Bananas produce a natural chemical called ethylene gas, that ripens the fruit. When a banana makes ethylene, it starts to change from green to yellow, its texture becomes softer, and it gets sweeter. This is because ethylene triggers the breakdown of complex sugars into simpler, sweeter ones, and the banana’s tough fibers into softer material.
Did you know that bananas produce more ethylene than most other fruits? They make about 0.01 micrograms of ethylene per gram of fruit each hour when they’re fully ripe. This is a very tiny amount, but it’s enough to make a big difference!
That’s also why, when you put a ripe banana next to a green fruit, the green fruit ripens faster. The ethylene from the banana acts on the green fruit and speeds up its ripening process. It’s like the banana is giving the other fruit a little nudge to grow up quicker! So, bananas are not just yummy to eat but also the life of the fruit party, helping others become ready to eat sooner.
Ethylene was the first ever hormone that was discovered in plants. Since then, we have found out ways to artificially produce ethylene by mixing water with calcium carbide. Fruit mongers soak fruits in this mixture to ripen them ahead of time.
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