As bananas ripen, they get sweeter and more flavorful as their starches turn to sugar, which makes them tastier to eat out of hand and great for sweet recipes like banana bread. They are perfect for baking when speckled with brown all over and have a strong fruity fragrance. Bananas also get softer as they ripen, and their mashability makes them ideal for treats and creamy smoothies.
But just how ripe are we talking about here? Should you be using those completely black bananas on your counter or is it safer to toss them in the compost bin instead? To find out, I checked with the experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as James E. Rogers, Ph.D., the Director of Food Safety Research and Testing for Consumer Reports.
Good news for Team Ripe Banana: Extremely ripe bananas—even those with a completely black peel—are likely safe to eat. According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
That said, Rogers states that if your bananas are jet black and mushy, your safest bet is to cook with them rather than eating them out of hand or using them raw in things like smoothies or nice cream.
"The riper the bananas get, the more levels of bacteria could be on them," he says. Those bacteria include spoilage bacteria, which are typically not harmful, but could also be pathogenic bacteria (which can make you sick) picked up during harvesting, processing, or at the grocery store.
Fortunately, heat should kill any pathogenic bacteria that might have been lurking around and multiplying on the bananas as they ripened. "Cooking is a kill step," says Rogers.
Also, note that placing bananas in the fridge or freezer will turn them black. This is natural—bananas don't handle the cold well—and does not mean the bananas are bad. You can still eat them safely as long as they aren't moldy.
3 Signs It’s Time To Throw Away Your Bananas
If you notice any mold on your bananas, it's time to throw them away or toss them in the compost bin. The black skin itself is not mold. Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread.
If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye.
If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
The Takeaway
Completely black bananas are likely safe to consume as long as there is no visible mold, a rotten smell, or the fruit inside is black. If none of these are true and your bananas are simply black, your best bet is to cook with them rather than eat them raw.
Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell. While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids.
Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
Bananas with black spots are safe for consumption and do not pose any health risks. However, exercise caution if a banana with dark spots emits a bad odour. In such cases, it is advisable to steer clear and opt for a fresher alternative. Trust your senses when it comes to ensuring the quality of this nutritious fruit.
Along the split skin, look for http://pests.Do a quick smell test; the fruit should have a sweet to neutral scent. If your bananas pass all of these tests, you can eat them with cracked skin. If a banana is partially split open, it is generally safe to eat as long as the fruit inside is not mushy or discolored.
If the bananas are moldy, smell rotten, or have a black center — aka black center syndrome, a fungal condition — do not eat them. As The Whole Portion confirms, these are bananas to avoid.
Green bananas may provide some additional nutrients and benefits that yellow bananas do not. They're rich in resistant starch and pectin, which are filling, improve digestive health, and help lower blood sugar levels.
Don't be alarmed when your frozen bananas turn brown, it's completely normal! Mash it: While an overripe banana may not look appealing, your brown bananas are at peak sweetness! At this point they're easy to mash and bake into bread, muffins, cookies, pancakes, and more. The sky's the limit!
Can brown bananas make you sick? A banana that has turned brown because it is overripe likely won't make you sick. However, if a banana has begun to grow mold, is releasing liquid, or has an unpleasant smell, it has likely begun to rot and is no longer safe to eat.
Though bananas are higher in carbs and sugars than some foods, they also contain fiber and resistant starch that slows down the digestion and release of sugar into your bloodstream. These qualities make bananas a healthy, go-to snack for people with diabetes.
Bananas are safe for dogs, but moderation is key. Bananas are high in sugar, so too much of it can put your dog at risk of developing medical conditions. You should give your dog only a few thin slices of banana once in a while. At least 90% of your dog's food should be regular dog food.
If you're curious about how to keep bananas fresh for longer, you should know about how to store bananas in your refrigerator. If you place them in the refrigerator, fully ripe bananas will last 5 to 7 days.
As with most produce, there comes a point of no return. If the bananas have any visible signs of mold, throw them out. If they smell off, that's another good indicator that they are no longer okay to use. Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell.
Just because an overripe banana looks less appealing, it doesn't mean it loses its nutrients. Overripe banana is rich in fiber and potassium, and is also a good source of antioxidants, which can help protect cells from damage, says Samreen Saniya, nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru, Old Airport Road.
“Very ripe and overripe bananas are rich in flavor and antioxidants, which can help benefit our immune systems,” says Gabriel. “They also take less time to digest, which can be beneficial, depending on the person.” This phase is also where bananas become just right for adding sweetness and heft to smoothies and shakes.
As bananas ripen, they have a sweeter taste and a softer texture. Yellow bananas eventually turn dark brown and become mushy. These “overripe bananas” are great for making baked goods! But be sure to grab them (and freeze them or use them) before mold forms.
Bananas are incredibly tasty and easy to eat. What's more, they're rich in many essential vitamins and minerals. Most people eat bananas when the fruit is yellow and ripe, but green unripe bananas are also safe to eat. However, some people dislike their taste and texture.
Like many fruits, bananas continue to ripen as they age. The skin on this nutritious fruit grows green initially, but it turns yellow as it begins to ripen. Once a banana has turned brown, you can assume that it is overly ripe — or perhaps that its skin has been damaged or bruised.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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