Why Do Bananas Change To Yellow When Ripening? - Science ABC

Home » Why Is A Banana Yellow » Why Do Bananas Change To Yellow When Ripening? - Science ABC

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At the molecular level, there is cell division, as well as starch to sugar conversion, translating green hard bananas to sweet and sumptuous yellow ripe bananas, enticing frugivores and humans alike.

Bananas are not a delicacy exclusive to our primate cousins. We, as a global civilization, have been consuming bananas for centuries. Now, in highly our industrialized society, we conduct large-scale import and export activities involving these delectable fruits. In fact, bananas are the best-selling item at Walmart, beating out the likes of Coke and Pepsi. Annually, an average American consumes over 25 pounds of bananas!

People like ripe bananas, so special ripening chambers exist where imported bananas are immediately kept so that they reach the market in a ripe and delicious form. We will look into both the contemporary and ancient methods of banana ripening and preservation in this article, in addition to uncovering the science behind the changing color of ripening bananas.

When we talk about local produce, a lot of banana stock is still raw when sold to consumers, and in the case of large Cavendish bananas, being raw means being green in color. We only eat bananas when they turn yellow, so this color change is an important indicator of ripeness. The question is, what causes this color change when bananas ripen?

Cavendish Banana
Cavendish banana (Photo Credit : Augustus Binu/Wikimedia Commons)

With the growing interest of consumers in organic and sustainable farming, as well as a rediscovered passion for good food, researchers have an opportune time to unearth the science behind fruit color and flavor. Let’s look into the complex biochemistry that explains why fruits like bananas change color as they ripen.

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