Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Adam on 02/06/2008 18:32:43

Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: Adam on 02/06/2008 18:32:43: Adam asked the Naked Scientists:

Hi Chris and the Gang,

Usually when I email you, the questions are a bit more complicated and usually refer to stuff I have been learning on my biomedical science course.

However, I came across an old wives tale that my parents and grandparents told me this weekend that putting bananas in the fridge makes them poisonous.

I was a bit dubious on that, but did a google search to make sure, but nothing really came up to confirm if this was true or not. I know bananas are ripened by ethene, so the enclosed space of a fridge could increase its concentration and make them ripen earlier. Indeed, bananas' skins do tend to go darker quicker in the cool box I've found, but would it cause you any harm as long as they weren't completely black and looking rotten.

It was suggested to me that the sugar in the banana that is released as it ripens could increase the number of yeasts present and cause yeast infections, but surely this would be no more risk than any other sugar rich food such as ice cream or cake, or even other fruits (and surely the 5'C fridge would reduce colony forming units of fungi anyway.

Hope you can help as I feel quite embarrassed this is actually puzzling me.

As always, love the show (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/).

Adam

What do you think?
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 02/06/2008 19:26:47: Look what I found (http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbanana.html)
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: Karen W. on 06/06/2008 15:53:31: I freeze my bananas at the point they are ready for banana bread.. the peels turn black but the fruit remains good for bread... I also love Chocolate Covered Frozen Nutty bananas,that were rolled in nuts of your favorite kind!!
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: rosalind dna on 06/06/2008 16:57:57: Quote from: Karen W. on 06/06/2008 15:53:31
I freeze my bananas at the point they are ready for banana bread.. the peels turn black but the fruit remains good for bread... I also love Chocolate Covered Frozen Nutty bananas,that were rolled in nuts of your favorite kind!!

Karen so what happens to the rest of your food?>? interesting idea
although.
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: Karen W. on 06/06/2008 19:00:38: I have not observed any adverse affects on the the occupants of my freezer either physically or emotionally during this cryogenic banana process! LOL!
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 06/06/2008 19:56:20: Quote from: Karen W. on 06/06/2008 15:53:31
I also love Chocolate Covered Frozen Nutty bananas,that were rolled in nuts of your favorite kind!!

Please keep your private life out of this forum! [:I]
Title: Does putting bananas in the fridge make them poisonous?
Post by: Karen W. on 07/06/2008 10:01:02: Oh Pisssssh.. you know I'm the nuttiest Banana here! LOL! [;)] [;D]