Why shouldn't you put bananas with other fruits?: A Guide to Proper Fruit Storage

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 45% of all harvested fresh produce is lost or wasted in the food supply chain, with improper storage being a major factor. A common kitchen habit—storing bananas with other fruits—is a primary culprit, accelerating ripening and leading to unnecessary spoilage.

Quick Summary

Bananas release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that speeds up ripening. When stored with other fruits, this gas can cause them to ripen and spoil prematurely. Understanding this process and separating ethylene-producing fruits from sensitive ones is essential for proper storage and reducing food waste.

Key Points

Ethylene Gas is the Cause: Bananas, as they ripen, release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that accelerates the ripening process in other fruits and vegetables.
Categorize Your Produce: Fruits are either climacteric (ripen after harvest, produce ethylene) or non-climacteric (don't ripen after harvest, sensitive to ethylene), so understanding this helps separate them.
Store Producers Separately: Keep high ethylene-producing fruits like bananas, apples, and avocados away from sensitive items such as berries, leafy greens, and broccoli to prevent rapid spoilage.
Control Ripening: To slow down ripening, keep bananas isolated or wrap the stems. To speed it up, place a banana in a paper bag with an unripe fruit.
Mind the Fridge: While ripe bananas can be refrigerated to slow further ripening, unripe bananas should be kept at room temperature, as the cold can stall their development.
Avoid Bruising: Hanging bananas on a hook or storing them in a single layer provides better airflow and prevents bruising, which can also trigger ripening.

The Science Behind the Spoilage

The reason you shouldn't put bananas with other fruits comes down to a naturally occurring plant hormone called ethylene. As certain fruits ripen, they release this colorless, odorless gas. Bananas, particularly as they mature, are significant producers of ethylene, which has a powerful effect on other produce stored nearby. Ethylene works by accelerating the ripening process in other fruits by breaking down cell walls, converting starches to sugars, and causing changes in color, flavor, and texture.

Not all fruits are affected equally, which is where understanding the two main categories of fruit ripening comes in handy.

Climacteric vs. Non-Climacteric Fruits

Climacteric Fruits: These fruits continue to ripen after being picked. As they mature, they produce a surge of ethylene, and that production increases autocatalytically, meaning the more ethylene they produce, the more they will continue to produce. Bananas, apples, pears, and avocados are prime examples of climacteric fruits.
Non-Climacteric Fruits: These fruits do not ripen significantly after harvest and produce very little ethylene. They should be picked only when they are fully ripe. Examples include berries, grapes, cherries, and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.

The key to effective produce storage is to understand this distinction. When you place an ethylene-producing climacteric fruit like a banana next to a sensitive fruit (both climacteric and non-climacteric varieties), the ripening process is hastened for both, leading to a much shorter shelf life and often, unappealing results.

The Unfortunate Consequences of a Mixed Fruit Bowl

Imagine you bought a beautiful bunch of berries, some firm peaches, and a few slightly green bananas. Placing them all in a single fruit bowl on your counter seems convenient. However, the bananas, as they start to ripen, will release ethylene gas. This gas then envelops the other fruits. The peaches, also climacteric, will begin to ripen much faster, turning soft and mushy within a day or two. The berries, even though they are non-climacteric, are highly sensitive to ethylene and will also spoil much quicker, becoming soft and moldy. The result is a fruit bowl where multiple items become overripe simultaneously, leading to disappointment and food waste.

Fruits and Vegetables to Keep Away from Bananas

To prolong the life of your produce, strategic separation is key. You should always store ethylene-producing produce away from those that are sensitive to it. Here is a list of common culprits and victims:

Ethylene-Producing Fruits & Vegetables:

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Cantaloupe
Kiwi
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Tomatoes

Ethylene-Sensitive Fruits & Vegetables:

Berries (strawberries, blueberries)
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumbers
Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach)
Potatoes
Watermelons

A Comparison of Ethylene Producers and Sensitive Produce


Produce Item	Ethylene Production	Ethylene Sensitivity
Apples	High	High
Bananas	High	High (when unripe)
Avocados	High	High
Tomatoes	High	High (when unripe)
Pears	High	High
Berries (Grapes, Strawberries)	Low	High
Broccoli, Cauliflower	Low	High
Citrus (Oranges, Lemons)	Low	Low

Effective Storage Strategies for Your Home

Preventing food waste and keeping your produce fresh is simple once you understand the science of ethylene. Here are some actionable steps you can take in your kitchen:

Use a Banana Hanger: A banana hanger not only prevents bruising but also allows for better air circulation around the bananas, helping to disperse ethylene gas.
Separate Your Produce: Store ethylene-producing fruits in a dedicated fruit bowl or on a separate counter, far away from sensitive items. Use the different crisper drawers in your refrigerator for different types of produce.
Wrap the Stems: For bananas, wrapping the bunch's stems in plastic wrap or foil can slow down the release of ethylene gas from the source.
Leverage the Ripening Trick: If you have an unripe avocado or mango that needs to be ready faster, place it in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The enclosed space will concentrate the ethylene and accelerate ripening.
Refrigerate When Ripe: Once bananas or other climacteric fruits have reached your preferred level of ripeness, you can transfer them to the refrigerator. The cool temperature will dramatically slow down the ripening process, extending their freshness for a few extra days. Note that banana peels will likely turn brown, but the fruit inside will be fine.

By implementing these straightforward storage practices, you can minimize premature spoilage, enjoy your produce for longer, and save money by reducing food waste. The simplest solution to a long-standing kitchen dilemma is to simply separate the problem-causing fruit from the rest.

Conclusion

Understanding the role of ethylene gas in the ripening process is the key to mastering fruit storage. While a mixed fruit bowl is a classic kitchen centerpiece, it's a recipe for premature spoilage. Separating high ethylene producers like bananas from ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables is a fundamental practice for any home cook focused on a nutritious diet and reducing waste. By adopting simple techniques like using separate storage areas, banana hangers, or even a paper bag for accelerated ripening, you can ensure your produce stays fresh and delicious for as long as possible.

For more detailed information on proper storage techniques for specific fruits, consult a resource like Unlock Food's guide to storing fruits and vegetables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ethylene gas is a natural plant hormone produced by certain fruits as they ripen. It signals and accelerates the ripening process. For home storage, it's important to separate high ethylene-producing fruits from sensitive ones to prevent premature spoilage and food waste.

Fruits and vegetables that produce high levels of ethylene include apples, bananas, avocados, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes. These are known as 'climacteric' fruits, as they continue to ripen after harvest.

Produce that is highly sensitive to ethylene gas and will ripen or spoil faster when exposed to it includes berries (strawberries, blueberries), broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, leafy greens (lettuce, spinach), and potatoes.

Yes, this is a common kitchen hack. Place an unripe fruit, such as an avocado or mango, in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The enclosed bag will trap the ethylene gas, concentrating it and speeding up the ripening process.

Unripe, green bananas should never be refrigerated, as the cold will halt the ripening process and can cause flavor loss. However, once a banana is ripe, you can move it to the fridge to extend its life for a few more days. The peel will turn black, but the fruit inside will remain fresh.

No, you should not store bananas with onions and potatoes. Bananas emit ethylene gas, which can cause potatoes and onions to sprout and go bad more quickly. Both vegetables should be stored in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area.

The best way to store bananas is to keep them at room temperature, away from other fruits, and to hang them on a banana hook. If you want to slow down ripening even further, wrap the stems in plastic wrap or foil.