and will continue ripening off the vine for 6 to 8 days depending on the temperature, which if maintained around 60 degrees the bananas will continue to ripen.
The Ripening Process of Organic Bananas
Stage 1
To promote the ripening process, they are freshly harvested at the firmest and darkest green possible.
If left on the plant it will split open and the fruit will change from its substance to something dry and cottony.
Stage 2
Once bananas are harvested, they produce ethylene gas which is formed by a conversion of amino acids.
This gas speeds up the ripening process by creating enzymes that break down the chlorophyll molecules that make the banana skin green.
Depending on the variety of banana, this will change the color to a golden yellow with green left over, or shades of red or purple.
Quick notes: At this stage, the ripening process has started, but it will take time until your bananas are ready for consumption.
Stage 3
In the process of ripening, the peel of the banana changes from a darker green to a lighter green and will ultimately change into the yellow color associated with bananas.
An enzyme called amylase is the agent that breaks down the starch into smaller sugars called glucose, making bananas sweet and tasty.
The enzyme pectinase helps to soften the flesh of the banana – which is still chalky hard – by breaking down the cell walls of the fruit in preparation for eating.
Stage 4
Bananas bruise much more easily as the skin softens.
This damage initiates a different enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which speeds up the oxidation process.
The banana starts to form brown freckles and spots and ultimately turns nearly black.
At this point, most of the starch has been converted to sugar which is when it is at its sweetest to eat.
Why Organic Bananas Take Longer and Factors Affecting Their Ripening Process
Ethylene Gas
Ethylene gas is a natural gas produced by fruits that allows them to ripen.
All fruits produce small amounts of ethylene gas.
Non-organic bananas are often treated with this man-made ethylene gas to speed up their ripening.
However, a farmer cannot do this to organic bananas if they want to be labeled organic because washing the fruit in a natural process is not organic.
Until they have time to naturally ripen, they will continue to ripen slower than non-organic bananas because there wouldn’t be as much ethylene exposure.
Peel Thickness
Organic bananas have thiner skin compared to non-organic bananas.
Consequently they are more susceptible to losing more water.
To reiterate, water loss causes organic bananas to lose their firmness, causing the peel to become soft and shriveled, resulting is a shorter ripening period.
Biotic Factors
Bacteria, fungi, insects, and viruses greatly contributate to overall post-harvest loss.
Pests and diseases reduce the ripening time and decrease the overall quality of organic bananas.
This is mainly due to a farmer’s inability to use fungicides (chemical control) to eliminate viruses from their organic bananas.
How to Speed the Ripening Process of Organic Bananas
Organic bananas will ripen on their own at room temperature, but if you simply cannot wait, there are some pointers to speed up that process.
Keep Them In a Bunch
If you desire to hasten the ripening of your organic bananas, the first key idea is that you should not separate them. You can separate the banana you want to eat, but leave the other bananas together.
If you want them to ripen more slowly, you can separate them and wrap the stem with cling film or foil so that the ethylene gas does not escape.
Bananas will ripen faster when they are stored together instead of separated from each other.
This mainly because a cluster of bananas will all be releasing gas when they are stored together in the same bin or they can be wrapped in foil together, but loosely wrapped.
Once bananas are piled together in one location, they will have collectively release ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process.
Further, having bunched bananas together, means even more ethylene will be circulating in a more condensed area.
Bunched together: Bunched bananas will take about 24-48 hours to ripen together.
Using a Plastic Paper Bag
When bananas produce ethylene gas, it develops sugars within the fruit causing the banana to soften and change colors.
The more ethylene gas is produced in the air surrounding the banana, the faster the banana will ripen.
You can utilize the ripening effects of ethylene at home by using a plastic paper bag.
To speed ripening, you place bananas into a sealable paper bag and then seal the bag.
The bag provide the effect of incubating the fruit in gas released from the banana, thereby causing the fruit to ripen faster:
- You can increase the ripening speed by adding a few perfectly ripe bananas, apples, or avocados because they will enhance the amount of ethylene gas being produced in the bag.
- Check them consistently so you know when they are the level of ripe you prefer.
- Ripening in a plastic bag will take approximately 12-24 hours, depending on how under ripe your bananas were to start with.
Using Brown Paper Bag
Similar to using plastic bags, you can also ripen your organic bananas with brown bags.
In fact, using the brown paper bag technique is preferred over plastic bags, especially in hotter climates or hotter months.
Plastic bags are airtight and can trap so much humidity that it can cause your organic bananas to sweat and beat down overheat.
Place bananas in a brown bag (again, same rules, they have to stay in a bunch) and loosely, but securely fold down the bag at the top.
Tip: Because the brown bag allows some air, it allows your bananas to breathe, but it still traps the ethylene gas around them to help it ripen faster. Bananas will take anywhere from one to three days to finish ripening.
Keep Them In Warm Places
Regardless of what method you choose; you should always keep your organic bananas in a warm area.
The optimal temperature for ripening organic bananas is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
The best area for that temperature includes:
Top of the Fridge
Place a bag of unripe bananas on top of your fridge near the back where the heat radiator is located. It is typically warm in this area for the most part.
The fridge heats up to cool the food inside.
Bake Them In the Oven
This approach works, but a few requirements must be met:
- First of all, the bananas cannot be too green when you start the process.
- It’s best done for ripening bananas for recipes because the heat will draw the sugar out of the fruit.
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper (the bananas will leak a little while they are baking) and space them a little apart.
- Let them bake for 20 minutes and then check them closely if they are tender enough.
When the peels have taken on a shiny black color, they will be ready – they should take around 30 minutes to finish.
The more unripe they are will determine how much longer the cherries will take to ripen. The peels will very black and the cherries to get soft – too soft to eat raw, but great for baking!
Use the Microwave
They won’t be as sweet as oven-ripened counterparts, but they’ll work in muffins and quick bread:
- Take a fork or a sharp knife and gently puncture the skin of unpeeled bananas on both sides.
- Then set the bananas, skin side up, on some paper towel or a plate to dry.
- Finally microwave the bananas in 30 second to 2 minute intervals on high, flipping the bananas and checking after each interval.
- Continue this process until the level of ripeness you desire is reached.
In the Sun
You can keep them on a windowsill or another sunny spot for a few days.
Depending on how ripe the bananas are (I say) hard and green to start out with, it can take anywhere from one day to four or five days to reach the ripeness you desire.
Final Thoughts
Organic bananas are tasty, good for you, and used in a variety of meals and desserts.
Purchasing organic bananas that are already ripe can make them spoil much quicker.
This is why many individuals opt to get them when they are still unripe. Fortunately, you can control the ripening process of these fruits from your own kitchen.
Organic bananas release ethylene gas as they ripen.
Ethylene is an invisible gas that promotes further ripening, so it can be an effective tool if you wish to speed ripening along in fruit that is harvested and shipped before completely mature.
Ethylene helps change starch into sugar, which gives the fruit characterized sweet taste, which softens the pulp and turns the peel yellow.