refrigerating bananas - what happens if you do?

Here's what I do: First, let the bananas ripen at room temperature. Once they are ripe, then put them in the refrigerator--this slows further ripening. Yes, the peels will turn dark, but the fruit will still be good. In my experience, this gives the bananas a few extra days before the inevitable banana bread. In my estimation, your timetable of one week should be nicely accommodated.

Many people leave banannas out in a fruit bowl with other fruit.This wilol ripen them as well as other fruits faster If apples in the mix. The apples throw ethelene gas which is used to open flowers and ripen fruit.  Keep bananas suspended off table and in an air conditioned place.

Interesting tip Chefedb. Are apples the only fruits that throw the ethylene gas?

The plot thickens. Here's a site that lists more ethylene producing foods:

http://www.subzero-wolf.com/kitchen-design-plans/tipsdetail.aspx?productid=8&tid=1&oid=9

Who knew?

Siduri - I know your dilemma.  It gets that hot in summer here too and the bananas don't last all that long.  Once they start to blacken I tend to slice them up, toss in lemon juice, flat freeze on a tray in the freezer, bag up.  Then I'll use them for smoothies with yoghurt.  Bung them in the blender with a bit of sugart, big splodge of greek yoghurt, splash of vanilla essence, couple Tbsp of sugar, scoop of vanilla icecream, and WHIZZ.

Nice.  Can even add any other fruit you might have handy there such as apricots or peaches - even better.

Hope this helps.

Oddly only ripening banannas will emit ethelene where as unripened are very sensitive to it. There are other fruits that emit ethelene but I do know when trying to open roses and other flowers, pro florest put them in plastic covering or bag and put a wedge of apple in with it.

When I place ripe bananas in the fridge it slows the ripening (even though the skin might get a little discoloured) and they remain good for eating or making cakes. I especially like to keep the green ones from ripening by placing them in the fridge - the skins might lose their nice green colour but the banana inside is untouched!

Black bananas - my kids (now 18 and 19) still won't touch them, great big sigh here, but I'll eat them as long as they are  firmish.  Actually sweeter than what is seen as a normally ripe banana.