Re: Costco bananas don't seem to ever ripen (what's the trick)?

[Francis C.]

Cheryl wrote:

> Maybe you're not to supposed to leave them in the sealed plastic bag
> once taken home. Your control group seems to suggest that. The rest
> was interesting, with the apples and all.

Well, the funny thing is that, in the past, I've unbagged the green
Costco bananas, and they never ripened. I also left them bagged,
and, they never ripened.

For a long while, I just stopped buying Costco bananas.

But then, I was at Costco on the last Sunday in March, and
I figured I'd buy them, and ASK YOU GUYS.

I do realize the paper bag was the suggested method, along
with the ripened fruits - but I had no paper bags, and not
enough bananas to do all the experiments - so I opted for
the simplest ... which was to put fruits in three of the
four bags.

So far, I've learned that the yellow Dole banana did almost nothing
to ripen the green DelMonte bananas; and I learned that a single
apple was a risk because it appears to depend on the apple.

So I juggled the apples yesterday - and threw away the yellow
Dole which had turned brown all over - and am currently just
waiting to see if the multiple apples will work.

I will report back in a few days...

[DD_BobK]

Dear FC-

imo, your "juggling of the experimental conditions" as time progress
is effectively muddling any results. :(

You might hit a "home run" and discover a ripening solution but at
this point, I cannot say which of your experimental paths I would
repeat to confirm a success.

That over ripe Dole may have been you best ripening agent. Based on
the results so far, I'd give up on Costco bannanas :(

[Francis C.]

DD_BobK wrote:

> That over ripe Dole may have been you best ripening agent. Based on
> the results so far, I'd give up on Costco bannanas

UPDATE:

The untouched DelMonte Costco control set of bananas finally ripened!
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/12676187/img/12676187.jpg

Today is the 12th of April, and they were bought green
on the 24th of March, which is 19 days elapsed time.

If we selected just the right (magic) apple, that time can be
dropped by two thirds - otherwise - a bunch of random apples
seemed to drop ripening time only by about a third.

The yellow Dole banana was nearly useless as a ripening
agent (which had to be removed when it turned totally brown).

In summary, the green Costco DelMonte bananas, if left alone,
will ripen in two to three weeks but will ripen in one to two
weeks if we put a few apples in the bag.

[Lawrence]

Hey, all...

I don't see what the problem is! I let green bananas ripen on the counter until they're just the way I like them, then I put them in the frig. They don't stay yellow of course -- they start to go almost black -- but they remain perfect for eating for many days! (As they darken they're not the prettiest to place in a bowl and serve to company of course -- ha ha.)

[ads...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, March 24, 2013 6:35:23 PM UTC-7, Francis C. wrote:
> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
>
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
>
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

I found this thread looking for what the heck happened to my costco bananas!
Bought them green - left them in the bag - today they all looked nicely ripe. I picked up the bag and water poured out - I thought someone spilled something on them - but NO - they were really - not brown and totally mush - like they had been frozen and then microwaved or something!

[Oren]

On Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:49:51 -0700 (PDT), ads...@gmail.com wrote:

>I found this thread looking for what the heck happened to my costco bananas!

You didn't buy Chiquita� Bananas.

<http://raingardenart.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/chiquita-banana.jpg>

[eseu...@gmail.com]

I noticed that too. I dont buy bananas from there anymore

[Pico Rico]

<eseu...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:335e432b-61d2-434c...@googlegroups.com...

>I noticed that too. I dont buy bananas from there anymore

I am leery of much of Costco fruit.

[Higgs Boson]

I'm a devoted Trader Joe shopper, but I did get tired of their produce, so now I buy at our Co-op. Expensive (all organic, which I don't always require) but SO
fresh and good!

We also have 4 farmer's markets in town - Wednesday, Saturday (2) and Sunday.
Again, not cheap, but guaranteed to be grown and sold by farmer -- no middlemen.

Where I do NOT buy is Whole Foods. Expensive, Yuppy style. How fresh is produce one doesn't know. And now they've been caught with their pants down, charging for the container when weighing out purchase, where it's supposed to automatically deduct weight of container. Huge scandal.

HB

[Pico Rico]

"Higgs Boson" <hypa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:03afd2c9-2b76-40c9...@googlegroups.com...

-------

I am ready to go back to Europe, just for the fruit.

[Mayayana]

>
I'm a devoted Trader Joe shopper, but I did get tired of their produce,
>

I try not to buy any produce there. It's usually
funky in some way. One can't go for quality and cheap
prices both. I also don't like the way these sell their
own brands. There's no way to know the source and
the source doesn't have to worry about their reputation.
A good example: A while back there was a salmonella recall
on products from a wholesaler in the Midwest, called Big Nut.
Among the list of low-end products being recalled was
Trader Joes peanut butter.

While I don't particularly trust Whole Foods, I find their
produce is generally better than other supermarkets, if
only because their clientelle want it that way. For
instance, right now they have those monstrous Driscoll's
robo-berries and they don't even have any garlic from
the US. They also don't have any truly edible tomatoes,
despite prices up to $6.50/pound. On the other hand,
they have local strawberries from an identified grower,
and delicious, local, organic lettuce.
...But if I actually had access to a decent co-op I suspect
I'd do as you do.

[Tony Hwang]

eseu...@gmail.com wrote:
> I noticed that too. I dont buy bananas from there anymore
>

Hi,
They were never picked when ripe but green.
We only buy organic bananas, easy on the stomach taste better.
If it is too green, we leave it in the sun room for couple days.

[DerbyDad03]

"Mayayana" <maya...@invalid.nospam> wrote:
>>
> I'm a devoted Trader Joe shopper, but I did get tired of their produce,
>>
>
> I try not to buy any produce there. It's usually
> funky in some way. One can't go for quality and cheap
> prices both. I also don't like the way these sell their
> own brands. There's no way to know the source and
> the source doesn't have to worry about their reputation.

How do you know there's no way to know the source. Have you ever asked?

A while back I was looking at the chicken at BJ's. They sell Perdue labeled
chicken and BJ's labeled chicken. I located the butcher and asked him what
the difference was. "Just the packaging, and of course, the price."

They get all of their chicken from Perdue, some of it pre-packaged by
Perdue, and some of it bulk, which they then package themselves and sell
for a lower price.

[Mayayana]

| > I'm a devoted Trader Joe shopper, but I did get tired of their produce,
| >>
| >
| > I try not to buy any produce there. It's usually
| > funky in some way. One can't go for quality and cheap
| > prices both. I also don't like the way these sell their
| > own brands. There's no way to know the source and
| > the source doesn't have to worry about their reputation.
|
| How do you know there's no way to know the source. Have you ever asked?
|

Who would one ask? A clerk may answer, but that doesn't
mean they know. I've never tried writing to TJ. Maybe they'd
answer. I don't know. But that would seem to be in conflict with the
whole idea of store brands, which is that the source company
doesn't have to answer to the customer and can therefore charge
the store less. A Sears sewing machine might be made by Singer
or it might be made by Ace & Acme, but for all practical purposes
it's a Sears machine.

Most Trader Joes processed products say only "distributed by
Trader Joes". I suspect that Big Nut doesn't want their name
connected because then people would send complaints to them.
I would guess that's probably part of the contract.

Even if the source is known, it would make sense that their
product is higher quality than the store brand. If a company
also sells retail then their reputation depends on their product, but
not on the stock they sell through a store brand. There can also
be other minor issues, not immediately apparent. For instance,
Whole Foods brand organic diced tomatoes are cheaper than the
name brand on the next shelf. They both say organic. But the
name brand (Muir Glen) also says there's no BPA in the can liner.
The WF brand does not. WF is a giant corporation that bought
out smaller stores to build a massive chain. they're a middleman,
not a food producer. So they don't care about issues like BPA in
can liners unless the customer cares -- even when the content is
organic!
So there's two cans of tomatoes. They might even both be
Muir Glen tomatoes. But one has BPA in the can liner. And it's
pretty safe to assume that if Muir Glen is selling tomatoes to
WF they're not sending them the best ones. That's why the
store brand is cheaper, after all.

| A while back I was looking at the chicken at BJ's. They sell Perdue
labeled
| chicken and BJ's labeled chicken. I located the butcher and asked him what
| the difference was. "Just the packaging, and of course, the price."
|
| They get all of their chicken from Perdue, some of it pre-packaged by
| Perdue, and some of it bulk, which they then package themselves and sell
| for a lower price.

That makes sense. Perdue practically owns the market at this
point. But the clerk's word is not a promise, and BJs could easily
start getting chicken from China next month. They've made no
commitment to you about where they source their chicken. If they
start getting it from a farm in China built on a mercury waste dump
you'll probably never know. Nor is the clerk likely to learn about it.
For that matter, they can say it's organic if China certifies that.
But we have no agreement with China in terms of organic regulations.
And who, in their right mind, would trust Chinese gov't officials to
confirm organic food products being shipped to the US? They don't
even care about their own people.

Personally I would never buy Perdue at any price. One reason
is their exploitation. There was a PBS documentary about how
they treat their suppliers. Another reason is the chicken itself.
It's not right. It's got globs of yellow fat under the skin and the
fat is sticky, tearing apart paper napkins. There are also veins
that seem to be in weird places. If you try normal chicken, like
Bell and Evans, I think you'll find it tastes much better and
the fat it greasy, just like it always was growing up. :) There
are also no fat globs under the skin in normal chicken.

I wouldn't eat industrial beef, either, because that's likely to
be far worse than chicken. (A single hamburger can come from
dozens of countries, unloaded from ships as meat chunks in bins,
then shipped to the Midwest suppliers for grinding. Yum.) But in
the case of beef I can't honestly say that I think organic tastes
better. I'd only buy it to avoid a big dose of female hormones,
mad cow prions, and who knows what else might be in it. In the
case of chicken I can see and taste the difference clearly.

If you're on a tight budget you might have to go for industrial
food, but I would keep in mind that their market is people who
care most, by far, about price. Or to put it another way, if you
don't want to know how sausage is made, then you won't. :)

[Buster Hymen]

On 07/03/2014 10:42 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> They get all of their chicken from Perdue, some of it pre-packaged by
> Perdue, and some of it bulk, which they then package themselves and sell
> for a lower price.

Yum! Perdue chicken are the best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mlrdr2jHV1A

[Ed Pawlowski]

I'm leery of any supermarket produce. Much is now picked too soon so it
ships with minimal damage, but also has minimal flavor. It is
artificially ripened and never truly matures. That is the consequence
of wanting watermelon in January.

My generation is going to be the last one to know what a peach or tomato
is supposed to taste like.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 7/4/2014 10:15 AM, Mayayana wrote:

> Even if the source is known, it would make sense that their
> product is higher quality than the store brand. If a company
> also sells retail then their reputation depends on their product, but
> not on the stock they sell through a store brand. There can also
> be other minor issues, not immediately apparent. For instance,
> Whole Foods brand organic diced tomatoes are cheaper than the
> name brand on the next shelf. They both say organic. But the
> name brand (Muir Glen) also says there's no BPA in the can liner.
> The WF brand does not. WF is a giant corporation that bought
> out smaller stores to build a massive chain. they're a middleman,
> not a food producer. So they don't care about issues like BPA in
> can liners unless the customer cares -- even when the content is
> organic!
> So there's two cans of tomatoes. They might even both be
> Muir Glen tomatoes. But one has BPA in the can liner. And it's
> pretty safe to assume that if Muir Glen is selling tomatoes to
> WF they're not sending them the best ones. That's why the
> store brand is cheaper, after all.

You are making assumptions with no backup. Just because the can does
not state anything about BPA you cannot say it has it. May or may not
and if it does not, their lawyers would have a lot of fun with you.

Your assumption that they are not sending "the best ones" is wrong also.
I've had involvement in the private label industry in the past. Most
often, it is identical. No better, no worse, exactly the same. There
are exceptions both ways though.

I was in a soda bottling plant a couple of months ago and watched a
change over of labels while the same flavoring syrup continued to flow.
OTOH, they also produced a premium flavor for another brand that sold
for more than their own.

[Mayayana]

| You are making assumptions with no backup. Just because the can does
| not state anything about BPA you cannot say it has it.

I assume for my purposes that it has BPA because it
doesn't say otherwise. Why not? These are cans of
organic tomatoes. I'm paying extra for good quality.
If the WF version is not using BPA they'd be crazy not
to say that. If the other brand says non-BPA I'll buy that
instead. Many of the WF customers care. In fact, more
people probably care about BPA than about organic. It's
a less controversial issue.


If you really want to research it, here's a link I found in a
few seconds:

http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/

It says that as of 2012 WF was using about 27%
non-BPA cans, claiming that they can't get more.
But it sounds like you don't really want to know. You're
one of those people who prefers not to know how the
sausage is made. And such people get annoyed when
someone tells them, because it complicates their life.

| Your assumption that they are not sending "the best
| ones" is wrong also. I've had involvement in the private
| label industry in the past. Most often, it is identical.

So you say. But you're the same person who doesn't
care about BPA in cans, aren't you? :)

There may be truth in what you're saying, but again
it makes sense for my purposes to assume lower quality.
The actual food producer does not have their name
on the product. It's a matter of simple common sense
and human nature that if they can fulfill their contract
with lesser quality stock -- saving the better stock for
their own label -- then they would do that. Wouldn't
you? You've grown 3 truckloads of tomatoes. Shaws
wants to buy one for their store brand. One truckload
is a bit funky, from a poorly producing field, but certainly
good enough for market, while the other two truckloads
are extremely good. Do you send one of the better
truckloads to Shaws? (There's no such thing as identical
when it comes to fresh food.)

[Mayayana]

Interesting coincidence.... Your post got me curious
about the BPA issue. It turns out it's harder to avoid
BPA in cans than I thought. I don't buy much in cans,
so I haven't paid much attention to it, but apparently
tomatoes are an especially relevant item:

From 2013
http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_in_canned_food.html
---------

Sara O'Leary, a healthy eating specialist and a registered dietitian at
Whole Foods Market in Vancouver, says that while she hasn't received many
customer inquiries about BPA-free packaging, she likes to point out specific
brands when she conducts store tours or talks with customers about making
healthier food choices.

The only current product line that's completely BPA-free is Eden Organic,
though individual products from Wild Planet, Westbrae Natural and Muir Glen
have BPA-free packaging.

"If you're only going to worry about BPA with one thing, focus on tomatoes,"
O'Leary says. "Due to their high acidity, they encourage the leaching of BPA
into the food. So I point customers to diced tomatoes or sauces from Eden or
Muir Glen."

----------------

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 7/4/2014 12:10 PM, Mayayana wrote:
> | You are making assumptions with no backup. Just because the can does
> | not state anything about BPA you cannot say it has it.
>
> I assume for my purposes that it has BPA because it
> doesn't say otherwise. Why not?

You said it does. You do not know that for sure. Yes, you can be
cautious and not buy them, but you cannot be sure it has something just
because it does not say it is free of it. Many things say "gluten free"
but not everything that does not say that has gluten in it.

These are cans of
> organic tomatoes. I'm paying extra for good quality.
> If the WF version is not using BPA they'd be crazy not
> to say that.

Perhaps, but getting the labels changed takes time too. We don't have
facts to make statements, only conjecture.

>
>
> If you really want to research it, here's a link I found in a
> few seconds:
>
> http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/
>
> It says that as of 2012 WF was using about 27%
> non-BPA cans, claiming that they can't get more.
> But it sounds like you don't really want to know. You're
> one of those people who prefers not to know how the
> sausage is made. And such people get annoyed when
> someone tells them, because it complicates their life.

I make my own sausage and I know exactly what goes into it. I would
prefer non-bps cans, but I don't get too excited about the few cans a
month we do use.

>
> | Your assumption that they are not sending "the best
> | ones" is wrong also. I've had involvement in the private
> | label industry in the past. Most often, it is identical.
>
> So you say. But you're the same person who doesn't
> care about BPA in cans, aren't you? :)

Where did I say I don't care? You lose credibility what you say things
like that. You just make up what suits you at the time regardless of
the truth.

>
> There may be truth in what you're saying, but again
> it makes sense for my purposes to assume lower quality.
> The actual food producer does not have their name
> on the product. It's a matter of simple common sense
> and human nature that if they can fulfill their contract
> with lesser quality stock -- saving the better stock for
> their own label -- then they would do that. Wouldn't
> you?

It gets even funnier as you go on with assumption. Do you think the
label on the can means it was produced and packed by them? Many of the
name brand items you buy are produced by the independents and third
party canners. Same big vat, many labels.

You've grown 3 truckloads of tomatoes. Shaws
> wants to buy one for their store brand. One truckload
> is a bit funky, from a poorly producing field, but certainly
> good enough for market, while the other two truckloads
> are extremely good. Do you send one of the better
> truckloads to Shaws? (There's no such thing as identical
> when it comes to fresh food.)

Depends on who I'm packing for today. Chances are, I'd mix the three
together and start canning.

[Mayayana]

| It gets even funnier as you go on with assumption. Do you think the
| label on the can means it was produced and packed by them? Many of the
| name brand items you buy are produced by the independents and third
| party canners. Same big vat, many labels.

That's a good point. I know WF brand is not their own.
I can be fairly confident that Muir Glen produces and
packs their own. But there are a lot of "quality" food
companies that have been bought up to cash in on the
reputation. Toms, HaagenDas, SmartFood, etc. One just
has to make one's best judgement based on available
information. I don't see anything silly about that.

| You've grown 3 truckloads of tomatoes. Shaws
| > wants to buy one for their store brand. One truckload
| > is a bit funky, from a poorly producing field, but certainly
| > good enough for market, while the other two truckloads
| > are extremely good. Do you send one of the better
| > truckloads to Shaws? (There's no such thing as identical
| > when it comes to fresh food.)
|
| Depends on who I'm packing for today. Chances are, I'd mix the three
| together and start canning.
|

You're not canning. You're selling a truckload
to Shaws, and they'll be perfectly happy with
the worst batch, while what you keep will go
under your own label. You're going to mix the
truckloads? I doubt that very much.

[Higgs Boson]

I NEVER NEVER buy"Southern chickens" -- with apologies to my Southern friends.
Perdue is a no-no, both because of dubious quality of product and bad treatment of employees, and because of their political stance. It's my money, and I'll spend it where I choose. Preferably where the growers do not brutalize the chickens. Happens in most states; the growers pay off legislators to oppose every effort to provide reasonable conditions for these helpless creatures.

If you ever chose to research that situation, you would be shocked.

Though I don't always buy "organic" I certainly prefer to buy local chickens from farmers that are allowed to sell at farmers markets because they follow best practices.

HB

[Julie Bove]

"Pico Rico" <Pico...@nonospam.com> wrote in message
news:lp4va8$afg$1...@news.mixmin.net...

It isn't fresh. I bought things there a few times only to have them be bad
by the following day.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 7/18/2014 1:55 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>

>>>
>>> I am leery of much of Costco fruit.
>>
>> I'm a devoted Trader Joe shopper, but I did get tired of their
>> produce, so now I buy at our Co-op. Expensive (all organic, which I
>> don't always require) but SO
>> fresh and good!
>>
>> We also have 4 farmer's markets in town - Wednesday, Saturday (2) and
>> Sunday.
>> Again, not cheap, but guaranteed to be grown and sold by farmer -- no
>> middlemen.
>>
>> Where I do NOT buy is Whole Foods. Expensive, Yuppy style. How fresh
>> is produce one doesn't know. And now they've been caught with their
>> pants down, charging for the container when weighing out purchase,
>> where it's supposed to automatically deduct weight of container. Huge
>> scandal.
>>
>> HB
>
> It isn't fresh. I bought things there a few times only to have them be
> bad by the following day.

How fresh is fresh? Most of the crap in supermarkets is picked too soon
so it is shelf stable, but tasteless. Sure, the ripe stuff goes bad
faster but used in a timely fashion, it is full of flavor.

It has been years since I had a good banana. Melons from the farmer's
makrket are good, but the ones in supermarkets are nasty. The grapes
from Chile are picked too soon and not as sweet as they should be, but
they have to survive the long trip.

[RobertMacy]

On Fri, 18 Jul 2014 06:38:54 -0700, Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> wrote:

>> ...snip...

>
> It has been years since I had a good banana. Melons from the farmer's
> makrket are good, but the ones in supermarkets are nasty. The grapes
> from Chile are picked too soon and not as sweet as they should be, but
> they have to survive the long trip.
>

when grapes FIRST appeared from Chile, they were incredibly delicious!
We're talking so much sugar they actually stuck together sometimes. Like
vine ripened. incredible, but within a year the FDA found BAD grapes from
Chile which staunched that flow. The adulterated grapes turned out to be
two shriveled grapes that had been injected with strichnine. hmmm...yeah
that happens a lot in nature. Well, after that, the grapes coming in from
Chile started tasting EXACTLY like the grapes form elsewhere. Picked too
green, no flavour, etc. But at least for one season we found some
produce, albeit at Safeway, that tasted like it should.

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

In article <lqactc$e48$1...@dont-email.me>,

that seems to happen to you quite frequently

[Francis C.]

[Oren]

On Mon, 25 Mar 2013 01:35:23 +0000 (UTC), "Francis C." <f...@fc.com>
wrote:

>Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
>What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

Take them out of the plastic bag....like you have in the bowl in your
photo. Or buy nearly ripe bananas.

Black spots on the peel, indicate sugar sweetness. If the peel turns
black, made banana nut bread.

[Roy]

Put a couple of apples in with the bananas in the bag...will help somewhat.

[DD_BobK]

My experience with very green bananas.... they often "go bad" before
they ripen.

The ripen process involves the release & the action of ethylene gas.
I typically use a ripe banana to "force ripen" tomatoes.

You can do the same with bananas.
Put the unripe bananas in a brown paper bad along with a ripe apple.
The ethylene gas from the apple will help ripen the bananas.

The paper bag will help concentrate the ethylene gas but not retain
moisture which would encourage the bananas to mold.

cheers
Bob

[DerbyDad03]

Overripe bananas are great for smoothies too.

Peel and freeze them if too many go bad before you can use them.

[Julie Bove]

I've had a problem with bananas not ripening. Don't know why. Not Costco
bananas though. Those things come loaded with so many fruit flies, I won't
ever buy them again.

[harry]

The trick is ethylene gas. Given off by (over)ripe fruit.
Put your green bananas in a closed container with other over ripe
fruit.
The ethylene gas given off by the over ripe fruit will ripen your
bananas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene-ripened_fruits#Storage

[Erik]

In article <kio9kr$q4b$1...@dont-email.me>, "Francis C." <f...@fc.com>
wrote:

> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

I remember once reading that if bananas are ever ever allowed to go
below 40°F, they will never ripen.

However, this article suggest even higher temperatures than 40°F
can/will permanently stall ripening. See the 'ripening' heading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana

Erik

[Francis C.]

I had immediately put a ripe banana and apple in the bags,
leaving one bag as a control.

Here is the current result, after three days:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/12520377/img/12520377.jpg

I'd say, so far, it's a failure; but maybe time will tell.

[Kalmia]

Wish I had that problem. I buy three at a time and they ripen very
fast. My market sells Chiquitas by bulk.

I let em sit in an open wooden bowl.

[Brooklyn1]

Francis C.wrote:

Can take a lot longer than three days...
Costco doesn't grow bananas, they buy from the same wholesaler that
all the other area stores buy from... the larger stores like Costco
buy in large volume so get the freshest bananas... retail stores
prefer to buy greener bananas... if they ripen too much before they
can sell them they end up in the trash bin. Those plastic banana bags
have large holes punched in them (I can see the holes in your photo),
the ethylene gas produced by the apple and the bananas themselves is
escaping... using those leaky bags is almost like using no bag at all.
Bananas are purposely placed in ventilated bags so that they don't
ripen too quickly, it's difficult to sell overly ripe bananas. The
bananas in the bags with the apple do look slightly riper (more
yellowish) than the bag with no apple all way to the right. If you're
in a big hurry use bags that don't leak... but those bananas will
ripen on their own if left out on the counter with no bag and with no
help at all if you have patience... bananas are harvested very green
so they can survive shipping, you obviously chose the the greenest of
the green, was probably a just arrived shipment. Usually the produce
manager will put the older/riper bananas out first but often in stores
that sell bananas cheap they sell too fast for much in-store ripening.
Btw, most folks complain that bananas ripen too fast, consider
yourself fortunate.

[DD_BobK]

Two comments...


1) Paper bag was suggested (I have never attempted to ripen fruit in
a plastic bag...only paper)
2) Perhaps there is truth to "the less than 40F exposure prevents
ripening" ?
3) Create additoonal condition

[DD_BobK]

On Mar 27, 7:52 am, Brooklyn1 <gravesen...@verizon.net> wrote:
BIG SNIP

>>>Those plastic banana bags
have large holes punched in them (I can see the holes in your photo),
the ethylene gas produced by the apple and the bananas themselves is
escaping... using those leaky bags is almost like using no bag at
all.
Bananas are purposely placed in ventilated bags so that they don't
ripen too quickly, it's difficult to sell overly ripe bananas. The
bananas in the bags with the apple do look slightly riper (more
yellowish) than the bag with no apple all way to the right. If
you're
in a big hurry use bags that don't leak... but those bananas will
ripen on their own if left out on the counter with no bag and with no
help at all if you have patience... bananas are harvested very green
so they can survive shipping, you obviously chose the the greenest of
the green, was probably a just arrived shipment.<<

+1 ...I missed the holes in the plastic bags, good catch.

[Francis C.]

DD_BobK wrote:

> +1 ...I missed the holes in the plastic bags, good catch.

I will switch to clear un-holed plastic bags.

This isn't the first time I've had the Costco bananas not ripen,
but, maybe I just didn't wait long enough.

There was no way NOT to get green bananas, as that's all they
had when I bought them. Must have been a fresh shipment.

[andrew s]

Brooklyn1 wrote on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:52:33 -0400:

Why would a "paper" bag be any different than a plastic bag for
ripening fruits?

[gregz]

I buy a bag of bananas when my grocery offers the bag O discount. 12-14
bananas for cheap. I guess they are past sell point or something. They are
not bad by any means. I just have to think banana ! Still got a bunch right
now that I bought last Friday, still good.

Greg

[gregz]

Other than my paper sack with handle sale, i never saw plastic bagged
bananas.

Greg

[DD_BobK]

If you want to extend the experiment,
keep a bag with holes

& switch to plastic bag w/o holes
but.....
my experience that I shared was with a paper bag (specifically size 8,
oversized lunch bag)

plastic w/o holes may be too mositure tight, rot before ripen?

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:40:21 +0000 (UTC), "Francis C." <f...@fc.com>
wrote:

>DD_BobK wrote:
>
>> +1 ...I missed the holes in the plastic bags, good catch.
>
>I will switch to clear un-holed plastic bags.
>

I'd use a paper bag. Plastic bags tend to allow the fruit to go moldy
long before paper.

>This isn't the first time I've had the Costco bananas not ripen,
>but, maybe I just didn't wait long enough.
>
>There was no way NOT to get green bananas, as that's all they
>had when I bought them. Must have been a fresh shipment.

Supermarkets have ripening rooms and they control how the banana
reaches the selling floor. Maybe Costco does not do it well.
http://www.ripeningrooms.com/home.aspx
http://abullseyeview.com/infographic-target-banana-ripening-rooms/

[DD_BobK]

On Mar 27, 4:46 pm, andrew s <andr...@nospammers.com> wrote:

> Why would a "paper" bag be any different than a plastic bag for
> ripening fruits?

I'm not sure, I was told (or read) to use a paper bag...like a lunch
sized bag.

My guess >>>

closed bag is to increase the concentration of ethylene gas, paper bag
to allow bananas to "breath".
Thus preventing rot by not allowing liquid water (condensation) to
accumulate.

Don't know "why" for sure but in my experience paper bags just work.
YMMV

cheers
Bob

[Oren]

On Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:33:12 -0700 (PDT), DD_BobK <rkaz...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>plastic w/o holes may be too mositure tight, rot before ripen?

...kind of related

Crime scene evidence with possible DNA, body fluids, etc is stored in
paper bags. Keeps it from deteriorating faster.

Other evidence is okay in plastic bags.

Back to the topic -- some say to put an avocado in a dark kitchen
cabinet with no bag and it will ripen faster than sitting on the
counter.

[Papa Pat]

.....I don't know...but, I'm so old, I
can't take the chance of buying
green fruit.... ;-)

[Francis C.]

DD_BobK wrote:

> plastic w/o holes may be too mositure tight, rot before ripen?

Ah, makes sense.

Since I have 4 bags of bananas, I'll do this:
1. Control (unopened plastic bag)
2. Apple with bananas (paper bag)
3. Banana with bananas (paper bag)
4. Apple with bananas (plastic bag)

[Francis C.]

gregz wrote:

> i never saw plastic bagged bananas.

Costco clearly plastic bags them (DelMonte)
http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg

[James Silverton]

I look forward to the results!

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

[Francis C.]

James Silverton wrote:

> I look forward to the results!

Bummer. I don't have any small paper bags.
So, I just left them (since Sunday) in the plastic bags.
Here's the result, Friday morning:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/12537441/img/12537441.jpg

[James Silverton]

The ones on the left look most promising but even I, who don't like
really ripe bananas, think they have a way to go. My ideal, naturally
ripened, banana has a clear yellow skin with, at most, a few brown
spots. Many people would not consider my favorites really ripe but I
like them sweet with a slight sub-acid taste.

[gregz]

I see them !!!!

I bought a big paper bag of half price yellow bananas last week, been
eating them, and I think they are still good. I've bought green bananas
that did not last that long.
I now store my bananas away from that heater vent below the counter. I
switched to the cool side of the kitchen.

Greg

[Francis C.]

James Silverton wrote:

>> Here's the result, Friday morning:
>> http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/12537441/img/12537441.jpg

> The ones on the left look most promising but even I, who don't like
> really ripe bananas, think they have a way to go

Interestingly, look at the difference a day makes!

Here's the same set Friday evening:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/12541714/img/12541714.jpg

Both apples came from the same batch, but one is
really working those bananas, while the other must
be working for the DMV.

Meanwhile, the control is still as green as my lawn,
almost a week after buying them from Costco!

[James Silverton]

Yes, now we have to figure out what was different about the apples.

[Jon Danniken]

Sounds about right to me, I don't like any brown spots on my bananas,
just yellow with a little green is about right for me.

Jon

[Brooklyn1]

If the apples were waxed they won't release much ethylene.

[Francis C.]

sf wrote:

> You never said why you bought so much at once,
> but I'd only want one of those packages ripe at a time

It's the normal amount I buy for the family.
Normally I get 'em yellow at the supermarket.

In the past, the Costco bananas never ripened.
I don't know why.

But, I'm learning.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12565358/img/12565358.jpg

Notice today, one week and one day later, just the
ONE with one of the apples (unwaxed I presume) has
ripened.

The rest are still green!

[Oren]

On Mon, 1 Apr 2013 15:36:44 +0000 (UTC), "Francis C." <f...@fc.com>
wrote:

>In the past, the Costco bananas never ripened.
>I don't know why.
>

Must be the Del Monte brand. I never have a problem with Chiquita
bananas. Just the opposite. They ripen fast.

>But, I'm learning.
> http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12565358/img/12565358.jpg
>
>Notice today, one week and one day later, just the
>ONE with one of the apples (unwaxed I presume) has
>ripened.
>
>The rest are still green!

The apples look waxed to me as they a very shinny (in the bowl). Look
in the core dimple on top. The area is not shinny, that I see.

You might take the third bag with the apple and cut the apple in half
or quarters and place them back in the bag.

[Francis C.]

Jean B. wrote:

> The trick of finding ripe bananas (which isn't what you asked for)

The problem was that, at Costco, all they had was green, and greener.
In the past, they NEVER ripened - which is why I asked (they 'must'
be ripening for someone or they'd never be able to sell 'em).

Anyway, here are the four bags of bananas, which were bought two
Sunday's ago, so it has been 10 days to date.

Notice only ONE bag ripened.
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/12582862/img/12582862.jpg

So, I took the liberty of adding a few more inducements to the
bags (leaving the control alone).

I suspect the control will NEVER ripen, and I'll have to throw
it away - but - I'll let the banana prove me right or wrong on
its own.

[Pico Rico]

"Francis C." <f...@fc.com> wrote in message news:kjhlq6$80a$1...@dont-email.me...

why not return it to Costco for a refund?

[Francis C.]

Pico Rico wrote:

> why not return it to Costco for a refund?

The point is to figure out HOW to get them to ripen.

[Cheryl]

Maybe you're not to supposed to leave them in the sealed plastic bag
once taken home. Your control group seems to suggest that. The rest
was interesting, with the apples and all.


--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

[Francis C.]

Francis C. wrote:

> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

UPDATE: 2 weeks later

a. I bought 4 DelMonte banana plastic bags at Costco (Sunday 3/30)
b. I put a ripe apple in two & a yellow banana in one.
c. One of the apple banana bags ripened (and has subsequently been eaten)
d. I added MORE APPLES to the one bag (including the magic apple)
e. I removed the now-wholly-brown ripening banana (which had failed)
f. Now it's exactly two weeks later

March 29th:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/12636337/img/12636337.jpg

April 1st:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/12636339/img/12636339.jpg

April 7th:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12636338/img/12636338.jpg

[zhife...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 6:35:23 PM UTC-7, Francis C. wrote:
> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

I have same experience. It took three weeks for the bananas to become soft, not ripe. I put them in garage where the temp is usually 80 in the afternoon. it does not work. I am guessing some chemicals or fertilizer is the cause.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Try putting them in a paper bag. It concentrates the ethylene gas.

Many supermarkets have ripening rooms to process them to various stages.

[Oren]

On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 15:32:40 -0400, Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> wrote:

>Try putting them in a paper bag. It concentrates the ethylene gas.

Same brown bags used for tomatoes. Often put in a kitchen cabinet.

Less sunlight.

[F Murtz]

Probably ungassed, they ripen slower.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sadly, most of the fresh fruits and veggies in supermarkets really are
under-ripe flavorless things picked to be able to ship thousands of
miles without damage.

Some of the strawberries are big and red and sure look pretty, but they
have no flavor. Peaches may or may not be edible when they finally
ripen. Sometimes they are mealy. Seedless watermelons have half the
flavor of the old long seeded ones we grew up with.

This time of year you can skip the suprmarket and head to the local
farmer's market and get real fresh food, just picked, full of flavor.

[Mayayana]

| Sadly, most of the fresh fruits and veggies in supermarkets really are
| under-ripe flavorless things picked to be able to ship thousands of
| miles without damage.
|
| Some of the strawberries are big and red and sure look pretty, but they
| have no flavor. Peaches may or may not be edible when they finally
| ripen. Sometimes they are mealy. Seedless watermelons have half the
| flavor of the old long seeded ones we grew up with.
|
| This time of year you can skip the suprmarket and head to the local
| farmer's market and get real fresh food, just picked, full of flavor.

Or at least not go to Costco! Whole Foods has
organic bananas at a reasonable price. I've been
getting good, organic peaches at WF lately. I've
also been getting some things at local farmers
markets, but there's not much fruit in yet.
But one has to do research and try each batch,
even at Whole Foods. They've gone corporate and
can't be trusted. (I can't count how many times
I've pointed out wrong country-of-origin signs on
produce to clerks who couldn't care less.) What's
good this week at WF may not be good next week.
And even WF is turning into a factory food outlet,
while also driving small natural food stores out of
business. Next to the current crop of organic peaches
(on sale!) are organic grapes from Anthony's. Sounds
good? Anthony's is using fracking water that may be
tainted with heavy metals to get through the California
drought. (The organic law doesn't cover the topic of
sourcing water.) I've been buying the surprisingly good,
and non-bloated, non-organic grapes.
WF also carries Driscoll's berries, which
have their own hybrids and operate like the Perdue of
produce -- getting smaller farmers to act as subcontractors,
forcing them to grow the Driscoll's hybrids using Driscoll's
methods. I wouldn't touch a Driscoll's product, for both
moral and health reasons. This week I walked into a WF
and was met by a young, attractive woman who wanted
to give me a coupon for Stonyfield Farms yogurt. SF
was bought years ago by Dannon (Danone). It's factory
scale yogurt. I once saw that they buy "organic"
strawberries from China! Meanwhile I can get a few
brands of local, organic yogurt.
So all of that is happening within just a few limited
categories at Whole Foods. People who shop at mainstream
chain stores have far less chance of buying truly edible
food. People who shop around still need to educate
themselves.... and at least pay attention enough to
realize that a tart, crunchy plum or a mealy peach is not
an edible foodstuff. :)

[rbowman]

On 07/31/2016 07:51 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> This time of year you can skip the suprmarket and head to the local
> farmer's market and get real fresh food, just picked, full of flavor.

I'm somewhat cynical about the local farmers' market. Much of the
produce isn't in season and if there are that many truck gardens in town
they certainly are well hidden.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The farmer's market in town here twice a week is certified by the state.
If you did not grow it, make it, or raise it, you cannot sell it.
Most of the regulars also sell out of their farm locations too.

There are some farm stands that do sell stuff they get from wholesalers,
but they are not much different than the supermarket.

[bob haller]

banasas are picked not ripe. and are supposed to be gassed right before sale.

apparently the missed their gas...........

[rbowman]

On 07/31/2016 12:40 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> The farmer's market in town here twice a week is certified by the state.
> If you did not grow it, make it, or raise it, you cannot sell it. Most
> of the regulars also sell out of their farm locations too.

Other than the cherry stands up around the Flathead during the season, I
can't think of a farm stand around here. The one produce vendor I have
confidence is the guy selling Dixon melons out of the back of his
pickup. I've seen the melons growing in Dixon and he only shows up in
season. The people doing baked goods, jerky, and so forth are also
believable.

> There are some farm stands that do sell stuff they get from wholesalers,
> but they are not much different than the supermarket.

If anything the farmers' market prices are higher than the supermarkets.
They are selling the intangible idea that their stuff must be better,
tastier, and so forth.

[gregz]

Never saw bagged bananas in my groceries.

Greg

[Ed Pawlowski]

Only place I've seen them is Costco and BJ's because the sell a minimum
amount. Local grocery stores sell them by the pound so you can buy just
one or two if you'd like.

[Ameri...@sbcglobal.net]

On Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 8:35:23 PM UTC-5, Francis C. wrote:
> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

This topic is over 3 years old so I might as well get my 2 cents in. I buy Costco bananas frequently and they always ripen. Sometimes they appear not to ripen based on skin color, but the inside does get ripe. If you've had them 3 or 4 days and they still look unripe, try one and see. I never store them in the plastic bag because then they go from green to rotten.

[Thane]

On Tue, 02 Aug 2016 21:36:19 -0700, Ameri-Clean wrote:



One gas used is ethylene. You can try ripening bananas by putting an
apple in a bag with the bananas. Apples give of this gas.

Thane

[Tekkie®]

Thane posted for all of us...

Does Al Gore know this? What will be banned first-the apple or banana? This
MUST be discussed at the world gas conference!

--
Tekkie

[Thane]

On Wed, 03 Aug 2016 14:34:42 -0400, Tekkie® wrote:


>
> Does Al Gore know this? What will be banned first-the apple or banana?
> This MUST be discussed at the world gas conference!

If it's a fruit question, ask Bob Dole.

Thane

[idin...@gmail.com]

We've had a bunch of bananas where only 2 out of 5 or 6 that ripened. From Costco. Now we only get green bananas that have a little yellow on them. It seems to work.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 6/2/2017 1:37 AM, idin...@gmail.com wrote:
> We've had a bunch of bananas where only 2 out of 5 or 6 that ripened. From Costco. Now we only get green bananas that have a little yellow on them. It seems to work.
>

Put them in a paper bag for a day or two.

[mbrait...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 7:35:23 PM UTC-6, Francis C. wrote:
> Whenever I buy Costco bananas, they never seem to ripen to yellow.
> http://www.use.com/images/s_2/22214dce6542ae589dfc_1.jpg
>
> What's the trick to ripening green bananas at home?

I think I'm done with Costco green bananas for the same reason. Over a week and they're still green and firm. I tried to peel one with a knife and it won't even peel properly. Took a bite and spit it out. Tastes nothing like a banana. This isn't the first time but is likely the last.

[Oren]

On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 13:17:09 -0800 (PST), mbrait...@gmail.com
wrote:

Maybe you guys bought Plantains instead of bananas? LOL

[Frank]

I'm at the age where you don't buy green bananas.

[gregz]

Your not supposed to bag bananas.

Greg

[Clare Snyder]

On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 13:17:09 -0800 (PST), mbrait...@gmail.com
wrote:

Ever try putting term in a brown paper bag with a few tomatoes???
Tomatoes produce rthelene gas which is used in force-repening fruits.

[Oren]

On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 19:39:06 -0500, Frank <"frank "@frank.net> wrote:

>
>I'm at the age where you don't buy green bananas.

I hear that. Maybe dried prunes or prune juice, anybody?

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

>
> On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 19:39:06 -0500, Frank <"frank "@frank.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >I'm at the age where you don't buy green bananas.
>
> I hear that. Maybe dried prunes or prune juice, anybody?

Take more medications, every one seems to have a warning that it causes
constipation or diarrhea. I also wonder about the ad warnings that say do
not take ~wonder~ drug if you are allergic to ~wonder~ drug. How do one
know?

--
Tekkie

[Uncle Monster]

But I like prunes! ヽ(•‿•)ノ

[8~{} Uncle Wrinkled Monster

[Peeler]

On Sat, 18 Nov 2017 00:04:07 -0800 (PST), senile Auntie Monster wrote:

>> I hear that. Maybe dried prunes or prune juice, anybody?
>
> But I like prunes! ヽ(•‿•)ノ
>
> [8~{} Uncle Wrinkled Monster

You ARE a prune, senile oaf!

[Cavendish]

Take them out of the bag, sit them on the counter, you can speed up things if you wrap sarran wrap around stump. But the costco bananas are small and even when ripe taste green, guess it's where there from or many other reasons. But seems nobody knows that cavendish bananas are soon to be extinct so a race to save, pick, and transport whats left. Enjoy them while you can because till now no replacement has been found. 😕

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/costco-bananas-don-t-seem-to-ever-ripen-what-s-the-trick-742033-.htm

[Rod Speed]

"Cavendish" <5d68d203bcd882a3...@example.com> wrote in message
news:165dab67752b28e5$1$571192$4636...@news.newsgroupdirect.com...

> Take them out of the bag, sit them on the counter, you can speed up things
> if you wrap sarran wrap around stump. But the costco bananas are small and
> even when ripe taste green, guess it's where there from or many other
> reasons. But seems nobody knows that cavendish bananas are soon to be
> extinct so a race to save, pick, and transport whats left. Enjoy them
> while you can because till now no replacement has been found. 😕

Likely they have stopped buying them after 7 years.

[Peeler]

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:12:07 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

<FLUSH the trolling senile asshole's latest trollshit unread>

--
Sqwertz to Rodent Speed:
"This is just a hunch, but I'm betting you're kinda an argumentative
asshole.
MID: <ev1p6ml7ywd5$.d...@sqwertz.com>