Bananas are known for having a short shelf life, but it turns out there's an easy way to keep them fresh for longer and cut down on food waste, according to supermarket giant Morrisons.09:53, 29 Jun 2026Bananas have an annoying tendency to turn brown, develop spots and even go mushy within just a few days of being purchased, but supermarket giant Morrisons claims the way you store them could be the culprit. It's particularly important to be mindful of where you keep fruit during the summer months, as higher temperatures accelerate the ripening process and quickly attract flies.‌Most households simply toss bananas into a fruit bowl upon returning from the shops, but this is actually one of the worst places to store them. Natalie from Morrisons explained that bananas should be kept away from other fruit because they naturally emit ethylene gas, which causes surrounding produce to spoil.‌She said: "Don't keep bananas next to other fruit as the bananas release a gas called ethylene that will cause your fruits to ripen too quickly. Don't keep ripe bananas in a plastic bag either as this seals the ethylene in and causes them to go brown/black."‌Why should you keep bananas out of the fruit bowl?Ethylene gas is a plant hormone that certain fruits release through their stems, facilitating the ripening process and making them softer and more flavoursome to eat, reports the Express.‌However, bananas are well known for releasing particularly high quantities of ethylene, and when stored alongside other fruit, this can result in an excessive build-up of gas in the air surrounding a fruit basket.Bananas are particularly susceptible to ethylene, despite generating substantial amounts of it themselves, and storing them in a fruit basket will not cause them to ripen quickly, but it will spoil any other fruit nearby.If you're looking to keep your bananas yellow for considerably longer, simply store them separately from your fruit bowl on your kitchen worktop.‌Position them away from warm spots in your kitchen, such as near windows or the hob, and they'll remain fresh for at least a week longer than if they were kept inside your fruit bowl.What is the best way to store bananas?Keeping bananas fresh is essentially about slowing down the impact of ethylene gas, and it couldn't be simpler, requiring no more than five minutes of your time.‌Once you've removed your bananas from the fruit bowl, separating them individually will help, as they ripen more quickly when kept in a bunch due to the ethylene gas becoming trapped between them.It's also worth wrapping each banana stem in tin foil or clingfilm, as this restricts the amount of ethylene gas released into the air, helping the fruit stay yellow considerably longer.Article continues belowWrapping bananas typically keeps them fresh for at least a week more, though in some cases it's been known to extend their freshness by around 10 to 14 days.Once your bananas begin turning brown, pop them in the fridge as the cool temperature helps inhibit ethylene gas. However, green bananas should never be refrigerated, as the cold prevents them from ripening correctly.