Log in

View Full Version : Thickness of Banana Skin


killer_raincoat
06-24-2009, 11:22 AM
Hi, I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I was wondering if anyone has noticed bananas harder to open lately? My husband and I used to be able to open bananas with ease, and now we're having to use a knife.

Any thoughts?

Gabe15
06-24-2009, 02:43 PM
The switch to Gran Nain was about 50 years ago, so I don't think that's the problem. My guess is that somewhere along the shipping line they are being mishandled (stored at wrong temp, or for too long at a certain temp...). I'm no expert on postharvest physiology, but thats my guess. Its certainly not due to a variety change.

alexizhere19
06-24-2009, 02:51 PM
hey gabe,

my bad on not checking my facts

thanks for the correction

alex

Bob
06-24-2009, 02:57 PM
Interesting observation. What type bananas are you buying? "Reg" ie Chiquita / Dole? As Gabe mentioned they swithed I will say 40 years ago the switch was complete. I never contradict Gabe with out having done my own reseach but I did a lot of reading on United Fruit Co.
In any case I've been buying an unknown organic variety from Ecuador that ripens a dull greenish approaching yellow. I believe they may be ninos but don't really know. - They are tougher to open. Shipping without the bruising has always been a consideration in this industry so there may be something to your what youve experienced.

lorax
06-24-2009, 03:09 PM
It's likely a post-harvest issue; we had a banana-workers' strike a little while back and the big plantations hired in unskilled scab workers so it's entirely possible that the bunches were mishandled before they even made it to port.

This said, Ecuador's been having some wierd weather patterns lately, and that sometimes affects the bunches. For example, it's been getting cold on the coast (where your grocery bananas come from) much more so than normal, which in my own experience tends to produce a slightly harder skin on the fruit.

Gabe15
06-24-2009, 05:24 PM
Interesting observation. What type bananas are you buying? "Reg" ie Chiquita / Dole? As Gabe mentioned they swithed I will say 40 years ago the switch was complete. I never contradict Gabe with out having done my own reseach but I did a lot of reading on United Fruit Co.
In any case I've been buying an unknown organic variety from Ecuador that ripens a dull greenish approaching yellow. I believe they may be ninos but don't really know. - They are tougher to open. Shipping without the bruising has always been a consideration in this industry so there may be something to your what youve experienced.


I too have noticed that sometimes some of the organic bananas ripen a bit green, but they too are Gran Nain. I think its something in how they are handled or treated differently (could be on or off the plant). They had enough of a hassle selecting Gran Nain to replace Gros Michel, they wouldn't have a separate variety for organic production, nor would they intentionally grow a banana known to ripen green.